Material Handling Equipment

Course code: MEng 4102

Aregawi G. (Assistant Professor)

Email: aregawig1974@gmail.com Cellphone: +251968925386

March 13, 2023

 Course Outline
Chapter 1 Introduction to Material Handling 1 week
1.1 Introduction to Material Handling
1.2 Characteristics and Classification of Materials

Chapter 2 Principles of Materials Handling 1 week

2.1 Introduction to Principles of MH
2.2 The basic principles of MH

Chapter 3 Unit Load concepts 2 weeks

3.1 Introduction to Unit Load
3.2 Load Unitization Processes and Handling Methods
3.3 Advantages of Unit Loads
3.4 Disadvantages of Unit Loads
3.5 Designing the Unit Load
 Course Outline
Chapter 4 Classification of Material Handling Equipment 2 weeks
4.1 Classification of Material Handling Equipment
4.2 Basic Equipment Types and Their Application

Chapter 5 Design and Selection of MH Equipment 2 weeks

5.1 Factors for MH System Design
5.2 Selection of MH Equipment

Chapter 6 Conveyor Design 3 weeks

6.1 Belt Conveyor Design
6.2 Chain Conveyor Design
6.3 Roller Conveyor Design
 Learning Outcomes of the Course
On completion of this course, the students will be able to:
✓ Identify and explain the different types and application of
materials handling equipment
✓ Apply analytical skill for selecting appropriate Material
handling equipment for Engineering applications
✓ Understand the basic design principles of Materials
handling Systems
✓ Design material handling systems for a variety of
scenarios pertaining to manufacturing and service industries
CLO1: Explain different types of MHE for engineering applications
CLO2: Identification and selection of the proper material handling equipment for
various industrial applications and processes
CLO3:Design of various materials handling equipment such as Conveyors, etc
 Course Description
• Introduction
• Main types and major classifications of
material handling equipment
• Basic principles of materials handling
• Unit load concept
• Basic considerations for design and selection
of material handling equipment
• Design of conveyers
Method of Course Delivery:
✓Lecture (L)
✓Tutorial (T)
✓Practical (P) & Other (O)
✓Group discussion or Seminars
✓Group assignment
✓Individual assignment
✓Industrial visit
✓Project work
✓Home study
Assessment:
I. Continuous Assessment =50%
✓ Quiz =5%
✓ Test 1=15%
✓ Test 2 =10%
✓ Group Assignment 1 = 10%
✓ Group Assignment 2 = 10%

II. Summative Assessment =50%

✓ Final exam =50%
Text Book:
• Siddhartha Ray, Introduction to Materials Handling, New
Age International (P) Ltd, 2018.

References:
• Karl H. E. Kroemer, Ergonomic Design of Material
Handling Systems, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC, 1997.
• A. W. Pemberton, Plant Layout and Materials Handling,
Macmillan Press LTD,1974.
• Raymond A. Kulwiec, Materials Handling Handbook, John
Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2nd Edition,1985.
 CHAPTER 1

Introduction to Material Handling

 Lesson Learning Outcome of chapter 1

On completion of this lesson, the students will be

able to:
✓ Define Material Handling (MH)
✓ Recognize the objectives of MH
✓ Describe the advantages and benefits of MH
✓ Explain the different Types of materials
handling equipment (MHE) for Engineering
Application.
✓ What is material handling (MH)?
✓ Do you think material handling can
add value on the final product?
✓ What will be the impact of material
handling on the productivity of a
plant?
✓ What is the relationship between
material handling and plant layout?
1.1 Introduction to Material Handling (MH)
• Material handling is the combination of art and
science of moving, storing, handling, placing
and positioning.
• Materials handling can be defined as the art and
science of conveying, elevating, positioning,
transporting and packaging and storing of materials
regardless of size, form and weight which effect a
saving in money, time and place.
▪ Art: the experience and judgment of individual
materials handling engineer.
▪ Science: analytical methods and engineering data,
formula, statistics and standards
 1.1 Introduction to MH…

Material handling means providing the

✓ right amount
✓ of the right material
✓ in the right condition
✓ at the right place
✓ in the right position
✓ in the right sequence
✓ in the right time
✓ for the right price
✓ by the right method
 1.1 Introduction to MH…

Objectives of Material Handling

The following are the objectives of material handling:

1. Minimize cost of material handling.

2. Minimize delays and interruptions by making
available the materials at the point of use, at
right quantity and at right time.
3. Increase the productive capacity of the
production facilities by effective utilization of
capacity and enhancing productivity.
 Objectives of Material Handling…

4. Safety in material handling through

improvement in working condition.
5. Maximum utilization of material handling
equipment.
6. Prevention of damages to materials.
7. Lower investment in process inventory.
 1.1 Introduction to MH…

In a typical manufacturing facility:

• It has been estimated that average material handling
cost is roughly 20 to 60% of the total production
cost.
• 25% of the work-force is used in material handling.
• 55% of the factory floor is reserved for it.
• 85% of the production time
• It, thus, becomes clear that the cost of production of
an item can be lowered considerably by making a
saving in the material handling cost.
 1.1 Introduction to MH…

• Material handling involves the movements of

materials, manually or mechanically in batches
or one item at a time within the plant.
• The movement may be horizontal, vertical or
the combination of horizontal and vertical.
• Material handling emphasizes upon the need of
installing efficient and safe methods and
equipment for material handling.
• It has been found that 35 to 40% of the plant
accidents are the results of bad methods of
material handling.
 1.1 Introduction to MH…
• Material handling operation are performed in
the following stages;
- Unloading the incoming material
- Moving the unloaded material to assigned
storage places in warehouses
- Lifting the material from its storage place during
order picking
- Moving the material for inspection and
packaging
- Loading packages/boxes/cartons on to transport
vehicles
 1.1 Introduction to MH…

Material Handling System

• A materials handling system can encompass an
entire plant and in some cases, even the facilities
of suppliers and customers.
• In a manufacturing plant for example, it may
begin at the receiving dock, and continue through
inspection, storage, processing, packing, and
shipping.
• materials handling system should contain two
parallel flows-the physical flow of materials, and
a corresponding flow of information.
 1.1 Introduction to MH…

Advantages of Good Material Handling Systems

✓ It reduces the time required for handling the
materials
✓ Reduction in material handling & indirect labor
cost.
✓ Improvement on productivity
✓ Better usage of floor space & facility
✓ Least fatigue to the worker
✓ Improved work environment
✓ Reduction in bottle necks
 Advantages of Good MHS…

✓ Improvement in safety & reduction in accidents.

✓ Improved material flow (Less back tracking).
✓ It promotes a protected and clean material
handling without any difficulty.
✓ It eliminates the idle time of workers and
machines.
✓ Increases the flow rate of materials from one
workstation to another.
✓ Compact and better stocking of materials in good
location available in the plant.
A Good MH system have the following benefits.
i. Reduce cost
– Utilizing space to better advantage
– Increasing productivity
– Making a few effective movements
ii. Reduce waste
– Eliminating damage during handling.
– Maintaining proper control over the in-and-out of stock
handling process
iii. Improve working conditions
– Providing safer working conditions
– Reducing worker fatigue
iv. Improve the efficiency of the plant
– Providing a better organization of storage facilities
The benefits that can be achieved by applying the
systems approach to materials handling are:
• Less product damage
• Lower labor costs
• Reduced inventories
• Reduced space needs
• Safer, more systematic work procedures
• Better adaptability to control
• Better coordination with suppliers or customers
• Continuous flow of materials and information
• Fewer delays between operations and departments
• Higher levels of equipment utilization
• Improved scheduling
 1.1 Introduction to MH…

Relationship between Material Handling and Plant Layout

• There is a close relationship between plant layout
and material handling.
• A good layout ensures minimum material handling
and eliminates rehandling in the following ways:
1. Material movement does not add any value to the
product so, the material handling should be kept
at minimum though not avoid it. This is possible
only through the systematic plant layout. Thus a
good layout minimizes handling.
 1.1 Introduction to MH…

2. The productive time of workers will go without

production if they are required to travel long
distance to get the material tools, etc.
• Thus a good layout ensures minimum travel for
workman thus enhancing the production time
and eliminating the hunting time and travelling
time.
3. Space is an important criterion. Plant layout
integrates all the movements of men, material
through a well-designed layout with material
handling system.
 1.1 Introduction to MH…

4. Good plant layout helps in building efficient

material handling system.
• It helps to keep material handling shorter,
faster and economical.
5. A good layout reduces the material
backtracking, unnecessary workmen
movement ensuring effectiveness in
manufacturing.
• Thus a good layout always ensures minimum
material handling.
 Types of Material Handling Equipment

• The nature of industries, manufacturing processes involved and

types / designs of machines and plants in operation are
numerous. Consequently the variety of materials handling
equipment and systems used in industry is also very large in
number and diverse in concept and design.

• The four basic types of MHE are:-

i. Industrial Vehicles/Trucks
ii. Conveyors (Conveying Equipment)
iii. Hoisting Equipment
iv. Robotic handling system
 I. Industrial Vehicles/Trucks

II. Conveyors (Conveying Equipment)

 III. Hoisting Equipment

IV. Robotic handling system

1.2 Characteristics and Classification of Materials
• What is material? Material is a substance or mixture of
substances that constitutes an object. Materials can be pure or
impure, living or non-living matter. Materials can be classified on the
basis of their physical and chemical properties, or on their geological
origin or biological function.
• A material is any substance that an object is made from. Glass,
chalk, paper, wax, water, air, clay and plastic are all different
materials. All materials are made up of matter. Matter is defined
as anything that has volume and mass. A material is what the
object is made from. An object is something that you can
touch.
• Physical properties of materials are Density, Melting point,
Conductivity(thermal conductivity & Electrical conductivity
(resistivity)), Corrosion resistance, Ductility / Malleability, Elasticity /
Stiffness, Fracture Toughness. Hardness. and Plasticity.
 1.2.1 Characteristics of Materials for Major Classes
Metals Polymers Ceramics
-Hard but -Stiff or flexible -Hard but brittle
malleable - Dull -Shiny if glazed
-Shiny - Colorless -Many colors
-Little color - Low melting -Highest melting
-Intermediate - Nonconductive point
conduct electricity - Low density -Nonconductive
-High density - Flammable -Intermediate
-Difficult to burn density
-Not flammable
 1.2.2 Classification of Materials
Traditionally the three major classes of materials
are metals, polymers, and ceramics.
Examples of these are steel, cloth, and pottery.
Or Metal cutlery, a polymer napkin, and a ceramic dish.
Materials can be majorly classified in to six considerable
categories:-
• Metals, Polymers, Ceramics, wood, fabrics and
Composites.
In modern society we are surrounded by an amazing variety of materials.
Most of the materials are solids that have been modified from their natural
states to make them more suitable for practical applications. The materials
people use have such an impact on their lifestyles. Material that best protects
them from the predicted weather - temperature, precipitation, and wind.
End of Chapter One