SUBJECT OUTLINE

49316 Materials Handling

Course area UTS: Engineering
Delivery Autumn 2016; City
Credit points 6cp
Requisite(s) 120 Credit Points in spk(s): C10061 Bachelor of Engineering Diploma in
Engineering Practice OR 120 Credit Points in spk(s): C10066 Bachelor of
Engineering Science OR 120 Credit Points in spk(s): C10067 Bachelor of
Engineering OR 120 Credit Points in spk(s): C09067 Bachelor of Engineering
(Honours) Diploma in Professional Engineering Practice OR 120 Credit Points in
spk(s): C09066 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are also course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Result type Grade and marks

Attendance: 3hpw

Subject coordinator
John Dartnall
Email: john.dartnall@uts.edu.au
Room: CB11.09.202

Teaching staff
John Dartnall
Email: john.dartnall@uts.edu.au
Room: CB11.09.202

Guest Lecturers

Dr Peter Wypych (Wollongong)

Email: wypych@uow.edu.au

Subject description
The materials handling industry is very broad, covering almost all industries including mining, mineral processing,
agricultural production, food processing, power production, chemical processing, manufacturing, packaging,
pharmaceutical production and many others. Since the industrial revolution, people have made increasing use of
mechanical methods of handling materials. This has been to such an extent that in the Western world almost
everything, including food, raw materials, building materials and finished products, has probably been mechanically
handled many times before it reaches the consumer. This subjects covers the main systems and methods of
mechanical handling of materials, both bulk solids handling and discrete handling of products and goods. Topics
include: screw, belt and bucket conveyors and elevators; pneumatic and hydraulic conveying of bulk solids; storage
systems; and feeding, sampling and weighing of materials and systems for handling artefacts, factory products and
packaged goods.

Program
Week/Session Dates Description

0 7 March 2016
What is the topic materials handling all about? History of mechanical
materials handling and its importance to people.
Current trends in the automated mechanical handling of materials.
Materials handling in various industries
Building construction and associated equipment
Food manufacturing

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 Peoples'Available onhealth and well-being
Manufacturing for primary industries and mining
Transport industries
Electronics and communication industries
Many other categorizations
Global perspective, major issues and materials handling in the future

Assessment: There is no formal assessment in this period. However

students should be prepared for a brief quiz iduring the first week of lectures.

Notes:

Notes are on UTS Online

1 25 Mar 2016 Introduction: Subject overview.

General principles in bulk materials handling. Bulk materials handling and
discrete handling of products.
Industries involved.
Characterization of bulk materials. Feeding, moving, elevating ahd storing
of bulk materials.
Energy consumption, efficiency, friction, wear, choking problems, control.
Application, selection and design of screw conveyor and bucket elevator
systems.
Screw conveyors and bucket elevators.

Assignment 1: Bucket Elevators, screw conveyors and belt conveyors

(covers weeks 1 & 2)

Notes:

H/O 1a - Screw conveyors and bucket elevators. H/O 1b - " Concepts of

Boundary Friction, Adhesion and wear in Bulk Solids handling."

2 1st April 2016 Two topics: Belt conveyors and Storage bins.

Belt conveyors in the Australian mining industry. Belt, chain and roller
conveyors in general use in industry.

Basic performance calculations involving machine sizing, power

requirements, material friction, wear, flow and blockage for bulk solids.
Structural and safety requirements.
Types of belt conveyor systems.
Storage bins. Stresses in the materials and the bins. Problems of
releasing bulk materials from the bins and design to minimize these
problems.

Notes:

H/O 2a - Belt conveyors. H/O 2b - paper by Prof AW Roberts - "100 years of

Janssen"

3 8th April 2016 Pneumatic conveying of bulk materials (lecture by A/Prof Peter Wypych of
UOW)

Application areas of pneumatic conveying of bulk materials.

The pneumatic conveying system and associated equipment.
Modes of pneumatic conveying.

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 Pipeline and rotary valve design for pneumatic conveying.

Notes:

H/O 3 - papers by P Wypych on pneumatic conveying.

4 15th April 2016 ACTIVITIES FOR THIS WEEK WILL BE AT WOLLONGONG

Dust explosions (lecture by A/Prof Peter Wypych of UOW).

Visit to Woolongong Grain & Coal Terminals and UOW laboratory (see
directions on UTSOnline).

Laboratory (Assessment 2 - see task 4): Pneumatic handling and

industrial visit to Wollongong

Notes:

H/O 4 - papers by P Wypych on Dust explosions

5 22nd April 2016 Storage of bulk materials - continued from week 2. Systems engineering in
materials handling.

Case studies involving selection between competing equipment for

conveying, lifting and storing bulk material.
How integrated systems involve balance between processing, movement
and storage of bulk materials.

Assignment 3: Systems approach to materials handling equipment

selection - major assignment (covers all bulk materials topics to date)

Notes:

H/O 5 - Theories on flow of bulk material in material moving equipment, and

storage bins.

S1 29th April 2016 Mid-Session StuVac

6 6th May 2016 Hydraulic conveying of bulk materials.

Characterization of materials suitable for hydraulic conveying.

Positive displacement pumps and dynamic pumps in hydraulic conveying.
Discussion of Weir-Warman pipe and pump selection procedure.
Case study: experimental evaluation of material, its characterization and
the selection of a suitable pump and pipeline system.

Notes:

H/O 6 - Notes on Weir - Warman Pump selection.

7 13th May 2016 Further work on systems design in materials handling.

Introduction to the second major assignment which involves hydraulic

conveying of material over a long distance.
This assignment involves the preparation of the material by crushing,
grinding, slurry handling and hydroclonic separation.
Evaluating the need to conduct laboratory experimental work to assess
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 Evaluating the need to conduct laboratory experimental work to assess
the behaviour of the material in slurry in the full scale project.

Assignment 4 - see task 2: Systems approach to materials handling

involving hydraulic conveying.

Notes:

H/O 7 - to be advised - this handout will be about choosing between

competing materials handling technologies.

8 20th May 2016 Fundamental approach to bulk materials transportation equipment design.

Innovative bulk handling systems - examples.

Estimating the capacity and power requirements of an innovative material
transportation system.

Assignment 5: Innovative project.

Notes:

H/O 8 - Papers on design fundamentals for bulk material transportation

equipment. Innovative design

9 27th May 2013 Sampling, measuring and weighing of bulk solids.

Storage and statistical sampling of material in stock piles.

The need for blending material during processing.
Continuous sampling and weighing in belt conveying.

Notes:

H/O 9 - Sampling, measuring and weighing of bulk solids.

10 3rd June 2016 Materials handling of discrete materials. Factory handling and storage.

Equipment used for moving and storing of factory artifacts and products.
Identification of items and stock record-keeking.
Storage and retreival of goods.

Notes:

H/O 10 - Discrete Materials Handling

11 10th June 2016 Revision all topics

Working of example problems.

Notes:

H/O - 11 Worked past examination papers.

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Lecture: Fri 6.00 to 9.00 PM Room tba
Laboratories: To be conducted at UOW during a field trip to Wollongong.

Text: No text is recommended. Notes will be handed out in class each week for the following week so that you can
pre-read before the lecture.

See UTSOnline for: 1. weekly reading materials. 2. assignments 3. recommended library holdings.

Field trips
Field trips a a very important component of this subject. You will be advised of the details of the field trip to
Wollongong at the first lecture.

Assessment
Assessment task 1: Assessment 1: Bucket Elevators, screw conveyors and belt conveyors
Weight: 10%

Task: Introductory design project involving the assessment of needs for and selection design of of a
materials handling system such as a screw conveyor or bucket elevator.

Assessment task 2: Assessment 2: Slurry pumping - major assignment

Weight: 15%

Task: Systems approach to design of complete materials handling system - eg. cement distribution system
involving several items of bulk handling and storage equipment

Assessment task 3: Assessment 3: Systems approach to materials handling equipment selection -

major assignment
Weight: 20%

Task: Systems approach to design of major bulk materians handling system - eg. movement of minerals from
mine to process plant involving the crushing, grinding, slurrying, pumping, dewatering and storage of
material.

Assessment task 4: Assessment 4: Pneumatic handling and industrial visit to Wollongong

Weight: 10%

Task: Laboratory experimental work conducted at UOW's SMART materials handling laboratory. Complete
the lab class worksheets and submit report.

Assessment task 5: Assessment 5: (a) Innovative project. (b) Sampling and measuring. (c) Discrete
handling
Weight: 15%

Task: Bulk materials handling innovative desing project involving the consruction of a design model based
on basic principles.

Assessment task 6: Assessment 6: Examination

Weight: 30%

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Moderation of marks
This suject normally has one final examination carrying 30% of the total marks and five assignments totalling 70% of
the final marks

Required texts
No general text is available so the reading material is uploaded and available to students on UTSOnline.

Graduate attribute development

For a full list of the faculty's graduate attributes and EA Stage 1 competencies, refer to the Student Guide.

Academic liaison officer

Academic Liaison Officers (ALOs) are academic staff in each faculty who assist three groups of students: students
with disabilities or ongoing illness; students who have difficulties in their studies because of their family commitments
(e.g. being a primary carer for small children or a family member with a disability); and students who gained entry
through the UTS Educational Access Scheme or Special Admissions.

ALOs are responsible for determining alternative assessment arrangements for students with disabilities. Students
who are requesting adjustments to assessment arrangements because of their disability or illness are requested to see
a Disability Services Officer in the Special Needs Service before they see their ALO.

The ALO for UG students is:

Chris Wong
telephone +61 2 9514 4501

The ALO for PG students is:

Dr Prasanthi Hagare
telephone +61 2 9514 1952

Disclaimer
This outline serves as a supplement to the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology Student Guide. On all
matters not specifically covered in this outline, the requirements specified in the Student Guide apply.

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