The following guidelines are invaluable in the design and cost reduction of the materials handling
system:
1. As material handling adds no value but increases the production cycle time, eliminate
handling wherever possible. Ideally there should not be any handling at all!
2. Sequence the operations in logical manner so that handling is unidirectional and smooth.
3. Use gravity wherever possible as it results in conservation of power and fuel.
4. Standardise the handling equipments to the extent possible as it means interchangeable
usage, better utilisation of handling equipments, and lesser spares holding.
5. Install a regular preventive maintenance programme for material handling equipments so
that downtime is minimum.
6. In selection of handling equipments, criteria of versatility and adaptability must be the
governing factor. This will ensure that investments in special purpose handling equipments
are kept at a minimum.
7. Weight of unit load must be maximum so that each ‘handling trip’ is productive.
8. Work study aspects, such a elimination of unnecessary movements and combination of
processes should be considered while installing a material handling system.
9. Non-productive operations in handling, such as slinging, loading, etc., should be kept at
a minimum through appropriate design of handling equipment. Magnetic cranes for scrap
movement and loading in furnaces combination of excavators and tippers for ores loading
and unloading in mines are examples in this respect.
10. Location of stores should be as close as possible to the plant which uses the materials.
This avoids handling and minimizing investment in material handling system.
11. Application of OR techniques such as queueing can be very effective in optimal utilisation
of materials handling equipments.
12. A very important aspect in the design of a material handling system is the safety aspect.
The system designed should be simple and safe to operate.
13. Avoid any wasteful movements-method study can be conducted for this purpose.
14. Ensure proper coordination through judicious selection of equipments and training of workmen.
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 minimises handling.
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.
4. Good plant layout helps in building efficient material handling system. It helps to keep
material handling shorter, faster and economical. A good layout reduces the material
backtracking, unnecessary workmen movement ensuring effectiveness in manufacturing.
Thus a good layout always ensures minimum material handling
Section A
1. Define material handling
2. Mention any four objectives of material handling.
3. Mention any four principles of material handling.
4. What do you mean by “Equipment Utilisation Ratio”?
5. Mention some of the fixed path equipments.
6. Mention some of the valuable path equipments.
Section B
1. Explain the objectives of material handling.
2. Explain the principles of material handling.
3. How do you evaluate the material handling system?
4. What are the relationship between plant layout and material handling?
Section C
1. Discuss the factors to be considered while selecting material handling equipment.
2. Discuss the different material handling equipments.
3. Discuss the guidelines for effective utilisation of material handling equipments.
Skill Development
FAST FOOD RESTAURANT VISIT: Get the information for the following questions:
1. Material handling in the restaurant for production and services.
2. Type of material handling equipment used for production and services
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The Bridge He Never Crossed
The river had always divided the town into two halves. On one side lay the old neighborhoods — narrow streets, familiar faces, small shops where owners still remembered names and stories. On the other side rose the new city — glass buildings, bright lights, offices, opportunities, and futures that promised more than memory. Between them stood a narrow iron bridge. People crossed it every day without thinking. Buses rattled over it. Motorcycles rushed across it. Students walked laughing, lovers paused to take photographs, workers hurried with phones pressed to their ears. Only one man rarely crossed it. His name was Saad. Saad lived his entire life on the old side of town. He taught mathematics at a small school, returned home before sunset, drank tea on his veranda, and spent evenings reading while the world beyond the river glittered in the distance. His life was calm, predictable, and quietly safe. Too safe. Years ago, after finishing university with excellent grades, Saad had received an offer from a large firm in the new city. The salary was generous, the future promising, the path clear. But it required crossing the bridge. Not physically — he had crossed it many times before. But emotionally. It meant leaving familiar streets, aging parents, comfortable routines, and the quiet certainty of knowing where every road led. It meant risking failure, loneliness, and change. So Saad declined. He told himself he valued simplicity. He told others he preferred teaching. He convinced everyone — except himself — that he had chosen wisely. Yet every evening, as the sun dipped behind the glass towers across the river, a strange restlessness stirred inside him. One autumn afternoon, while walking home from school, Saad noticed an old painter standing near the bridge. The man had placed a small wooden stool by the railing and was painting the river with slow, deliberate strokes. His canvas showed neither the old town nor the new city — only the bridge itself, stretching quietly between them. Saad stopped to watch. “You paint only the bridge?” he asked. “Yes,” the painter replied without looking up. “It is the most honest subject here.” “How so?” “Because it belongs to neither side,” the man said. “Yet it connects both.” Saad visited the bridge more often after that. Sometimes the painter was there, sometimes not. When present, he spoke little, but his words lingered. One day, Saad confessed, “I have spent my life avoiding this bridge.” The painter smiled faintly. “Many people live beside their destiny without ever touching it.” Saad frowned. “Is crossing always destiny?” “No,” the painter said. “But refusing to cross is always a decision.” Those words followed Saad home. Memories returned — the ambition he once carried, the excitement he felt when imagining life in the new city, the disappointment he quietly buried when he chose safety instead. Weeks passed. One morning, Saad found a letter waiting on his desk at school. It was from an old university professor. A new training institute across the river was opening. They needed an experienced educator to design curriculum and mentor young teachers. The position was temporary — six months. The pay was modest. The risk, however, was real. Saad folded the letter carefully and placed it in his bag. All day, numbers blurred before his eyes. That evening, he stood at the bridge as traffic rushed past. Lights flickered on across the river, reflections trembling in the water like uncertain thoughts. The painter was there again. “I received an invitation today,” Saad said slowly. “From the other side.” “And?” “I am afraid.” The painter nodded. “Good. Fear means the road matters.” Saad laughed bitterly. “What if I fail?” “Then you return wiser,” the painter said. “But what if you never go?” Saad did not answer. That night, he could not sleep. He imagined two futures. In one, he remained — respected, comfortable, quietly wondering what might have been. In the other, he crossed — uncertain, challenged, but alive with possibility. At dawn, he rose, dressed carefully, and walked toward the bridge. The river whispered below, patient and indifferent. For the first time in years, Saad placed his foot on the iron surface. Halfway across, doubt struck fiercely. He stopped. The old town lay behind him, warm and familiar. The new city waited ahead, bright and unknown. He closed his eyes. And stepped forward. The months that followed were not easy. The institute demanded long hours, new methods, constant learning. Younger colleagues questioned his ideas. Administrators pressured results. Twice, Saad considered quitting. But slowly, something changed. He rediscovered the joy of growth. His lessons improved. His confidence returned. His mind awakened. Students respected him not only for knowledge, but for patience. Teachers sought his guidance. Ideas he had buried for years found voice again. Six months ended. The institute offered him a permanent position. Saad accepted without hesitation. One evening, long after settling into his new life, he returned to the bridge. The painter was gone. In his place, a small unfinished canvas leaned against the railing. It showed a man standing midway across a bridge — paused between worlds — eyes closed, heart steady. On the back, written simply: “Courage is not crossing without fear. Courage is crossing despite it.” Saad smiled. For the first time, the bridge no longer divided his life. It had united it.
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