by Material handling may be considered a specialized activity for modern manufacturing units. From the time, the input material or raw materials enter the industrial unit and go out of the unit in the form of finished products, these are handled at all stages in between, no matter, on the shop floor or in the stores.
It has been estimated that the average material handling cost is roughly 30 to 60% of the cost of production. This is so since majority of production time is consumed in handling materials before, during and after the manufacture. However, this cost can be reduced by proper selection, operation, maintenance and layout of material handling devices but cannot be totally eliminated.
“Material handling” refers to the movement of materials from the store room to the machine and from one machine to the next machine or work station during the process of manufacture.
The material handling problem must be analysed thoroughly at the time planning of various machines and tools needed before erection of factory building.
While designing new plants, materials handling is a prime consideration and several existing plants can be modified by the utilization of modem material handling devices. The cost of production is decreased by the use of these devices since these devices increase output, improve the quality and speed up the deliveries.
Functions of Material Handling:
Following are the important functions of material handling:
(i) To select machines/equipment and plant layout to eliminate or minimize material handling requirements, i.e., to select most efficient, safe and appropriate material handling equipment, which can fulfil material handling requirement at minimum cost.
(ii) To minimize the material handling cost by way of:
(a) Minimization of movement of semi-finished items during the production process.
(b) Planning movement of optimum necessary pieces in one unit.
(c) Minimization of distance moved.
(d) Increasing speed of material handling operation through mechanization.
(e) By elimination/minimization of back tracking and duplicate handling.
(f) By utilization of gravity for material handling.
To employ mechanical aids instead of manual labour to accelerate material movements.
Objectives of Material Handing:
The common hand shovel and the baskets were the only material handling tools, until some years ago, but now due to increasing demand for sophisticated handling equipment, material handling system has been revolutionized all over the world.
The main objective of the efficient materials handling is to decrease the costs. Materials handling equipment does not come under the production machinery but is an auxiliary equipment which can improve the flow of materials which in turn shall reduce the stoppages in production machines and thus increases their production.
In brief followings are the objectives of material handling:
(1) Costs Reduction by:
(i) Decreasing inventory level.
(ii) Utilising space to better advantage.
(iii) Increasing productivity.
(2) Waste Reduction by:
(i) Eliminating damage to material during handling.
(ii) Being flexible to meet specific handling requirements of different nature.
(iii) Making proper control over stock during in and out handling.
(3) Improve Productivity by:
(i) Increasing productivity per man-hour.
(ii) Increase in machine efficiency through reduction of machine down time.
(iii) Smoothing out workflow.
(iv) Improving production control.
(4) Improve Working Conditions by:
(i) Providing safe working conditions.
(ii) Reducing worker’s fatigue.
(iii) Improving personal comfort.
(iv) Upgrading employees/workers to productive work.
(5) Improve Distribution by:
(i) Decreasing damage to products during handling and shipping.
(ii) Improving routing.
(iii) Improving location of storage facilities.
(iv) Increasing the efficiency of shipping and receiving.
Advantages of Scientific Material Handling:
- Cost Reduction by:
(a) Decreasing the inventory costs.
(b) Utilizing the space to better extent.
(c) Increasing the overall production of the system.
- Waste Reduction:
(a) Maintaining proper control over in and out of stock handling.
(b) Eliminating damage to material during the handling process.
(c) Providing flexibility to meet the specific handling requirements of all materials.
- In creased productive capacity:
(a) Improving productivity per man-hour.
(b) Improving the efficiency of machines by reducing the machine down time.
(c) Smoothing out workflow in the plant.
(d) Improving the production control.
- Improved working conditions:
(a) Improving the personal comfort.
(b) Reducing fatigue of workers.
(c) Proving safer working conditions.
(d) Upgrading employees for productive work.
- Improved distribution:
(a) Improved routing.
(b) Improve location of storage facilities.
(c) Improving the efficiency of shipping and receiving.
(d) Reduction in damages of products during handling.
