MMH - Materials Flow
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What can be done to reduce the amount of times material is moved or handled?
Back to top- Optimize the movement of materials to eliminate unnecessary manual handling steps. Options include:
- Combining operation locations.
- Shortening carrying distances.
- Monitoring inventory so that stock is not moved more than necessary.
- Use conveyors, slides, or chutes to link workstations/storage areas or reduce carrying distance.
- Use an "air" table to help slide packages across a surface.
- Use vertical or horizontal carousels to rotate materials closer to the worker.
- Store materials close to where they are needed.
- Use rollers to eliminate manual lifting and carrying.
- Use floor rollers while loading or unloading trucks to reduce lifting.
- Use a sliding bed while loading and unloading small trucks to avoid overreaching and carrying in an awkward position.
- Eliminate extra loading or unloading steps where possible.
- Unload as close as possible to the place where material will be needed.
- Use ramps to avoid lifting and dragging over edges.
- Use containers that allow fluids to pour or empty without lifting the container.
- Use a siphon or pump to move liquids instead of lifting the container.
- Use a powered stair climber to reduce effort of carrying of loads, and reduce force needed to move loads up and down stairs.
- Use vacuum lift to eliminate manual lifting and carrying of large packages, containers, boxes and barrels.
- Fact sheet last revised: 2019-06-04
