What’s new in forktrucks
Maneuverable pallet truck
The new Raymond Model 8210 walkie pallet truck offers maneuverability and speed control, adaptability for extreme environments and easy service and maintenance.
When working in tight areas, such as trailers or lift gates, the Model 8210’s maneuverability and speed control allow for good handling. Its “Click2Creep” technology automatically reduces maximum travel speed and provides a tighter turning radius for pin-wheeling or right-angle turns.
The Model 8210 now comes standard with IP65 protection of electronics, meeting the highest standard for water and dust protection. This ensures reliability and performance in extreme wet conditions and during pressure-washing.
The removable, ribbed bumper uses the same material found in automotive truck frames to combine accessibility with strength, resilience and efficiency. Engineered with fewer components and maintenance points, the Model 8210 provides longer component life and supports easier access to components.
Forktruck with fewer parts
The Nissan Forklift by UniCarriers brand BX series lift truck is available in cushion-tire models in 3,000- to 8,000-pound capacities and pneumatic-tire models in 3,000- to 5,000-pound capacities and is powered by a fully AC motor and controller system. The BX has fewer parts, requiring less maintenance.
This series also has better cooling capacity and reliability for high uptime operation. Thermal protection sensors protect the motor and controller systems by reducing speed and alerting the operator to potential overheating.
Optional features available for customization on the BX series include a sideshifting fork positioner, rear blue spotlight for pedestrian awareness, strobe light, clamp release switch and freezer packages for operation in temperatures as low as -31 degrees Fahrenheit.
Got data?
Yale has released a whitepaper on the value of “small data” in managing your forktruck fleet.
For operations with lift truck fleets, it says, telemetry programs can produce many relevant small data insights for conversion into business intelligence.
Even as materials handling operations face serious pressure to maximize output and efficiency, most facilities do not utilize fleet data to its full potential. A recent survey indicates that while 80 percent of companies track lift truck fleet data in some way, only 25 percent track equipment and utilization by specific drivers. The cost of not knowing this can be high, especially since more than ever companies are focused on improving profitability, productivity and operator safety.
The white paper outlines the strategic advantage of working with small data insights to optimize fleet size and labour, and demonstrates the value of actionable lift truck intelligence in the overall productivity equation.
The paper, “Small Data, Big Impact” can be found on Yale’s website.
Cellular fleet management
Toyota Industrial Equipment and Sprint launched T-Matics MOBILE, a forklift-based vehicle management system designed to increase productivity and profitability, and create safety and operational benefits to forklift fleet owners.
Toyota Industrial Equipment will offer T-Matics MOBILE services through both embedded and aftermarket solutions that use Sprint’s advanced Machine-to-Machine (M2M) technology.
“T-Matics MOBILE works on a cellular signal for companies that rotate forklift fleets between facilities” said Jewell Brown, national manager of fleet management at Toyota.
T-Matics MOBILE is an individual forklift-based cellular telematics solution with monitoring and analytic capabilities to generate reports on both individual forklifts and entire fleets.
“Toyota’s T-Matics MOBILE will help us increase our fleet services to all of our forklift customers by generating easy-to-access metrics in real time,” said Dave Cater, vice-president of sales at Brodie Toyota-Lift. “T-Matics MOBILE will pay strong dividends to our customers who now have the specific data needed to make decisions on fleet-related issues.”
“At Sprint, we want to create innovative solutions like T-Matics MOBILE, which instantly turns forklifts into intelligent communications centres to provide significant safety benefits and enhances fleet management logistics for businesses,” said Mohamad Nasser, senior director for product, platforms and marketing for Sprint’s Emerging Solutions organization.