Material flow is the movement of raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods within and between different stages of a production process. Optimizing material flow can improve efficiency, productivity, quality, and safety in a handling system. In this article, you will learn some practical tips and techniques to optimize material flow in a handling system.
The first step to optimize material flow is to identify the sources and destinations of the materials in your handling system. Sources are the places where materials enter the system, such as suppliers, warehouses, or storage areas. Destinations are the places where materials leave the system, such as customers, assembly lines, or disposal areas. You should map out the sources and destinations of each material type and quantity, and determine the frequency and timing of their movement.
When considering and mapping material source and destination, one tends to think of raw materials. It's also worth considering waste material source, quantity and destination as well.
The second step to optimize material flow is to choose the appropriate handling equipment for each material type and quantity. Handling equipment are the devices and tools that facilitate the movement of materials, such as conveyors, forklifts, cranes, or robots. You should select the handling equipment that matches the characteristics, dimensions, and weight of the materials, and that can handle the required speed, distance, and direction of the movement. You should also consider the cost, maintenance, and safety of the handling equipment.
In considering handling equipment, the tendency is to consider what is required for the existing system. Its worth building expansion flexibility and efficiency of scale. If new/replacement equipment is being considered why not maximise the benefit by making t expandable and modular.
The third step to optimize material flow is to design the layout and routing of the handling system. The layout is the arrangement of the sources, destinations, and handling equipment in the physical space. The routing is the path that the materials follow from the sources to the destinations. You should design the layout and routing that minimize the distance, time, and interference of the material flow. You should also consider the flexibility, scalability, and accessibility of the layout and routing.
The fourth step to optimize material flow is to implement the material flow control. The material flow control is the coordination and regulation of the movement of materials in the handling system. You should implement the material flow control that ensures the availability, synchronization, and balance of the materials at each stage of the production process. You should also consider the inventory, demand, and capacity of the handling system.
Personal opinion: I would implement the process even when I'm not very sure of all the components of the chain. For a person with less experience and expertise on material handling and material flow, this would enable the action items to be pushed to the production. Eventually, people and process will produce output which can be used as feedback to optimize and improve the cycle.
The fifth step to optimize material flow is to monitor and evaluate the material flow performance. The material flow performance is the measurement and analysis of the effectiveness and efficiency of the material flow in the handling system. You should monitor and evaluate the material flow performance using relevant indicators, such as cycle time, throughput, utilization, waste, or quality. You should also use feedback, data, and tools to identify and solve any problems or bottlenecks in the material flow.
The KPI's selected should inform decisions and and give a true picture of system performance, not just generate data. Scrap rate is fine, you know how much scrap you are making, but does it tell you why you are making scrap?
The sixth step to optimize material flow is to apply continuous improvement. Continuous improvement is the ongoing process of finding and implementing better ways to optimize material flow in the handling system. You should apply continuous improvement by following the plan-do-check-act cycle, which involves planning, executing, checking, and adjusting your actions to optimize material flow. You should also involve your stakeholders, such as employees, suppliers, or customers, in the continuous improvement process.