Introduction of Material Handling

Material Handling (MH) isrefers anto essential,the oftenefficient underestimated,short-distance movement of goods or materials within the confines of a building, such as a factory or warehouse, or between a building and transportation. It encompasses a wide range of activities involved in managing this flow.

Definitions:

• Formal Definition (Haynes): MH involves the basic operations related to moving bulk, packaged, or individual products (in semi-solid/solid states) using manual, gravity, or powered methods within a production or service facility.
• Functional View: It's the function withinthat Productiondeals with preparing, placing, and Operationspositioning Management.materials Itto governsmake their movement or storage easier and more efficient.
• Art and Science: MH combines scientific principles (engineering, physics, data analysis) with the movement,art storage,of protection,practical application and controljudgment to find the best handling solutions.

Core Concepts:

The meaning of MH includes four fundamental aspects:

1. Movement: The physical transport of materials and(lifting, productsshifting, throughoutconveying) theirbetween entirelocations.
lifecycle
2. withinStorage: anHolding organizationmaterials –temporarily or long-term in designated spaces (warehouses, buffers).
3. Protection: Safeguarding materials from receivingdamage, rawspoilage, materials,or throughloss during handling and storage.
4. Control: Managing the flow, tracking the location, and ensuring the timely availability of materials (linked to inventory and production processes,control).
warehousing,

distribution,

Key untilImplication: finalCost disposal.vs. WhileValue

A critical concept is that MH activities generally add cost to the physicalproduct act(through oflabor, movingequipment, materialenergy, doesn'tspace) but typically do not add direct value that athe end customer pays for (likeunlike assembly or machiningprocessing).

does),

its efficiency significantly impacts overall
• cost,Consequence: time,The safety,primary goal becomes to minimize unnecessary handling through better layout and productivityprocess design. Where handling is necessary, it must be performed as efficiently, safely, and cost-effectively. as possible.
• Necessity: Despite being non-value-adding, MH is an integral and essential part of operations, enabling the value-adding processes.

Why is Material Handling so Crucial?

AsConsider definedthese bykey Haynes,points itthat involveshighlight handlingthe productssignificance of Material Handling, especially in variousthe statescontext usingof manual,modern gravity-based,Indian industries:

• Significant Cost Component: Studies consistently show that Material Handling can account for a substantial portion of total production costs, often ranging from 20% to 50% or power-actuatedeven methodshigher withinin asome facility.industries. In India'sIndia, increasinglywhere complexcost-competitiveness manufacturingis and logistics landscape,paramount, optimizing MH is vital.a Considerdirect route to reducing overall manufacturing expenses.
• Time Consumption: A staggering amount of manufacturing time is often spent on material movement and waiting. Research suggests that materials are in active processing for a mere 20% of the time, while the remaining 80% is spent being handled, transported, or waiting for the next operation. Reducing this non-productive time is a major efficiency lever.
• Impact on Productivity: Inefficient MH activitiescreates canbottlenecks, constitutedisrupts upproduction flow, leads to 40%machine and labor idling, and reduces overall throughput. Conversely, a well-designed MH system streamlines operations, increases the utilization of production costs,resources, and materialsboosts oftenproductivity.
spend
• 80%Safety Implications: Manual handling of their manufacturing time being movedheavy or waiting,awkward notloads beingis processed.a Inefficientmajor source of workplace injuries in India and globally. Implementing appropriate MH directly translates to delays, bottlenecks, increased Work-In-Progress (WIP), potential damage to goods, higher operational costs,equipment and increasedprocedures safetyis essential for creating a safer working environment and reducing risks for employees. Therefore, effective MH aims to minimize unnecessary handling and make necessary movements as efficient, safe, and cost-effective as possible.
  • CoreQuality Concept:Preservation: Improper handling can lead to damage, breakage, or spoilage of materials and products, resulting in scrap, rework, and customer dissatisfaction. Careful MH minimizes these losses and protects product quality.
  • Space Optimization: Effective MH and storage systems allow for better utilization of valuable floor space and vertical space within warehouses and production facilities, which is particularly important in densely populated and land-constrained Indian cities.
  • Competitive Advantage: Companies with efficient and low-cost Material Handling issystems thegain arta significant competitive edge. They can respond to customer orders faster, deliver products more reliably, and scienceoperate encompassingat thelower movement,costs, handling,enabling storage,them protection,to offer competitive prices and controlgain ofmarket materials throughout the manufacturing and distribution process.
  • Value Proposition: A critical point is that MH typically does not add intrinsic value to the product itself but unavoidably adds cost. Therefore, the fundamental goal is to minimize handling wherever possible and to perform necessary handling with maximum efficiency and minimum cost.
  • Scope: The scope is broad, covering:
    • Receiving raw materials and components.
    • Storing incoming materials.
    • Moving materials between workstations (Work-In-Progress).
    • Positioning materials for processing.
    • Transferring finished goods to storage.
    • Storing finished goods.
    • Loading products for distribution.
    • It also includes related aspects like packaging design (for ease of handling), unit load formation (e.g., palletizing), and selection of appropriate handling equipment.share.

  Scientific

  • Material Impact:Handling:

    This

    • simply Poor MH: Leadsrefers to increasedapplying leadanalytical times,methods, production delays, machine/labor idling, higher WIP inventory, potential product damage, higher operational costs,data, and increasedengineering workplaceprinciples accidents.
    to
    • Effective MH: Results in streamlined workflow, reduced cycle times, lower costs (labor, inventory, damage), improved space utilization, enhanced safety,design and increasedimprove overallMH productivity.
    systems,
    rather
  than relying solely on intuition or tradition.
  • Indian Example: ImagineIn a largeMaruti e-commerceSuzuki fulfillmentcar centerplant, operated by Flipkart or Amazon in India. Material handling hereMH involves unloadingmoving trucks,heavy steel coils, delicate engine components, and bulky car bodies between stamping, welding, painting, and assembly stations. While moving these items toadds storagecost, racksdoing (it efficiently and safely using forklifts,robots, conveyors, or potentially AGVs), retrieving items for orders (picking), moving them to packing stations, and finallyspecialized conveyingcarriers packed orders to the shipping/dispatch area. The speed and accuracy of this handling areis crucial for meeting delivery promises.

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  Objectives of Material Handling

  The strategic implementation of a material handling system aims to achieve several key objectives:

  1. Minimize Cost of Material Handling: This is often the primaryplant's objective.high-volume It involves reducing expenses related to labor, equipment (purchase, operation, maintenance, energy), space utilization,output and damageoverall incurredcost duringstructure. handling.
  The
  2. Minimize Delays and Interruptions: Ensure a continuous and timely supply of materials to workstations and processes. This prevents bottlenecks, reduces idle time for machines and labor, and supports smooth production flow, crucial for systems like Just-In-Time (JIT).
  3. Increase Productive Capacity: By reducing handling time and minimizing delays, MH systems can improve the utilization of existing production facilities, effectively increasing throughput and capacity without investing in more production machinery.
  4. Improve Safety and Working Conditions: Reduce the physical strain and risk of accidents for employees by mechanizing or automating the handling of heavy, bulky, hot, or hazardous materials. This leads to fewer injuries and a better work environment.
  5. Maximize Utilizationmeaning of MH Equipment:here Ensureis thatdirectly investments in conveyors, forklifts, cranes, etc., are justified by their effective and efficient use. Avoid situations of having expensive equipment sitting idle.
  6. Prevent Damagetied to Materials: Use appropriate handling methods, containers, and equipment to protect materials, components, and finished goods from damage during movement and storage.
  7. Lower Investment in Process Inventory (WIP): Efficient handling reducesenabling the timeassembly materialsprocess spendwithout indelays transitor betweendamage.
  operations,
  thereby

  Understanding decreasingMH themeans amountrecognizing ofits Work-In-Progressscope inventory(movement, requiredstorage, protection, control), its economic impact (adds cost, not value), and its associatedessential holding costs.

• Improve Space Utilization: Make effective use of building volume (cubic space), not just floor area, through appropriate storage and handling methods (e.g., high racking systems).

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Principles of Material Handling

These 20 principles serve as guidelines for designing, selecting, managing, and improving material handling systems:

1. Planning Principle: All MH activities require thorough planning based on objectives, needs, and performance requirements before selecting methods or equipment.
2. Systems Principle: Integrate MH activities with all related operational functions (receiving, storage, production, inspection, packaging, warehousing, supply, transport) into a unified, coordinated system. Consider the entire material flow.
3. Space Utilisation Principle: Optimize the use of building volume (cubic space), including vertical space, for storage and handling, not just the floor area.
4. Unit Load Principle: Move materialsrole in unit loads (e.g., pallets, containers, totes) that are as large and uniform as practical to minimize the number of moves.
5. Gravity Principle: Use gravity for material movement (e.g., chutes, sloped conveyors) whenever feasible, as it reduces power consumption and cost.
6. Material Flow Principle: Design layouts and sequences to optimize the flow path of materials, aiming for short distances, minimal backtracking, and reduced congestion.
7. Simplification Principle: Simplify handling by reducing, eliminating, or combining unnecessary movements and/or equipment.
8. Safety Principle: Prioritize safety in all MH methods and equipment design and operation to prevent injuries and accidents.
9. Mechanisation/Automation Principle: Employ mechanical or automated equipment where it is efficient, economical, and improves safety or consistency compared to manual handling.
10. Standardisation Principle: Standardize MH methods and equipment types/sizes where feasible to enhance flexibility, interchangeability, operator training, and maintenance efficiency.
11. Flexibility Principle: Select methods and equipment that can adapt to a variety of tasks and changing operational requirements.
12. Equipment Selection Principle: Base equipment selection on a thorough analysis of the material properties, movement requirements (distance, frequency, path), and the handling method to be used.
13. Dead Weight Principle: Minimize the ratio of the equipment's own weight (dead weight) to the weight of the load carried (payload) in mobile equipment to save energy.
14. Motion Principle: Keep transport equipment moving productively; minimize idle travel or unnecessary stops.
15. Idle Time Principle: Minimize unproductive time for both MH equipment (waiting, breakdowns) and operators.
16. Maintenance Principle: Implement a planned preventive maintenance and repair schedule for all MH equipment to ensure availability and reliability.
17. Obsolescence Principle: Periodically review MH methods and equipment; replace outdated or inefficient systems when better, economically justifiable alternatives emerge.
18. Capacity Principle: Utilize MH equipment to its full rated capacity where practical and safe, avoiding consistent underutilization.
19. Control Principle: Use MH systems to facilitate better tracking and control of materials throughout thefacilitating production and inventorylogistics.
    cycle.
20. Performance Principle: Measure MH system performance, primarily based on the cost per unit handled, and continuously seek improvements.