material handling equipment introduction

1. MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT
LECTURE ONE
Introduction
Basics of Materials Handling Equipment Outlines
Definitions of MHE
Benefits & Limitation of MHE
Classification and Application of Material handling
Design considerations in MHE
Principles of MHE
Selection of proper equipment

2. 1.1 Material handling definition
 Material Handling is the art and science of moving, storing,
protecting, and controlling material.
 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 art and science of conveying, elevating,
positioning, transporting, packaging and storing of materials.

3. Cont..
 Material handling is the function of moving the right material to
the right place in the right time, in the right amount, in sequence,
and in the right condition to minimize production cost.

4. Cont..
The essential requirements of a good materials handling system may be
summarized as:
(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 utilizing minimum space.
(v) Lowest cost solution to the materials handling activities.

5. 1.2. Importance Of Materials Handling
A good material handling system may have the following benefits.
1. Reduce cost by
 Utilizing space to better advantage
 Increasing productivity
 Making a few number of effective movements
2. Reduce waste by
 Eliminating damage to materials during the handling process
 Maintaining proper control over the in- and out of stock handling
process
3. Improve working conditions by
 Providing safer working conditions
 Reducing worker fatigue
4. Improve the efficiency of the plant by
 Providing a better organization of storage facilities

6. Limitations Of Materials Handling
I. Additional capital cost involved in any materials handling system.
II. Once a materials handling system get implemented, flexibility for
further changes gets greatly reduced.
III. With an integrated materials handling system installed,
failure/stoppage in any portion of it leads to increased downtime of
the production system.
IV. Materials handling system needs maintenance, hence any addition to
materials handling means additional maintenance facilities and
costs.

7. 1.3. Classification and Application of MHE
 The material handling technically divided into five distinct functional
divisions or spheres of activity are:-
1. Bulk handling
 It involves the extracting, handling and storage of bulk materials
including gases, liquids, semi-liquids and solids.
 These processes apply particularly in the processing, basic heavy
industries, and in the mine and construction industries.

8. 2. Unit handling
 In manufacturing operations it covers the handling of formed
materials in the initial, intermediate and final stages of manufacture.
 It involves the handling of unit loads ranging from pins to
locomotives.

9. 3. Packaging
 Covers the design, selection and use of in process containers, and
included packing of semi-finished and finished products

10. 4. Warehousing
 The area covered by warehousing includes the receiving, storing,
shipping of materials in any form, and at any point in the process of
manufacture and distribution.

11. 5. Carrier handling
 It covers the loading , securing, transporting , unloading and transfer
of all kinds of materials in highway trucks railway cars, barges,
ships, airlines and at carrier terminals.

12. Material handling equipment can be classified
into five major categories
1. 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.

14. Conveyors

15. Crane

16. Industrial trucks

17. 2. Positioning Equipment:-
 Equipment used to handle material at a single location
– e.g. to feed and/or manipulate materials so that are 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

19. Cont..
3. Unit Load Formation Equipment:-
 Equipment used to restrict materials so that they maintain their
integrity when handled 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.

21. 4. 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.

23. 5. 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.

25. Cont..
The three groups of materials handling equipment classified by their
design features
a. Hoisting equipment: A group of machines with lifting gear
intended for moving loads mainly in batches.
• This type of equipment is intended mainly for unit loads Hoisting
machinery , cranes and elevators belong to this group
a. Conveying equipment: A group of machines, which may have no
lifting gear and which move load in a continuous flow.
• They are intended for bulk and unit loads one at a time

26. Cont..
c. Surface and overhead equipment: –
 A group of machines which may not be provided with lifting gear and
which usually handle loads in batches.
 Trackless trucks, narrow-gauge cars belong to this group. Unit loads
are formed solids of various sizes, shapes and weights.
Bulk materials – are those which are powdery, granular or lumpy in
nature and are stored in heaps.
 Example of bulk materials are: minerals (ores, coals etc.), earthly
materials (gravel, sand, clay etc.) processed materials (cement, salt,
chemicals etc.), agricultural products (grain, sugar, flour etc.) and
similar other materials.

27. Some Application area of MHE
The application of materials handling is very wide. It is worthwhile to
list a few of them.
1. Manufacturing industry
2. Building construction industry
3. Heavy construction industry
4. Mining industry
5. Food industry
6. Automotive and transportation industry

29. 1.4 Design considerations in Material handling
I. Material characteristics
II. Flow rate
III. Plant layout
IV. Unit load principle

30. I. Material Characteristics
 Material characteristics affect type of transport and storage
equipment required
Category Measures
Physical state
Size
Weight
Shape
Condition
Safety risk and risk of damage
Solid, liquid, or gas
Volume; length, width, height
Weight per piece, weight per unit volume
Long and flat, round, square, etc.
Hot, cold, wet, etc.
Explosive, flammable, toxic; fragile, etc.

31. con….
II. Flow rate

32. III. Plant Layout
Layout Type Characteristics Typical MH Equipment
Fixed – position
Process
Product
Large product size, low
production rate
Variation in product and
processing, low and medium
production rates
Limited product variety, high
production rate
Cranes, hoists, industrial trucks
Hand trucks, forklift trucks,
AGVs
Conveyors for product flow,
trucks to deliver components to
stations.

33. IV. Unit Load Principle
 The unit load should be as large as practical for the material
handling system that will move and store it.
 A unit load is the unit to be moved or handled at one time.
 A unit load includes the container, carrier, or support that will be
used to move materials.

34. Cont..
Factors for determining unit load/ container:
 Size of carrier
 Size and weight of items
 Space for storing loaded/unloaded container
 Equipment used for moving
 Cost, supply and maintenance
 Aisle widths, door sizes, and clear stacking heights
 Environmental regulations

35. Cont..
Reasons for using unit loads in material handling:
 Multiple items handled simultaneously
 Required number of trips is reduced
 Loading/unloading times are reduced
 Product damage is decreased
Unit Load Disadvantages
 Time spent forming and breaking down the unit load
 Empty containers/pallets may need to be returned to their point of
origin.
 Cost of containers/pallets and other load restraining materials used
in the unit load

36. The major advantages of unitization and
handling of unit loads are
(i) It permits handling of larger loads at a time and thereby reduces
handling and transportation costs.
(ii) Loading and unloading time of unit load is substantially less than
when handled as loose/ individual material.
(iii) Unitized loads are less susceptible to damage and loss during
movement from one place to another.
(iv) It offers safer handling and transportation compared to those of
loose materials

37. The Twenty Principles of Materiel Handling
1. Orientation Principle: Study the system relationships
thoroughly prior to preliminary planning in order to identify
existing methods and problems, physical and economic
constraints, and to establish future requirements and goals
2. Planning Principle:
 All material handling and storage activities need to be
planned to obtain maximum overall operating efficiency.
 Material handling planning considers every move, every
storage need, plant layout and any delay in order to minimize
production costs.
3. Systems Principle: Integrate those handling and storage
activities which are economically viable into a coordinated system
of operation including receiving, inspection, storage, production,
assembly, packaging, warehousing, shipping and transportation.

38. 4. Unit Load Principle: Handle products in as large a unit load as
practical.
5. Space Utilization Principle: Make effective utilization of all cubic
space.
6. Standardization Principle: Materials handling methods and
equipment should be standardized to the extent possible.
• Use standardized containers.
• Purchase standard types and sizes of equipment.
• Use standard sizes of pallets to fit products, bay sizes, equipment and
transport trucks
7. Ergonomic Principle: Recognize human capabilities and
imitations by designing
• material handling equipment and procedures for effective
interaction with the people using the system.

39. 8. Energy Principle: Include energy consumption of the material
handling systems and material handling procedures when
making comparisons or preparing economic justifications.
9. Ecology Principle: Minimize adverse effects on the environment
when selecting material handling equipment and procedures
10. Mechanization Principle: Mechanize the handling process
where feasible to increase efficiency and economy in the handling of
materials.
11. Flexibility Principle: Use methods and equipment which can
perform a variety of tasks under a variety of operating conditions.
12. Simplification Principle: Simplify handling by eliminating,
reducing, or combining unnecessary movements and /or equipment.

40. 13. Gravity Principle: Utilize gravity to move material
wherever possible, while respecting limitations concerning
safety, product damage and loss
14. Safety Principle: Provide safe material handling equipment
and methods which follow existing safety codes and regulations
in addition to accrued experience.
15. Computerization Principle: Consider computerization in
material handling and storage systems, when circumstances
warrant, for improved material and information control.
16. System Flow Principle: integrate data flow with the
physical material flow in handling and storage.

41. 17. Layout Principle: Prepare an operational sequence and
equipment layout for all viable system solutions, then select the
alternative system which best integrates efficiency and effectiveness.
18. Cost Principle: Compare the economic justification of alternate
solutions in equipment and methods on the basis of economic
effectiveness as measured by expense per unit handled.
19.Maintenance Principle: Prepare a plan for preventive
maintenance and scheduled repairs of all material handling
equipment.
20.Obsolescence Principle: Prepare a long range and
economically sound policy for replacement of obsolete
equipment and methods with special consideration to after-tax life
cycle costs.

42. Selection of the Proper Equipment
 Various Materials Handling Equipment (MHE) can perform the
same operation.
 The success of an individual handling equipment or of a
complete system depends largely upon its suitability for the
material it must handle.
 The proper choice of MHE requires knowledge of the
operational characteristics of the various MHE and a thorough
understanding of the production process and organizational setup
of the enterprise.

43. The process of MH equipment selection can be decomposed into two
stages
I. Determine Technical Feasibility
 Select MH equipment types that can satisfy the material flow
requirements from a technological perspective.
 The principal technical factors for the choice of types of MHE are
the following:
1. Kinds and properties of loads to be handled
a) Unit loads: for these types of loads their form, weight, convenient bearing
surface or parts by which they can be suspended, brittleness, temperature etc.
are to be noted.
b) Bulk loads: for these types of loads lump size, tendency to cake, volume,
specific weight, temperature, chemical properties etc. are to be known.
2. Required hourly capacity
 The knowledge of hourly capacity is essential for the determination of the
type of the operation.
 The operation can be either continuous or intermittent.

44. 3. Direction and length of travel:
 The direction can be, horizontal inclined or vertical.
 The distance that the load moves may range from few millimeters
to thousands of meters.
4. Methods of stacking loads at the initial, intermediate and
final points:
 Mostly unit loads are stored in stacks and shelves while bulk
loads are stored in piles and bins.
5. Characteristics of production process involved in moving
loads:
 This is the most important factor to affect the choice of MHE
for the movement of materials is closely linked with the
manufacturing process.

45. 6. Consideration of specific local conditions:
 This may include the shape and the size of area, the type and
design of the building, the possible arrangements of processing
units and ambient conditions, dust, humidity, temperature, pressure,
etc.
II. Determine Economic Feasibility
 From among the technically feasible equipment types, select the
equipment type that is most cost effective given the material
handling requirements.
 This may include capital outlay, operational cost, considerations
for further expansion, period of existence, kind of energy
available and safety and operational convenience