MATERIALS HANDLING: PLANNING

4.6

PLANT OPERATIONS

ities.The plant engineer should therefore apply materials-handling principles to improve each
separate materials-handling activity and then interrelate the handling activities by applying
flow-planning principles.

Principles of Materials Handling

The collective experience and knowledge of many materials-handling experts has been organized into a framework of generalized principles. The principles are basic and can be used universally. They include:
1. Integrate as many handling activities, such as receiving, storage, production, and inspection, as is practical into a coordinated system.
2. Arrange operation sequence and equipment layout so as to optimize materials flow.
3. Simplify handling by reducing, eliminating, or combining unnecessary movement and/or
equipment.
4. Use gravity to move material wherever practical.
5. Make optimum use of the building cube.
6. Increase the quantity, size, and weight of the load handled.
7. Use mechanized or automated handling equipment whenever it can be economically or
safely justified.
8. Select handling equipment on the basis of lowest overall cost when considering the material to be handled, the move to be made, and the methods to be utilized.
9. Standardize methods as well as types and sizes of handling equipment.
10. Use methods and equipment that perform a variety of tasks and applications.
11. Plan preventive maintenance, and schedule regular repairs on all handling equipment.
12. Determine the effectiveness of handling performance in terms of expense per unit
handled.
13. Move materials in as direct a path as possible, minimizing backtracking.
14. Deliver materials directly to work areas whenever practical, and plan the minimum of
material in the area.
15. Move the greatest weight or bulk the shortest distance.
16. Provide alternative plans in case of a breakdown.
17. Use the appropriate level of proven technology and systems.

Steps in Solving Handling Problems

The general methods that are used for solving other operational problems are applicable in
the materials-handling area. The factors that must be considered relate to how to most efficiently move certain volumes and types of materials by a particular method. The steps
involved in systematically solving these problems consist of:

Problem identification
Problem analysis and quantification
Selection and evaluation of alternatives
Project justification

Problem Identification. Identification of materials-handling problems includes determining the impact of interfacing activities such as production control, manufacturing, vendors,

Downloaded from Digital Engineering Library @ McGraw-Hill (www.digitalengineeringlibrary.com)

Copyright 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Any use is subject to the Terms of Use as given at the website.