The Importance of Material Handling in Manufacturing
Material handling represents a fundamental aspect of manufacturing operations. Essentially, it encompasses the movement of materials throughout production facilities. The efficiency of a plant’s production system—including factors like overall efficiency, output capacity, and financial performance—depends directly on seamless material flow. Without effective material handling, manufacturing processes cease functioning. Disruptions in material availability can result in losses exceeding thirty percent of organizational revenue.
The core objective involves delivering the appropriate materials to the correct location, at the precise moment, in the necessary quantity, following the proper sequence, and in the correct physical state or condition. This approach aims to reduce production expenses.
Meeting Material Handling Objectives
The primary goal centers on minimizing unit production costs, with all other objectives supporting this aim. A comprehensive checklist includes:
- Maintaining product quality while reducing damage
- Promoting worker safety and improved conditions
- Enhancing productivity through straight-line material flow, reduced distances, batch processing, mechanization, and automation
- Maximizing facility usage
- Reducing dead weight
- Controlling inventory levels
The 10 Principles of Material Handling
The Material Handling Institute Inc. established ten foundational principles: Planning, Standardization, Work, Ergonomic, Unit Load, Space Utilization, System, Automation, Environmental, and Life Cycle Cost.
The Planning Principle emphasizes systematic preparation. Addressing fundamental questions—Why, What, Where, Who, When, and How—clarifies solutions when moving materials. A practical example involves receiving 20,000-pound steel loads daily via flatbed trailer into storage areas using bridge cranes.
The Standardization Principle involves documenting consistent methods and procedures to achieve reliable results through uniform equipment, controls, and software.
The Automation Principle advocates automating material-handling operations whenever feasible to boost efficiency, enhance responsiveness, improve consistency, and decrease operational expenses.
Key Statistics and Conclusion
Material handling represents approximately fifty percent of total manufacturing operation costs, underscoring the importance of cost reduction and disruption prevention efforts. StrataFlows offers customizable production flow software designed to address these operational challenges across manufacturing, logistics, construction, municipal, and service sectors.