Material Handling-

UNIT 3

Dr.M.B.Kiran
 Introduction

Material handling is the art and science of moving,

storing, protecting and controlling material.

Material handling means providing the right

amount of the right material, in right condition
at the right place, in the right position, in the
right sequence, and for the right cost, by the
right methods.
 PLANNING PRINCIPLE

All material handling should be the result of a

deliberate plan where the needs, performance
objectives and functional specification of the
proposed methods are completely defined at the
outset.
 PLANNING PRINCIPLE

Definition: A plan is a prescribed course of action

that is defined in advance of implementation. In
its simplest form a material handing plan defines
the material (what) and the moves (when and
where); together they define the method (how
and who).
 PLANNING PRINCIPLE
Key Points

 The plan should be developed in consultation

between the planner(s) and all who will use and
benefit from the equipment to be employed.
 Success in planning large scale material
handling projects generally requires a team
approach involving suppliers, consultants when
appropriate, and end user specialists from
management, engineering, computer and
information systems, finance and operations.
 PLANNING PRINCIPLE
KEY POINTS

 The material handling plan should reflect the

strategic objectives of the organization as well as
the more immediate needs.

 The plan should document existing methods

and problems, physical and economic
constraints, and future requirements and goals.
 PLANNING PRINCIPLE
KEY POINTS

The plan should promote concurrent engineering

of product, process design, process layout, and
material handling methods, as opposed to
independent and sequential design practices.
STANDARDIZATION PRINCIPLE

Material handling methods, equipment, controls

and software should be standardized within the
limits of achieving overall performance
objectives and without sacrificing needed
flexibility , modularity and throughput.
 STANDARDIZATION
PRINCIPLE

Definition: Standardization means less variety

and customization in the methods and
equipment employed.
STANDARDIZATION PRINCIPLE
Key Points

 The planner should select methods and

equipment that can perform a variety of tasks
under a variety of operating conditions and in
anticipation of changing future requirements.

 Standardization applies to sizes of containers

and other load forming components as well as
operating procedures and equipment.
STANDARDIZATION PRINCIPLE
Key Points

Standardization, flexibility and modularity must

not be incompatible
 WORK PRINCIPLE

Material handling work should be minimized

without sacrificing productivity or the level of
service required of the operation.
 WORK PRINCIPLE

Definition: The measure of work is material

handling flow (volume, weight or count per unit
of time) multiplied by the distance moved.
 WORK PRINCIPLE
Key Points

 Simplifying processes by reducing,

combining, shortening or eliminating
unnecessary moves will reduce work.

 Consider each pickup and set-down, or

placing material in and out of storage, as
distinct moves and components of the distance
moved.
 WORK PRINCIPLE
Key Points

 Process methods, operation sequences and

process/equipment layouts should be prepared
that support the work minimization objective.

 Where possible, gravity should be used to

move materials or to assist in their movement
while respecting consideration of safety and the
potential for product damage.
 WORK PRINCIPLE
Key Points

The shortest distance between two points is a

straight line.
 ERGONOMIC PRINCIPLE

Human capabilities and limitations must be

recognized and respected in the design of
material handling tasks and equipment to
ensure safe and effective operations.
 ERGONOMIC PRINCIPLE

Definition: Ergonomics is the science that seeks

to adapt work or working conditions to suit the
abilities of the worker.
 ERGONOMIC PRINCIPLE
Key Points

 Equipment should be selected that

eliminates repetitive and strenuous manual
labor and which effectively interacts with
human operators and users.

 The ergonomic principle embraces both

physical and mental tasks.

 The material handling workplace and the

equipment employed to assist in that work must
be designed so they are safe for people.
 UNIT LOAD PRINCIPLE

Unit loads shall be appropriately sized and

configured in a way which achieves the material
flow and inventory objectives at each stage in
the supply chain.
 UNIT LOAD PRINCIPLE

Definition: A unit load is one that can be

stored or moved as a single entity at one time,
such as a pallet, container or tote, regardless of
the number of individual items that make up
the load.
 UNIT LOAD PRINCIPLE
Key Points
 Less effort and work is required to collect
and move many individual items as a single
load than to move many items one at a time.

 Load size and composition may change as

material and product moves through stages of
manufacturing and the resulting distribution
channels.

 Large unit loads are common both pre and

post manufacturing in the form of raw materials
and finished goods.
 UNIT LOAD PRINCIPLE
Key Points

 During manufacturing, smaller unit loads,

including as few as one item, yield less in-
process inventory and shorter item throughput
times.

 Smaller unit loads are consistent with

manufacturing strategies that embrace
operating objectives such as flexibility,
continuous flow and just-in-time delivery.
 UNIT LOAD PRINCIPLE
Key Points

Unit loads composed of a mix of different items

are consistent with just-in-time and/or
customized supply strategies so long as item
selectivity is not compromised.
 SPACE UTILIZATION

Effective and efficient use must be made of all

available space.
 SPACE UTILIZATION

Definition: Space in material handling is three

dimensional and therefore is counted as cubic
space.
 SPACE UTILIZATION
Key Points

In work areas, cluttered and unorganized

spaces and blocked aisles should be eliminated.

In storage areas, the objective of maximizing

storage density must be balanced against
accessibility and selectivity.

When transporting loads within a facility the

use of overhead space should be considered as
an option.
 SYSTEM PRINCIPLE

Material movement and storage activities should

be fully integrated to form a coordinated,
operational system which spans receiving,
inspection, storage, production, assembly,
packaging, unitizing, order selection, shipping,
transportation and the handling of returns.
 SYSTEM PRINCIPLE

Definition: A system is a collection of

interacting and/or interdependent entities that
form a unified whole.
 SYSTEM PRINCIPLE
Key Points

Systems integration should encompass the

entire supply chain including reverse logistics.
It should include suppliers, manufacturers,
distributors and customers.

Inventory levels should be minimized at all

stages of production and distribution while
respecting considerations of process variability
and customer service.
 SYSTEM PRINCIPLE
Key Points

Information flow and physical material flow

should be integrated and treated as concurrent
activities.

Methods should be provided for easily

identifying materials and products, for
determining their location and status within
facilities and within the supply chain and for
controlling their movement.
 SYSTEM PRINCIPLE
Key Points

Customer requirements and expectations

regarding quantity, quality, and on-time delivery
should be met without exception.
 AUTOMATION PRINCIPLE

Material handling operations should be

mechanized and/or automated where feasible to
improve operational efficiency, increase
responsiveness, improve consistency and
predictability, decrease operating costs and to
eliminate repetitive or potentially unsafe manual
labor.
 AUTOMATION PRINCIPLE

Definition: Automation is a technology

concerned with the application of electro-
mechanical devices, electronics and computer-
based systems to operate and control
production and service activities. It suggests
the linking of multiple mechanical operations to
create a system that can be controlled by
programmed instructions.
 AUTOMATION PRINCIPLE
Key Points

Pre-existing processes and methods should be

simplified and/or re-engineered before any
efforts at installing mechanized or automated
systems.

Computerized material handling systems should

be considered where appropriate for effective
integration of material flow and information
management.
 AUTOMATION PRINCIPLE
Key Points

All items expected to be handled automatically

must have features that accommodate
mechanized and automated handling.

Treat all interface issues as critical to successful

automation, including equipment to equipment,
equipment to load, equipment to operator, and
control communications.
ENVIRONMENTAL PRINCIPLE

Environmental impact and energy consumption

should be considered as criteria when designing
or selecting alternative equipment and material
handling systems.
ENVIRONMENTAL PRINCIPLE

Definition: Environmental consciousness stems

from a desire not to waste natural resources
and to predict and eliminate the possible
negative effects of our daily actions on the
environment.
ENVIRONMENTAL PRINCIPLE
Key Points

Containers, pallets and other products used to

form and protect unit loads should be designed
for reusability when possible and/or
biodegradability as appropriate.

Systems design should accommodate the

handling of spent dunnage, empty containers
and other by-products of material handling.
ENVIRONMENTAL PRINCIPLE
Key Points

Materials specified as hazardous have special

needs with regard to spill protection,
combustibility and other risks.
LIFE CYCLE COST PRINCIPLE

A thorough economic analysis should account

for the entire life cycle of all material handling
equipment and resulting systems.
LIFE CYCLE COST PRINCIPLE

Definition: Life cycle costs include all cash

flows that will occur between the time the first
dollar is spent to plan or procure a new piece of
equipment, or to put in place a new method,
until that method and/or equipment is totally
replaced.
 LIFE CYCLE PRINCIPLE
Key Points

Life cycle costs include capital investment,

installation, setup and equipment programming,
training, system testing and acceptance, operating
(labor, utilities, etc.), maintenance and repair, reuse
value, and ultimate disposal.

A plan for preventive and predictive maintenance

should be prepared for the equipment, and the
estimated cost of maintenance and spare parts
should be included in the economic analysis.
 LIFE CYCLE PRINCIPLE
Key Points

A long-range plan for replacement of the

equipment when it becomes obsolete should be
prepared.

Although measurable cost is a primary factor, it

is certainly not the only factor in selecting among
alternatives. Other factors of a strategic nature
to the organization and which form the basis for
competition in the market place should be
considered and quantified whenever possible.
 UNIT LOAD

 A central component of any materials handling

system is the definition of a unit load
 A unit load is the single item picked up and
moved between two locations
 A unit load may contain many items
• Not necessarily identical
 A unit load may be different in different
parts of the system
 Materials Handling System
Design
 Apply the engineering design process
1. Define the system, scope, and objectives
2. Develop the system requirements
3. Generate alternatives
4. Evaluate alternatives
5. Select alternatives
6. Implement
 Developing alternative materials handling
systems by way of procedures and algorithms
is much more difficult than for layout
 This is due to the almost infinite possibilities of items to
move and the vast numbers of alternative material handling
equipment and methods
 UNIT LOAD

As a guide, a set of material handling principles have

been developed to help guide and evaluate designs
 UNIT LOAD
 Example – Sheet metal stamping
 Delivery and storage of raw material
• Unit load = A coil of steel
 Blanking operation
• Unit load = Pallet of blanks. One coil generates
multiple unit loads of blanks
 Stamping operation
• Unit load = A rack of stamped parts. One pallet
of blanks generates multiple unit loads of racks
 Assembly operation
• Unit load = One vehicle body. One rack of
parts is moved on multiple vehicle bodies
 UNIT LOAD
 Often a unit load is a batch of items from a
production process
 Large unit loads
• Less movement
• Larger equipment needed for the move
• May need larger aisles
• Larger floor load capacity
 Smaller unit loads
• Opposite of above
 What would you expect for a JIT system?
 What performance system parameter (from a
queuing model perspective) does batching
affect?
 UNIT LOAD
 The design of a unit load also affects and is
affected by
 The materials handling methods/equipment
• e.g., human materials handlers  weight and
size limits
 The storage methods – the availability and
alternatives for containers and pallets
• e.g., unit loads in sturdy containers may permit
stacking
 The transformation to different unit loads
throughout the production process
• e.g., how can pallets (one type of unit load) be
loaded onto trailers (another type of unit load)
 Materials Handling System
Design
 Some approaches for starting a design
1.Benchmarking and case studies
 Examine other good systems
 Similar application (e.g., airports, distribution center,…)
 Similar technology (e.g., AGVs, power and free conveyors)

2.Identify the intent of different types of

materials handling equipment and match it
to specific needs
 Conveyors
 Material moved frequently between specific points
 Fixed path movement
 Many types of conveyors exist for different materials
 Materials Handling System
Design
Some approaches for starting a design (cont.)
2.Identify the intent of different types of
materials handling equipment and match it
to specific needs (cont.)
 Industrial vehicles
 Intermittent movement and/or movement over long distances
 Many pick-up/drop-off locations
 Variable path movement
 There are many different types and sizes of vehicles
 Hoists/Cranes
 Movement over short distances
 Intermittent movement
 Variable items to be moved
 Materials Handling System
Design

Some approaches for starting a design

3.Storage and retrieval
 Unit load storage systems
 Larger loads
 Many design decisions
– Storage configuration
– Lane depth
– Stack height
– Access
 There are many different types of unit load storage systems
– Block stacking
– Pallet racks
– AS/RS
 Materials Handling System
Design

Some approaches for starting a design

5.Use of automatic identification (Auto ID)
 Tracking material movement and storage is an
integral part of MHS
 A variety of technologies exist
 Bar codes/scanners
 Radio frequency identification (RFID)
 Radio frequency data communications (RFDC)
 Voice recognition
 …
 Hierarchy of Facility Planning

Facility
Location Structural
Facility Design
Planning Facility Layout
Design Design
Handling
System Design
Components of Material Handling
¨ The Materials – products, items, substances and/or people
which are being moved, transported, or physically
relocated.
¨ The Move – (origin, travel path, destination, frequency) to
be made.
¨ The Method – (equipment, people, procedures, physical
facilities) to be used to make the move

Material Handling
Equation
 Cost Reduction Formula
Ask For Every So We Can

Why? Operation Eliminate

Who? Transportation Combine

What? Inspection Change Sequence

Where? Storage Simplify

When? Delay

How?
 Material Handling Taxonomy

Material Handling Equipment

Transport Equipment

Conveyors Cranes Industrial Trucks No Equipment

Positioning Unit Load Formation Storage Identification and

Equipment Equipment Equipment Control
 Material Handling Equipment

Material handling equipment (MHE) is used for the

movement and storage of material within a facility or
at a site. MHE can be classified into the following
five major categories:

Transport Equipment: Equipment used to move material from

one location to another (e.g., between workplaces, between a
loading dock and a storage area, etc.). The major subcategories
of transport equipment are conveyors , cranes, and industrial
trucks. Material can also be transported manually using no
equipment.
 Material Handling Equipment

Positioning Equipment. Equipment used to handle material at

a single location so that it is in the correct position for
subsequent handling, machining, transport, or storage.
Unlike transport equipment, positioning equipment is
usually used for handling at a single workplace. Material
can also be positioned manually using no equipment.
Unit Load Formation Equipment. Equipment used to restrict
materials so that they maintain their integrity when handled
as a single load during transport and for storage. If
materials are self-restraining (e.g., a single part or
interlocking parts), then they can be formed into a unit load
with no equipment.
 Material Handling Equipment

Storage Equipment. Equipment used for holding or buffering

materials over a period of time. Some storage equipment
may include the transport of materials (e.g., the S/R
machines of an AS/RS, or storage carousels). If materials are
block stacked directly on the floor, then no storage
equipment is required.
Identification and Control Equipment. Equipment used to
collect and communicate the information that is used to
coordinate the flow of materials within a facility and
between a facility and its suppliers and customers. The
identification of materials and associated control can be
performed manually with no specialized equipment.
 Material Handling Equipment
Transport Equipment

The major subcategories of transport equipment

are:
Conveyors. Equipment used to move materials over a fixed
path between specific points.
Cranes. Equipment used to move materials over variable
paths within a restricted area.
Industrial Trucks. Equipment used to move materials over
variable paths, with no restrictions on the area covered by
the movement (i.e., unrestricted area).
No Equipment. Material can also be transported manually
using no equipment.
Material Handling Equipment
Transport Equipment
Components of Material Handling
¨ The Materials – products, items, substances and/or people
which are being moved, transported, or physically
relocated.
¨ The Move – (origin, travel path, destination, frequency) to
be made.
¨ The Method – (equipment, people, procedures, physical
facilities) to be used to make the move

Material Handling
Equation
 Material Handling Equipment
Transport Equipment - Conveyors

Conveyors are used:

1. When material is to be moved frequently between specific
points
2. To move materials over a fixed path
3. When there is a sufficient flow volume to justify the fixed
conveyor investment
Conveyors can be classified in different ways:
1. Type of product being handled: unit load or bulk load
2. Location of the conveyor: overhead, on-floor, or in-floor
3. Whether or not loads can accumulate on the conveyor
 Material Handling Equipment
Transport Equipment - Conveyors
Chute conveyor Vertical conveyor
Wheel conveyor Vertical lift conveyor
Roller conveyor Reciprocating vertical conveyor
Gravity roller conveyor Cart-on-track conveyor
Live (powered) roller conveyor Tow conveyor
Chain conveyor Trolley conveyor
Slat conveyor Power-and-free conveyor
Flat belt conveyor Monorail
Magnetic belt conveyor Sortation conveyor
Troughed belt conveyor Diverter
Bucket conveyor Pop-up device
Vibrating conveyor Sliding shoe device
Screw conveyor Tilting device
Pneumatic conveyor Cross-belt transfer device
Dilute-phase pneumatic conveyor
Carrier-system pneumatic conveyor
 Material Handling Equipment
Transport Equipment - Conveyors
Chute
Conveyor

Wheel Conveyor
 Material Handling Equipment
Transport Equipment - Conveyors

Gravity Roller Conveyor

Chain Conveyor
Live (Powered) Roller Conveyor
Material Handling Equipment
Transport Equipment - Conveyors

Slat Conveyor
Flat Belt Convey

Magnetic Belt
Conveyor
Material Handling Equipment
Transport Equipment - Conveyors
Bucket Conveyor
Troughed Belt Conveyor

Vibrating
Conveyor
 Material Handling Equipment
Transport Equipment - Conveyors

Screw Conveyor

Carrier-System
Dilute-Phase Pneumatic Conveyor Pneumatic Conveyor
 Material Handling Equipment
Transport Equipment - Conveyors

Cart-On-Track Conveyor

Reciprocating
Vertical Lift Conveyor Vertical Conveyor
 Material Handling Equipment
Transport Equipment - Conveyors

Trolley Conveyor

Tow Conveyor
Material Handling Equipment
Transport Equipment - Conveyors

Power-and-Free Conveyor

Monorail
Material Handling Equipment
Transport Equipment - Conveyors

Sortation Conveyor

Sortation Conveyor: Diverter

Material Handling Equipment
Transport Equipment - Conveyors

Sortation Conveyor: Pop-Up Device

Sortation Conveyor: Sliding Shoe Sorter