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, 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 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 task and applications.
12. Equipment selection principle: Consider all aspect of material, move and method to be utilized.
13. Dead weight principle: Reduce the ratio of dead weight to pay load 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 man power.
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 method/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 other handling.
20. Performance principle:Determine efficiency of handling performance in terms of cost per unit handled which is the primary criterion.