Principles of Material Handling

Material Handling Principles with examples

Following are the principles of material handling:

1. Planning principle: All handling activities should be planned.
2. Systems principle: Plan a system integrating as many handling activities as possible and co-coordinating the full scope of operations (receiving, storage, production, inspection, packing, warehousing, supply, and transportation).
3. Space utilization principle: Make optimum use of cubic space.
4. Unit load principle: Increase quantity, size, the weight of load handled.
5. Gravity principle: Utilize gravity to move a material wherever practicable.
6. Material flow principle: Plan an operation sequence and equipment arrangement to optimize material flow.
7. Simplification principle: Reduce combine or eliminate unnecessary movement and/or equipment.
8. Safety principle: Provide for safe handling methods and equipment.
9. Mechanization principle: Use mechanical or automated material handling the equipment.
10. Standardization principle: Standardize method, types, size of material handling equipment.
11. Flexibility principle: Use methods and equipment that can perform a variety of tasks and applications.
12. Equipment selection principle: Consider all aspects of the material, move, and method to be utilized.
13. Deadweight principle: Reduce the ratio of dead weight to the payload in mobile equipment.
14. Motion principle: Equipment designed to transport material should be kept in motion.
15. Idle time principle: Reduce idle time/unproductive time of both MH equipment and manpower.
16. Maintenance principle: Plan for preventive maintenance or scheduled repair of all handling equipment.
17. Obsolescence principle: Replace obsolete handling methods/equipment when more efficient methods/equipment will improve operation.
18. Capacity principle: Use handling equipment to help achieve its full capacity.
19. Control principle: Use material handling equipment to improve production control, inventory control and another handling.
20. Performance principle: Determine the efficiency of handling performance in terms of cost per unit handled which is the primary criterion.