MATERIAL

HANDLING
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Material Handling is the movement, storage, control and
protection of materials, goods and products throughout the
process of manufacturing, distribution, consumption and
disposal. The focus is on the methods, mechanical equipment,
systems and related controls used to achieve these functions.
MATERIAL HANDLING

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.
Objectives
Main objective is to reduce the number of handlings
as well as the overall cost of material handling
equipment and reducing the distances through which
the materials are handled.
1) Reduced Costs
2) Increased Capacity
3) Improved Working Condition
4) Value Addition to Products

In brief, the primary objectives of Material Handling are;

1. To save money
2. To save time
3. To save men
objectives

The primary objective of

using a material handling
system is to ensure that the
material in the right amount is
safely delivered to the desired
destination at the right time
and at minimum cost.
Objectives
The material handling system is
properly designed not only to
ensure the minimum cost and
compatibility with other
manufacturing equipment but also
to meet safety concerns.
The cost of MH estimates 20-25
of total manufacturing labor cost.
Other Objectives
 Lower unit material handling costs
 Reduction in manufacturing cycle time through faster
movement of materials and by reducing the distance
through which the materials are moved. Reduction in
manufacturing cycle time results in reduced work –in –
progress inventory costs.
 Improved working conditions and greater safety in
movement of materials
 Contribute to better quality by avoiding damage to
products by inefficient handling
 Increased storage capacity through better utilisation of
storage areas
 Higher productivity at lower manufacturing cost
 Buying the best item at the lowest cost

 • Reduction in inventory cost and High inventory turnover

 • Maintaining the flow of production

 • Maintaining the consistency of quality

 • Optimization of acquisition and possession, resulting in

lower cost

 • Cordial relationship with suppliers

 • Maintaining good records

 • Contribution towards competitiveness

 • Personnel development
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.
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.
Material handling work should be
minimized without sacrificing
productivity or the level of service
required of the operation.
Human capabilities and limitations
must be recognized and respected
in the design of material handling
tasks and equipment to ensure safe
and effective operations and it
should be human friendly.
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.
Effective and efficient use must be
made of all available space.
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.
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.
Environmental impact and energy
consumption should be
considered as criteria when
designing or selecting alternative
equipment and material handling
systems.
 Use methods and equipments that
can perform a variety of task and
applications. Flexibility should be
carefully considered as an
important characteristics of any
handling equipment
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Elevators –Types of cranes that lift
materials –usually between floors or buildings
Hoists- Move vertically or horizontally. May be
air hoist , electric hoist, chain hoist
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 Factors Affecting the selection of
Material Handling Equipment
 Frequency of Material movement
 Distance of Material Movement
 Quantity of materials
 Time Constraint
 Cost
 Engineering Factors
 Compliance with safety standards
 Low maintenance costs
 Spare parts for service of equipments should
be readily available
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