Plant Layout and Material Handling

IV year-II semester
COURSE CODE A80365

Prepared by
G S Vivek, Assistant Professor
A.Venu Prasad, Assistant Professor

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
INSTITUTE OF AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING
(AUTON0MOUS)
DUNDIGAL, HYDERABAD - 500 043
UNIT 1
 Plant layout
A plant layout study is an engineering study used to analyze
different physical configurations for a manufacturing plant. It is also
known as Facilities Planning and Layout.
 Classification of Layout
• Process layout
• Product layout
• Combination layout
• Fixed position layout
• Group layout
 Product Layout

The product layout approach involves setting up the production facilities

around the steps involved in manufacturing the product. The product goes
from one step to another as it is manufactured. This is the typical assembly
line approach. Example, in the manufacturing process of a car, the car body
goes from one stage of production to the next.
 Process Layout

In a process layout, management groups together machines that perform

similar functions. For example, it may put all of the lathes together in one
part of the factory. The part that is being manufactured goes from one
process area to another process area as it is manufactured. Hospitals
typically follow a process layout. Example, the maternity ward is in an area
where the hospital attends to all aspects of the maternity process.
 Combination Layout

A combination of process and product layouts combines the advantages of

both types of layouts. A combination layout is possible where an item is
being made in different types and sizes. Here machinery is arranged in a
process layout but the process grouping is then arranged in a sequence to
manufacture various types and sizes of products.
Combination Layout
 Fixed Position Layout

This is also called the project type of layout. In this type of layout, the
material, or major components remain in a fixed location and tools,
machinery, men and other materials are brought to this location.
DESIGN OF PRODUCT LAYOUT

In product layout, equipment or departments are dedicated to a particular

product line, duplicate equipment is employed to avoid backtracking, and a
straight-line flow of material movement is achievable. Adopting a product
layout makes sense when the batch size of a given product or part is large
relative to the number of different products or parts produced.
Comparison of product and process layout
Unit - II
ALDEP
CORELAP
CRAFT
CRAFT PROCEDURE
 Quadratic Assignment Problem (QAP)

• The more common Mathematical Formulation for intra- company location

problems (especially in case of job shop production) is the Quadratic
Assignment Problem (QAP).
• The QAP the cost of an assignment is determined by the distances and the
material flows between all given entities. While, in case of (Linear
assignment problem) LAP the costs for assigning a machine to a location
do not depend on the location chosen for any other machine we now want
to take distances of locations and material flow between entities into
account as well.
 Branch and Bound model

• Branch and Bound method for exact solution

• The method used for arriving at an optimal solution to the problem of
quadratic assignment is Branch and Bound.

TYPES Of Branch and Bound model :

1. Upper Bound to the Problem

2. Lower bond to the problem
UNIT 3
 Material Handling Systems
Introduction:
• Materials handling can be also defined as ‘the function dealing with the
preparation, placing and positioning of materials to facilitate their
movement or storage . Material handling is the art and science involving
the movement, handling and storage of materials during different stages of
manufacturing. Thus the function includes every consideration of the
product except the actual processing operation.

• Material handling does not add any value to the product but adds to the cost
of the product and hence it will cost the customer more. So the handling
should be kept at minimum. Material handling in Indian industries accounts
for nearly 40% of the cost of production
Objectives of Material Handling :

• Minimize cost of material handling.

• Minimize delays and interruptions by making available the materials at the
point of use at right quantity and at right time.
• Increase the productive capacity of the production facilities by effective
utilization of capacity and enhancing productivity.
• Safety in material handling through improvement in working condition.
• Maximum utilization of material handling equipment.
• Prevention of damages to materials.
• Lower investment in process inventory.
 Principles of Material Handling
Systems
• Planning principle: All handling activities should be planned.
• Systems principle: Plan a system integrating as many handling activities as possible
and coordinating the full scope of operations (receiving, storage, production,
inspection, packing, warehousing, supply and transportation).
• Space utilization principle: Make optimum use of cubic space.
• Unit load principle: Increase quantity, size, weight of load handled.
• Gravity principle: Utilize gravity to move a material wherever practicable.
• Material flow principle: Plan an operation sequence and equipment arrangement to
optimize material flow.
• Simplification principle: Reduce combine or eliminate unnecessary movement
and/or equipment.
• Safety principle: Provide for safe handling methods and equipment.
• Mechanization principle: Use mechanical or automated material handling
equipment.
• Standardization principle: Standardize method, types, size of material handling
equipment.
• Flexibility principle: Use methods and equipment that can perform a variety of task
and applications.
• Equipment selection principle: Consider all aspect of material, move and method to
be utilized.
• Dead weight principle: Reduce the ratio of dead weight to pay load in mobile
equipment.
• Motion principle: Equipment designed to transport material should be kept in
motion.
• Idle time principle: Reduce idle time/unproductive time of both MH equipment and
man power.
• Maintenance principle: Plan for preventive maintenance or scheduled repair of all
handling equipment.
• Obsolescence principle: Replace obsolete handling methods/equipment when more
efficient method/equipment will improve operation.
• Capacity principle: Use handling equipment to help achieve its full capacity.
• Control principle: Use material handling equipment to improve production control,
inventory control and other handling.
• Performance principle: Determine efficiency of handling performance in terms of
cost per unit handled which is the primary criterion
 Classification of Material Handling
Systems

• Conveyors
• Industrial Trucks
• Cranes and Hoists
• Containers
• Robots
Conveyors :
• Conveyors are useful for moving material between two fixed workstations,
either continuously or intermittently. They are mainly used for continuous or
mass production operations indeed, they are suitable for most operations where
the flow is more or less steady. Conveyors may be of various types, with
rollers, wheels or belts to help move the material along: these may be power-
driven or may roll freely. The decision to provide with care, since they are
usually costly to install; moreover, they are less flexible and, where two or
more converge, it is necessary to coordinate the speeds at which the two
conveyors move.
Industrial Trucks :
• Industrial trucks are more flexible in use than conveyors since they can move
between various points and are not permanently fixed in one place. They are,
therefore, most suitable for intermittent production and for handling various
sizes and shapes of material. There are many types of truck petrol- driven,
electric, hand-powered, and so on. Their greatest advantage lies in the wide
range of attachments available; these increase the trucks ability to handle
various types and shapes of material.
Cranes and Hoists :
• The major advantage of cranes and hoists is that they can move heavy materials
through overhead space. However, they can usually serve only a limited area. Here
again, there are several types of crane and hoist, and within each type there are
various loading capacities. Cranes and hoists may be used both for intermittent and
for continuous production.
Containers :
• These are either dead containers (e.g. Cartons, barrels, skids, pallets) which hold the
material to be transported but do not move themselves, or live containers (e.g.
wagons, wheelbarrows or computer self-driven containers). Handling equipments
of this kind can both contain and move the material, and is usually operated
manually.
Robots :
• Many types of robot exist. They vary in size, and in function and maneuverability.
While many robots are used for handling and transporting material, others are used
to perform operations such as welding or spray painting. An advantage of robots is
that they can perform in a hostile environment such as unhealthy conditions or carry
on arduous tasks such as the repetitive movement of heavy materials.
Relationship between Plant Layout and
Material Handling
There is a close relationship between plant layout and material handling. A good layout
ensures minimum material handling and eliminates rehandling in the following ways:

• Material movement does not add any value to the product so, the material
handling should be kept at minimum though not avoid it. This is possible only
through the systematic plant layout. Thus a good layout minimizes handling.
• The productive time of workers will go without production if they are required
to travel long distance to get the material tools, etc. Thus a good layout ensures
minimum travel
• for workman thus enhancing the production time and eliminating the hunting
time and travelling time.
• Space is an important criterion. Plant layout integrates all the movements of
men, material through a well designed layout with material handling system.
UNIT 4
 Basic Material Handling systems
Selection of Material Handling equipment is an important decision as it affects both
cost and efficiency of handling system. The following factors are to be taken into
account while selecting material handling equipment.

• Properties of the Material

• Layout and characteristics of the building
• Production Flow
• Cost considerations
• Nature of Operations
• Engineering Factors
• Equipment Reliability
Properties of the Material :
• Whether it is solid, liquid or gas, and in what size, shape and weight it is to be
transported are the main factors to be taken into consideration and can lead to a
preliminary elimination from the range of available equipment under review. If a
material is fragile, corrosive or toxic this will imply that certain handling methods
and containers will be preferable to others.

Layout and characteristics of the building :

• Another limiting factor is the convenience of space for handling. Low-level ceiling
may exclude the use of hoists or cranes, and the presence of supporting columns in
difficult places can restrict the size of the material-handling equipment. If the
building is multi-storied, chutes or ramps for industrial trucks may be used. Layout
itself will indicate the type of production operation (continuous, intermittent, fixed
position or group) and can suggest some items of equipment that will be more
proper than others. Floor capacity also aids in selecting the best material handling
equipment
Production Flow:
• If the flow is properly constant between two immovable positions, fixed equipment
such as conveyors or chutes can be effectively used. If, the flow is not continuous
and the direction changes rarely from one point to another because several products
are being produced simultaneously, moving equipment such as trucks would be
desirable.

Cost considerations :
• The previous factors can help to limit the range of suitable equipment, while
costing can help in taking a final decision. Several cost features need to be taken
into consideration, when the comparisons are made between several items of
equipment that are capable of handling the same load. Initial investment and
operating and maintenance costs are the major cost to be measured. By comparing
the total cost for each of the items of equipment, a more rational decision can be
made on the most appropriate choice.
Nature of Operations :
• Equipment Selection also depends on mode of operations like whether handling is
temporary or permanent, whether the flow is continuous or discontinuous and
material flow pattern-vertical or horizontal.

Engineering Factors :
• Selection of equipment also depends on engineering factors like door and ceiling
dimensions, floor space, floor conditions and structural strength.

Equipment Reliability :
• Reliability of the equipment and supplier reputation and the after sale service also
plays an important role in selecting material handling equipment
Design of Handling Systems :

• Identification of system
• Review of design criteria and objectives of the handling system
• Data collection regarding flow pattern and flow requirements
• Identification of activity relationships
• Determining space requirement and establishing material flow pattern
• Analysis of material and building characteristics
• Preliminary selection of basic handling system and generation alternatives
considering feasibility of mechanization and equipment capabilities
• Evaluation of alternatives with respect to optimal material flow, utilizing
gravity, minimum cost, flexibility, ease of maintenance, capacity utilization
and other objectives of the system design considering various tangible and
intangible factors
• Selection of the best suited alternative and checking it for compatibility
• Specification of the system
• Procurement of the equipment and implementation of the system
 Material Handling method- path,
Equipment
Movement - Involves the actual transportation or transfer of material from one
point to the next.

Quantity - Dictates the type and nature of the material handling equipment and also
cost per unit for the conveyance of the goods.

Time - How quickly the material can move through the facility Space - concerned
with the required space for the storage of the material handling equipment and their
movement, as well as the queuing or staging space for the material itself.

Control - Racking of the material, positive identification, and inventory

management. A major competitive advantage due to its impact on quality, cost,
productivity, inventory, and response time; in total a revenue enhancer not a cost
contributor.
 Function Oriented Systems

The systems can be defined according to the material handling function performed as
follows:

• Transportation systems
• Conveying systems
• Transferring systems
• Elevating systems
UNIT 5
 Methods of minimize cost of material
handling
• The total cost of material handling per unit must decrease. The total cost per unit is
the sum of the following:

• Cost of material handling equipment – both fixed cost and operating cost calculated
as the cost of equipment divided by the number of units of material handled over
the working life of the equipment.

• Cost of labor – both direct and indirect associated cost calculated in terms of cost
per unit of material handled.

• Cost of maintenance of equipment, damages, lost orders and expediting expenses,

also calculated, in terms of cost per unit of material handled.
 Maintenance of Material Handling
Equipment’s
 A good management practice is to weigh benefits against the limitations or
disadvantages before contemplating any change. Material handling systems also
have consequences that may be distinctly negative. These are:

• Additional investment

• Lack of flexibility

• Vulnerability to downtime whenever there is breakdown

• Additional maintenance staff and cost

• Cost of auxiliary equipment.

• Space and other requirements:

 Safety in handling Ergonomics of
Material Handling equipment
• The branch of engineering science in which biological science is used to study the
relation between workers and their environments.

• The word ‗Ergonomics‘ has its origin in two Greek words Ergon meaning laws. So
it is the study of the man in relation to his work. In USA and other countries it is
called by the name human engineering or human factors engineering‖. ILO defines
human engineering as, The application of human biological sciences along with
engineering sciences to achieve optimum mutual adjustment of men and his work,
the benefits being measured in terms of human efficiency and well-being.‖

• The human factors or human engineering is concerned with man-machine system.

Thus another definition which highlights the man-machine system is: ―The design
of human tasks, man-machine system, and effective accomplishment of the job,
including displays for presenting information to human sensors, controls for human
operations and complex man-machine systems.
Lifting Principles:
• Maintain a neutral spine, keep your back straight!

• Hold your abdominal muscles tight, but don’t hold your breath!

• Use your legs to lift, not your back

• Don’t bend over to lift

• No twisting- move your feet instead

• Maintain the load as close to your body as possible

 Lifting Assistance:

• Seek assistance when lifting:

• Any loads >50 pounds (or any heavy load you do not feel
• confident lifting) O Any large or bulky loads
• Any loads that are oddly shaped and difficult to handle When lifting as a team:
• Lift at the same time
• Walk in step
• Lower the load together
• Scan the environment for potential hazards first
• Whenever possible, use mechanical assistance (fork lift, hand truck, dolly) which
will reduce the strain on your back over time
 Push/Pull Principles:

• Maintain a neutral spine, keep your back straight!

• Hold your abdominal muscles tight, but don’t hold your breath!

• Use your legs to push or pull, not your back

• Don’t bend over when pushing or pulling

• No twisting- move you feet instead

• Maintain the load as close to your body as possible

• Remember: It is always safer and easier to push rather than pull

 Carrying Principles
• Hold your abdominal muscles tight, but don‘t hold your breath!

• Balance the carried load right to left to prevent excessive strain on your spine.

• Whenever possible, utilize a cart to transport tools and equipment rather than
lifting and carrying.
End