MATERIALS
HANDLING
Materials Handling
Materials handling is
the art and science of moving,
packing
and storing of substances
in any form.
Some of the other definitions
Materials handling is the movement and
storage of materials at the lowest possible
cost through the use of proper methods and
equipment.
Materials handling is the moving of materials
or product by any means, including storage,
and all movements except processing
operations and inspection.
Materials handling is the art and science of
conveying, elevating, positioning,
transporting, packaging and storing of
materials.
The essential requirements of a
good materials handling system
(i) Efficient and safe movement of
materials to the desired place.
(ii) Timely movement of the materials
when needed.
(iii) Supply of materials at the desired
rate.
(iv) Storing of materials utilising
minimum space.
(v) Lowest cost solution to the
materials handling activities.
Objectives of Materials Handling
To Lowers unit materials handling cost
To reduce manufacturing cycle time
To provide better control of the flow of materials
To provide better working conditions
To provide Contribution for better quality by
avoiding damages to products
To Increase storage capacity
To provide higher productivity at lower
manufacturing costs
Factors affecting the Selection of
Materials Handling Equipment
Capabilities of the
Human element
Production problem handling equipment
involved
available
Production Problem
Volume of Production to be maintained
Layout of plant & building facilities
Class of materials to be handled
Flexibility Adaptability
Load
capacity
Speed
Equipm
ents
Space
Power Factors requirements
Ease of Supervision
Maintaince required
Cost Environment
Human Factors
Capabilities of manpower Safety of Personnel
Types of Material Handling Systems
1. Equipments oriented systems :-
a) Convey or Systems
b) Tractor transfer system
c) Fork lift truck
d) Industrial truck system
e) Underground system
2. Material Oriented Systems
f) Unit handling system
g) Bulk handling system
h) Liquid handling system
3. Methods oriented system
a) Manual systems
b) Automated systems
c) Job shop handling system
d) Mass production system
4. Function oriented system
e) Transportation systems
f) Conveying systems
g) Transferring systems
h) Elevating systems
Types of Materials Handling Equipment
All Equipments in MH (Material
Handling) are classified in three main
types, i.e
1. Conveyors
2. Cranes & Hoists
3. Industrial Trucks
1. Conveyors:
Conveyors are used for moving
materials continuously over a fixed path.
Examples of different conveyors are;
roller, belt, & chute conveyors
Conveyors
Advantage
1. Permits high capacity for moving large number of items
2. Their speed is adjustable
3. Handling combined with other activities such as
processing & inspection is possible
4. They are versatile & can be on floor or overhead
5. Temporary storage of loads b/w work station is possible
(particularly overhead conveyors)
6. Load transfer is automatic & does not require the
assistance of many operators
7. Straight line paths or aisles are not required
8. Utilization of the cube is feasible through the use of
overhead conveyors
Conveyors
Disadvantages:
1. They allow a fixed path, serving only
limited areas
2. Bottlenecks can develop in the system
3. A breakdown in any part of the
conveyor stops the entire line
4. Since conveyors are fixed in position,
they hinder the movement of mobile
equipment on the floor
2. Cranes & Hoists
Cranes & Hoists are items of overhead
equipment for moving loads intermittently
within a limited area. Bridge cranes,
monorail cranes, & hoists are examples of
this basic equipment type
Cranes & Hoists
Advantages:
1. Lifting as well as transferring of material
is possible
2. Interference with the work on the floor is
minimized
3. Valuable floor space is saved for truck
rather than being utilized for installation
of handling equipment
4. Such equipment is capable of handling
heavy loads
5. Such equipment can be used for loading &
unloading of materials
Cranes & Hoists
Disadvantages:
1. They require heavy investment (especially bridge
cranes)
2. They serve a limited area
3. Some cranes move only in straight line & thus can
not make turns
4. Utilization may not be as high as desirable since
cranes are used only for a short time during daily
work
5. An operator has to be available for operating some
types, such as bridge cranes
Applications:
Shipyards & heavy equipment production facilities
3. INDUSTRIAL TRUCKS
Hand or Powered Trucks move
loads over varying paths.
Examples of such Trucks include Lift
Trucks, Fork Trucks, Trailer Trains, &
Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV)
Trucks
Advantages:
They are not require to follow a fixed path
of movement & therefore can be used any
where on the floor where space permits
They are capable of loading, unloading, &
lifting, in addition to transferring material
Because of their unrestricted mobility,
which allows them to serve different areas,
trucks can achieve high utilization
Trucks
Disadvantages:
They cannot handle heavy loads
They limited capacity per trip
Aisles are require; other wise the trucks will
interfere with the work on the floor
Most trucks have to be driven by an
operator
Trucks do not allow handling to be
combined with processing & inspection, as
other type of equipment do.
Auxiliary Equipments
Devices or attachments used with handling
equipments to make their use more effective and
versatile.
Skid boxes
Expendable pallet