Very Narrow Aisle Forklift Berkeley

Used Very Narrow Aisle Forklift Berkeley - Getting items from one warehouse location to another and to and from the loading docks is the focus of warehousing. Focus is often on space saving tools and the layout of the building. Narrow aisles need specific solutions to allow goods to be accessed and stored properly. More space can be given to storage as less space is needed for accessing the aisle. These warehouse configurations are often referred to as warehouse optimization. Warehouse Optimization There are several significant benefits of implementing very narrow aisle warehouse optimization. Because very narrow forklift trucks were developed to take up less space in maneuvering, it is now possible to decrease warehouse aisle width to less than half the width required by standard forklifts. Many very narrow aisle forklifts offer greater stack height capability which further increases the storage capacity per square foot. Very narrow aisle forklifts can greatly reduce costs compared to traditional forklifts since the same amount of stock takes up less space in the warehouse. In most urban areas where square footage is very costly, this is a huge benefit to warehouse operations. Adding a very narrow aisle width system can increase storage up to eighty percent when planned properly. This warehouse design creates more rack faces and increased product access. This usually equates to less travel time gathering and storing product as more product is located within a smaller, more accessible area. Warehouse layouts usually utilize a narrow aisle or very narrow aisle plan. Narrow aisles are usually those that use less than 11 feet of aisle width. Very narrow aisles reduce the aisle width further to around six-and-a-half feet. Both of these aisle widths provide significantly increased storage opportunities. However, they also create challenges when turning within the aisles using forklifts for stocking and order picking. To meet these challenges, several different types of very narrow forklifts have been specially developed for various types of tasks to allow easier maneuvering in narrow aisle widths. Before choosing a forklift for a particular job, it is vital to know the dimensions of the aisle. Having the right aisle dimensions will save money and time instead of purchasing the wrong forklift that won’t be able to conquer the applications. Taking note of any utilities, columns or posts is necessary before choosing a particular narrow aisle forklift design to maximize warehouse optimization and safety. Very Narrow Aisle Forklift Trucks As these units are mostly powered by electricity, rechargeable batteries are popular for very narrow aisle forklifts. These very narrow aisle trucks are more commonly available as stand-up riders, which helps increase productivity and operator comfort. There are different very narrow aisle forklift designs such as order pickers, reach trucks, wing-mast or turret and end-control riders. Reach Forklift Trucks Developed as a kind of rider stacker forklift, the reach forklift trucks can be configured for narrow aisle locations. The reach trucks developed their name from their forward-reaching actions to get a load. The two kinds of reach trucks the moving carriage and the moving mast. The moving carriage works by raising and lowering the carriage, along with the operator. The moving mast works by raising and lowering the forks along the mast, while the operator stays at ground level. The moving mast reach truck is generally considered the safer of the two types of reach trucks. These machines rely on a kind of jointed framework known as a pantograph system that enables the operator to place a load or reach the load without moving the machine. Order Pickers Order pickers have been designed and developed specifically for use in picking orders from high, typically hard-to-reach racks. These machines are used for picking up lighter stock that can be moved by hand. They lift the operator up to reach the goods by identifying and choosing certain items to create an order. End-Control Riders End-control riders are used to pick loads located at floor level and transport the load horizontally, rather than lift or lower loads from various heights. Turret or Swing-Mast Forklift Turret or swing-mast very narrow aisle forklift have a pivoting articulating swivel mast. The mast swivels to enable pallets to be positioned on the right or left side of the forklift. Guided Very Narrow Aisle Trucks Very narrow aisle forklift trucks can be guided by rail or wire down the aisles. Thanks to the guide rails, the possibility of crashing into racks is greatly reduced. In rail-guided models, sets of rails are placed into the floor on each side of the aisle. They run the length of the aisle and also curve around the aisles’ edge. Wheel guides on the forklift slide into the floor rails to stop the machine from traveling out of bounds. The wire-guidance system requires that the wires be installed into the floor, along the center of the aisle. Narrow aisle forklifts rely on a wire-guide system to help it communicate with the floor wires. This allows the machine to be steered by the wires, stopping it from traveling outside of the specific location. Work Site Considerations Certain essential considerations need to be dealt with before using a narrow aisle configuration. The narrow aisle units feature tall racking systems. The floor construction and the racks need to be carefully taken into account for everyone’s safety. There are four main locations that need to be ideally prepared before any racking system can be installed. These areas need to be monitored continuously including fixing cracks in the floor, ensuring the racks are straight, a level floor and an appropriate load capacity of the floor. Level Floor Because of the height of the racking systems, any slight slope of the floor is likely to negatively affect the plumbness of the racks, especially over time when loads are continuously placed and removed on the racks. Without a level floor foundation, the rack stability could be compromised. Crack Repair Cracks in the floor ideally should be fixed once they are noticed to ensure everyone’s safety. The level of the floor can become unstable with cracks when they are only 3/8 inches wide. They will need to be filled properly with material as hard as the rest of the floor. Floor Load Capacity The floor should meet certain minimum requirements before considering a narrow aisle configuration. The floor should have three thousand psi concrete minimum and contain evenly distributed rebar at three to four inches under the surface. Depending on the load requirements and configuration, additional reinforcements may be needed. Plumb Racks Installing the racks safely and correctly is vital for the entire system. Rack failure can happen if they are improperly installed. One of the most important details to ensure proper installation, is that all racks are plumb. Rack shims can help the rack stay plumb to one inch at the height of thirty feet. Dangerous racking failure can occur if the above steps are not taken. Such failure is likely to result in costly damage to goods, the warehouse facility, forklifts and, worst of all, employees could be significantly injured or even killed. These measurements are vital to the success of installing a safe and productive narrow aisle configuration. Very Narrow Aisle Forklift PDF