Material handling
Introduction
To manufacture any product, it is necessary that movement of at least one of the three basic elements of production i.e. material, man, machines take place. Without this movement, mass production is not possible. In most industrial process it is the material rather than men or machines that move. Since materials are mostly moved the term “material handling” has been coined.
Meaning
Materials handling occurs whenever a material is moved may be in a manufacturing, distribution (ware house) or office environment. Material handling also occurs during preparation for shipment, transportation may be by sea, air or land and moving material in and out or carnets. It involve movement of materials from one place to another for the purpose of processing.
Definition
International material management society has defined the material handling as “material handling is an art and science involving the movements, packaging and storing of substances in any form”.
According to MATERIAL HANDLING SOCIETY
“Material handling is the art and science involving the movements, packing and storing of substances in any form”.
Material handling function is considered most important as:
o 20% of the time is utilized foe actual production and 80% is movement of material.
o 20% of the traceable cost is material handling.
The percentage will vary according to the product/industry.
Functions and principle of handling
The two main function of material handling are:
1. to choose most appropriate material handling equipment which is safe and can fulfill material handling requirements at the minimum possible overall cost.
2. to choose production machinery and assist in plant layout so as to eliminate as far as possible the need of material handling.
In general, the function and principles of good material handling are as follow:
1. Minimize the movements involved in a production operation.
2. Minimize the distances moved by adopting shortest routes.
3. Employ mechanical aids in place manual labour in order to speed up the material movements.
4. Increased productivity capacity of the labour.
5. Increased production capacity of the plants.
6. Full utilization of plant capacity.
7. Reduction inventory thereby, helping in the advantageous use of working capital.
8. Making the factory working easy.
9. Clean shop floors enabling smooth, less strenuous and efficient functioning of the factory.
10. Less wastage, spoilage and damages.
11. Minimum supervision due to minimization of interruption in production schedule.
12. Reduction in fatigue of workers leading to greater job satisfaction and more work with greater safety.
Material handling and plant layout
The physical distance and the frequency of movement of material in between the process largely depend upon plant layout. In product layout with continuous system of production will require less time and cost of material handling while process layout will have more to-and-fro movement and thus will require more material handling. Using gravidity flow due to layout reduces the material handling cost to minimum.
Material handling equipments:
1. Hand truck: - Manually operates truck to carry small load.
2. Pulley blocks: - To lift heavy load a make shift device in construction places.
3. Chutes; - For dropping material from upper floor to the floor below.
4. Roller conveyor: - For heavy package of goods for horizontal movement.
5. Fork lift truck: - One of the most widely used. It is battery or diesel operated. It has a fork (two prongs), which can be inserted into pallet and thus load is lifted.
6. Pallet: - Two way pallet, four way pallet, doubled decked pallet, single decked pallet.
7. Overhead electric crane: - Floor control, cab control.
8. Belt conveyor: - electric powered.
9. Pneumatic or vacuum lift: - Transferred from one operation to another by high pressure air or by vacuum which carries the product to altitude and at a distance. Normally it is powered material.
Introduction
To manufacture any product, it is necessary that movement of at least one of the three basic elements of production i.e. material, man, machines take place. Without this movement, mass production is not possible. In most industrial process it is the material rather than men or machines that move. Since materials are mostly moved the term “material handling” has been coined.
Meaning
Materials handling occurs whenever a material is moved may be in a manufacturing, distribution (ware house) or office environment. Material handling also occurs during preparation for shipment, transportation may be by sea, air or land and moving material in and out or carnets. It involve movement of materials from one place to another for the purpose of processing.
Definition
International material management society has defined the material handling as “material handling is an art and science involving the movements, packaging and storing of substances in any form”.
According to MATERIAL HANDLING SOCIETY
“Material handling is the art and science involving the movements, packing and storing of substances in any form”.
Material handling function is considered most important as:
o 20% of the time is utilized foe actual production and 80% is movement of material.
o 20% of the traceable cost is material handling.
The percentage will vary according to the product/industry.
Functions and principle of handling
The two main function of material handling are:
1. to choose most appropriate material handling equipment which is safe and can fulfill material handling requirements at the minimum possible overall cost.
2. to choose production machinery and assist in plant layout so as to eliminate as far as possible the need of material handling.
In general, the function and principles of good material handling are as follow:
1. Minimize the movements involved in a production operation.
2. Minimize the distances moved by adopting shortest routes.
3. Employ mechanical aids in place manual labour in order to speed up the material movements.
4. Increased productivity capacity of the labour.
5. Increased production capacity of the plants.
6. Full utilization of plant capacity.
7. Reduction inventory thereby, helping in the advantageous use of working capital.
8. Making the factory working easy.
9. Clean shop floors enabling smooth, less strenuous and efficient functioning of the factory.
10. Less wastage, spoilage and damages.
11. Minimum supervision due to minimization of interruption in production schedule.
12. Reduction in fatigue of workers leading to greater job satisfaction and more work with greater safety.
Material handling and plant layout
The physical distance and the frequency of movement of material in between the process largely depend upon plant layout. In product layout with continuous system of production will require less time and cost of material handling while process layout will have more to-and-fro movement and thus will require more material handling. Using gravidity flow due to layout reduces the material handling cost to minimum.
Material handling equipments:
1. Hand truck: - Manually operates truck to carry small load.
2. Pulley blocks: - To lift heavy load a make shift device in construction places.
3. Chutes; - For dropping material from upper floor to the floor below.
4. Roller conveyor: - For heavy package of goods for horizontal movement.
5. Fork lift truck: - One of the most widely used. It is battery or diesel operated. It has a fork (two prongs), which can be inserted into pallet and thus load is lifted.
6. Pallet: - Two way pallet, four way pallet, doubled decked pallet, single decked pallet.
7. Overhead electric crane: - Floor control, cab control.
8. Belt conveyor: - electric powered.
9. Pneumatic or vacuum lift: - Transferred from one operation to another by high pressure air or by vacuum which carries the product to altitude and at a distance. Normally it is powered material.
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