a n lX/ECI Unit Operations Review
Materials Handling by John R. Arwood, Continental Grain Co., New York,”.
Y.
The challenge facing materials handling engineers is twofold: Attaining professional competence and obtaining top management support for implementation of good materials handling principles
T H E last review (February 1960) depicted growth to\vard a sophisticated materials handling approach, but has the materials handling engineer yet achieved a professional place in this ever increasing technical age? If good materials handling principles are to be sold to top management: management must first realize the potential to be derived from effective materials handling control. Breaking the resistance barrier is a two-edged s\vord: however, and with acceptance come added expectations. Thus, a twofold challenge faces materials handling engineers: attaining professional competence and obtaining top management support for good materials handling principles. I t is probably most difficult in the chemical industry to isolate materials handling costs. Labor requirements per production unit are much lower than in manufacturing operations, and the tendency is therefore to modify production equipment to effect efficiencies. X large portion of these annual reviews is indeed devoted to ne\v equipment. T o attain maximum efficiency, however, complere materials handling requirements and the cost of performing these functions must be developed. Unless costs are knolvn. evaluation of improvements is impossible. Studies of other industries have shown that materials handling accounts for 25 to 607G of total labor costs. T h e chemical industry has no standard with which to compare, and it is essential that good analysis techniques be developed to measure handling cost. T h e capital investment squeeze is on again in industry, but minimizing the out-ofpocket labor dollar is still the most effective way of obtaining operating efficiency. While materials handling is essential in making products available for further processing, in itself it is a pure
cost factor, as it adds nothing to making the product more salable.
Theory and Training Ford Motor Co. has developed a workable, simplified method of measuring materials handling efficiency (76). Some materials handling engineers have claimed inability to analyze the performance of a materials handling program. Because of the variety of problems, handling systems tend to be oneof-a-kind operations. Ford‘s technique is based upon their past efforts in establishing materials handling standards, thus providing a basis for comparing one system ivith another. Their procedure involves three phases: the survey, the report, and the follo\v-up. T h e director of M H E D A Sational Training Center a t Newport? R. I., has proposed formation of a n American Institute of Material Handling (73). Three levels of materials handling engineers are suggested, based upon relative achievements in the field. Those basically qualified would be classified Associate Material Handling Engineer; those who had distinguished themselves? Fellow of Material Handling Engineering; and those dedicated to the profession, Honorary Felloiv. T h e College-Industry Committee on hfaterials Handling Education continues to maintain a n active listing of courses taught and professors teaching them. In addition, they maintain an up-to-date review of subject matter (7). This committee is actively working to promote the field of professionalism, through encouraging the teaching of subject matter that will produce a qualified graduate. There is a n increased trend toward more application of advanced industrial engineering techniques. Factory Motor Parts, Inc.: was able to achieve the often conflicting goals of improved customer
service and economy of operation by installing a computer and using it effectively. Specifically. they cut order processing time by 506%. inventory by 25%; and paperivork by 80% (75). More and more mathematical techniques \vi11 find reception in the materials handling field in future months. “TVhat size should the bag be?” is heard often when preparing to start manufacture o r a product to be packaged in a flexible material. A simple method for determining capacity and percentage fill of a package which changes shape has been developed by Container Laboratories of New York City (78). Particularly applicable to consumer packaging, where shelf appearance is important, the technique is also useful for industrial packages. Water or rapeseeds-small, round. extremely lightiveight seeds-are used to find the true and the usable bag volume. In the field of management organization theory. two books are now available. In the first? the importance of organization in accomplishing the desired goal is stressed (70). T h e second, a reference manual based on material gathered by a committee of packaging-handling specialists? covers integrating materials handling, packaging, shipping, storage, and distribution from source to customer ( 7 ) ,
Industrial Trucks and Unit Load Handling Of all equipment used by the materials handling engineer, the one historically showing the least change is the fork truck. T h e industry has held the cost line by developing new models only when a need exists (25). On the other hand, a variety of attachments for use on standard models is available. Staying abreast of these developments will often permit a twofold increase in productivity of a unit without major capital expenditure. VOL. 53, NO. 2
FEBRUARY 1961
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,4 new attachment, for the palletless handling of bagged goods ( 4 ) , consists of two scoop-shaped arms h) draulically actuated to clamp a stack of bags. A side shifting mechanism is incorporated to speed pickup and place-down of the bags. D r u m handling a t a Cleveland refinery has been simplified through use of a straddle carrier with extra long load hooks. Four drums a r e placed on a pallet, and successive pallet loads a r e collected o n a n accumulating conveyor. When six unit loads are accumulated, the straddle carrier, equipped with special lifting arms (5). moves over the row and picks u p all six loads, transporting them to the desired location. O n e unit thus moves the equivalent of six regular fork truck loads in one trip.
Packaging Higher speeds and greater accuracy are by-words for the new packaging equipment developed in the past )ear. Because most chemical products a r e relatively expensive, control of weights is a critical area. O n e scale manufacturer (79) has developed a full-flow dribble attachment to a standard preweighing scale that greatly improves accuracy of the final package. I n preweighing, speed of packaging is in direct opposition to accuracy, as the time for bringing the desired height to a n exact level is most critical for the last few ounces. Provision of a dribble flow permits obtaining a weight slightly below the desired level much faster, using the balance of the time between scale charges to add the last few ounces. .4nother manufacturer (20) has a complete unit designed to accomplish the same result. New on the scene in bag packaging equipment is a unit utilizing a n electronic weight control (22). This system provides fast, accurate packaging by means of varying capacitance within the electronic system. When preset weight is obtained. the varying capacitance actuates a relay controlling the filling operation. S o direct electrical connection or ‘.sparking” is involved Use of air as a transporting medium in packaging is becoming more prevalent. Three manufacturers of packaging equipment for multiwall paper bags have introduced units utilizing air to transfer the product from the scale into the bag (2, 6, 27). \Yhile designed principally to handle powdered or finely divided products, some progress has been made in utilizing air-operated packers for pelleted products such as polyethylene. T h e importance of the packaging function a n d its new level of acceptance by management in some leading corporations is the topic of a recent article ( 7 7). Acceptance paves the way to successful implementation of ideas.
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Bulk Handling T h e most significant development in the materials handling field during the past year was certainly in the area of containerization. In past revieivs. various containers have been reported a n d reference made to the fact that invariably total systems must be developed rather than the container itself. I t is the problem of the materials handling engineer to develop the system. T h e supplier cannot design a container uniformly suitable for the conditions euisting a t all locations of potential use. I n this new area. it becomes more important to plan ahead because of the great amount of capital required to inaugurate a system. O n e company, long in\-olved in rhe manufacture of motor transportation equipment. has developed a bulk container designed to handle pelleted materials a n d a companion container to handle powdered materials ( 3 ) . These containers are built of aluminum for maximum payload \\hen transported over highways, yet the design required that they be sturdy enough to \\-irhstand the rigors of lifting, unsupported. by crane. Special castings \vere installed in the eight corners to facilitate ease of grasping for lifting and to allo\Y for easy locking when placed on a chassis (77). T h e chassis being used are made of aluminum to facilitate maximum lading. Tailor-made. they were built to fit the design of the bulk container and to meet the requirements of the user ( 2 3 ) . T h e entire system required refinement of design prior to installation of any portion of the system. T h e first shoiv devoted exlusively to containerization \vas held in S e w York City in September 1960. Numerous types of new containers \\.ere displayed for use in shipping over the high\va)-s, by rail, and by ocean-going vessel. T h e exposition and accompanying symposium showed the first signs of positive coordination among the three principal rransportation media (72). Containerization in the maritime field is encountering opposition from the International Longshoremen‘s and TVarehousemen’s Union. T h e IL\L-U has demanded from the inception of containerization on the piers that a share of the savings achieved from automation be paid to a union fund to offset the loss of wages by union employees. Employers on the West Coast piers have reached a n agreement with ILTVU there. In return for the sharing of savings with the union, IL\I’U has dropped ”featherbedding” work rules. pledged full acceptance of new labor-saving devices, and returned to the employer the con,trol of deciding what methods and how many men \vi11 be used to handle carso.
INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
Certainly this will encourage development of additional materials handling systems in this latent field. T h e unloading nozzle of the Dry-Flo hopper car (9) has been modified specifically for chemical shipping. T h e new design permits vacuum unloading only, thus minimizing the possibility of introducing foreign matter in the unloading operation. These cars can be acquired alternately Ivith this nozzle or Lvith a combination vacuum, positive pressure, or gravity unloading nozzle. T\vo companies have developed lo\\.volume vacuum to pressure conveying systems. O n e is a portable unit (8) irith a maximum capacity of 20:000 pounds per hour. T h e other is designed primarily as a hopper feeding s)stem (23). .4n excellent summary of the current status of containerization and some of its problems it has been published 1 7 J ) .
Literature Cited (1) American Material Handling Society, Toledo, Ohio, “Packaging-Handling Coordination, A Basic Guide,” 1960. ( 2 ) Black Products Co.. Chicago, Ill., “.4irflo\r Valve Bag Packer,” 1960. ( 3 ) Budd Co., Philadelphia 15: Pa., B d l . N o . 8C~17-001, July 15, 1960. (4) Clark Equipment Co., Battle Creek, Mich., advertising release o n attachments, September 1960. (5) Ibid.. January 1960. (6) Coddington, E. D.. Mfg. Co., Milwaukee: Wis., Bull. on Airpac, 1960. (7) Footlik, I. L., Secretary. CollegeIndustry Committee on Materials Handling Education, 9116 Four CVinds Way, Skokie, Ill., private communication, 1960. (8) Fuller Co.: Catasauqua, Pa., advertising reiease on conveyor, 1960. (9) General American Transportation Carp., Chicago, Ill., advertising release on Dry-Flo hopper car. 1960. (10) Heyel, Carl, American Management Association, New York, N. Y., ”Organizing Your Job In Management,” 1960. (11) Ind. Packaging 6, 18 (.%ug. 15. 1960). (12) International Cargo Handling Coordination Association. 111 8th Ave., New York. N. Y. (13) Materials Handling En!. 15, 59 (October 1960). Bull. on Exposition. iSeptember
im).
(14) %id., 68 (September 1960); 66 (October 1960). (15) Modern .Materials Handiinp~, 15. 114 ~, (March 1960). (16) ?bid., 15, 96 (November 1960). (17) National Malleable & Steel Castings Co., Cleveland, Ohio, Bull. on National Speedloader System, 1960. (18) Package Enq. 5 , 44 (September 1960). (19) Richardson Scale Co., Clifton, N. J., Bull. NO. 6-148,1960. (20) St. Regis Paper Co.. ?Jew York, N. Y . , Bull. on AS-D scale. 1959. (21) Ibid.. Biill. on Force-Flo packer, 1953. (22) Stoker. H. L., Co.: Claremont, Calif., Bull. on DX packer, 1960. (23) Veenema & Wiegers. Paterson, N. J . , release on aluminum chassis, October 1960. (24) Whitlock Associates, Inc., Oak Park, Mich., Bull. on Model 400 vacuum conveyor, 1960. (25) Whitmore, W. J., Baker Industrial Trucks, New York, N. Y., personal communication, 1960.
