Industrial truck
From wikiMHEDA
An industrial truck is a wheeled vehicle used in the plant or distribution center, in the dock area (and in some cases also in the yard) or on construction sites, to pick up, transport and deposit single loads. Industrial trucks may be powered manually, electrically, by gasoline or by propane. See also forklift truck.[1]
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Characteristics
Pallet/Non-Pallet
Whether the truck has forks for handling pallets, or has a flat surface on which to place palletized or non-palletized loads.
Manual/Powered
Industrial trucks can have either manual or powered vertical (lifting) and/or horizontal (travel) movement capabilities.
- Manual: operator provides the force needed for lifting loads and/or pushing the vehicle.
- Powered: on-board power source (e.g., batteries) used for lifting and/or travel.
Walk/Ride
For non-automated trucks, the operator can either ride on the truck (in a standing or sitting position) or is required to walk with the truck during travel.
- Walk: manual or powered travel possible; powered travel speed limited to a normal walking pace.
- Ride: powered; travel speed can be faster than a walking pace.
Stack/No Stack
Whether or not the truck can be used to lift loads for stacking purposes.
- Stack: can also be used as no stack
- No stack: more expensive to add stacking capability. No stack may lift a load a few inches to clear the floor for subsequent travel (e.g., pallet jack), but the loads cannot be stacked on top of each other or on shelves.
Narrow Aisle
Industrial trucks can be designed to have a small turning radius or may not have to turn at all in an aisle when loading/unloading.
- Narrow Aisle: greater cost and (usually) standing operator. Less aisle space is required and counterbalance and/or straddle used for load support. (See narrow aisle truck.)
- Small turning radius: load support via straddle or reaching capabilities.
- Very narrow aisle (VNA): only one-side loading (sideloaders) or the capability to rotate the load (turret truck).
Automated
An industrial truck can be automated so that it can transport loads without requiring an operator.
- Non-Automated: direct labor cost of operator is by far the largest cost to operate a non-automated truck.
- Semi-Automated: operator used to control loading/unloading, but automated transport control (e.g., the S/R machine of a Man-on-board AS/RS).
- Automated: Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) have no direct labor cost, but higher equipment costs.[2]
Types of Industrial Trucks
- Main article: Types of industrial trucks
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