Fresh from CeMAT - The latest forklift truck innovations

One of Still's trade fair highlights was the LiftRunner tugger train system, with which the company presented its expertise in the field of lean logistics. In the newly opened technology center at Landshut University of Applied Sciences in Dingolfing, the tugger trains have proven in extensive tests that they can be optimally adapted to individual operational conditions with continuous production from goods receipt to goods issue.

A tugger train system consists of a towing vehicle such as tractors from the CX-T, LTX or R 07 series and a flexible combination of different tugger train elements. These include the trailers remaining in the train to hold the trolleys, the LiftRunner B, E and C frames and the trolleys loaded with load carriers or products of all kinds, which are pushed into the frames and secured. While the E and C frames can be loaded from the right or left, the B frames allow loading and unloading from both sides without the need for re-coupling.

Just-in-time at the assembly site

Toyota Material Handling's comprehensive "Smart Dynamics" service portfolio also includes cost-saving predictive maintenance. Photo: Toyota Material Handling

With a wide range of trolleys and LiftRunner frames, tugger trains can be put together to meet specific requirements, which supply a large number of decentralized production sites in a single tour in a time- and space-saving manner according to the milk-run principle. In this way, materials in a wide variety of load carriers are transported just-in-time to assembly stations and finished parts are transported away.

By using tugger trains, users save on costly logistics space, reduce stocks and energy consumption and lower the risk of accidents by reducing the volume of traffic.

Toyota relies on "Smart Dynamics" and thus offers a portfolio of services that create more flexibility in terms of rental, service, safety and training. More than 40,000 industrial trucks across Europe are already equipped with Smart Truck technology, which transmits data from the vehicle to the web-based data platform via conventional 3G/GPRS mobile communication. Users of the "I_Site" fleet management system can collect and evaluate device-specific data such as utilization, energy consumption, maintenance, safety and faults. This enables predictive maintenance, for example, and reduces downtimes and costs.

Intelligent services for higher truck performance

In addition, the data from the Smart Truck can be used to move the vehicles to the desired locations depending on the application requirements in terms of high equipment utilization. "Soon we will also be able to quantify how long a vehicle drives with and without a load to help customers with process planning," says Sam Coles, Senior Vice President Marketing and Sales at Toyota Material Handling Europe: "We are also looking at vehicle pools. This allows us to compensate for peaks and troughs in capacity utilization."

The driver plays a central role in forklift truck operation. The Smart Dynamics concept therefore aims to raise driver awareness, for example by carrying out a safety check before use. In addition, sensors detect collisions that occur during operation. Collision alerts can be sent to the supervisory staff in real time via a mobile app. Coles: "By working closely with drivers, significant benefits can also be achieved by providing them with information about their journeys." For example, as experience has shown, "the number of accidents has been more than halved thanks to advanced driver training."

Lithium-ion battery technology on the rise

The world's shortest universal forklift truck from Jungheinrich, the EMD 115i high lift truck, is equipped with a lithium-ion battery weighing just 14 kilograms. Photo: Jungheinrich

Jungheinrich launches further series trucks with lithium-ion technology on the market. These include the world's shortest universal stacker with the type designation EMD 115i. Designed for use in retail and warehouses, the high lift truck follows Jungheinrich's new design concept and is characterized by an extremely compact design and a very small turning circle. The battery, which weighs just 14 kilograms and is shaped like a briefcase, has a capacity of 40 ampere hours and can be charged quickly and easily with the built-in charger. The EMD 115i is highly available thanks to short intermediate charges and, according to Jungheinrich, is "perfect for two- and three-shift operation".

"Over 85 per cent of our fleet is already lithium-ion ready," says Dr. Lars Brzoska, Board Member for Sales at Jungheinrich AG. "With the EMD 115i, we are using the narrow installation space of the lithium-ion battery for a new, shorter truck design. We will be launching further series trucks with lithium-ion technology on the market over the course of the year."

Always optimum grip

The S300 pedestrian stacker truck from Cesab with a lifting height of up to six meters is designed for greater efficiency, safety and flexibility. Photo: Cesab

Among other things, Cesab presented its new pedestrian stacker series at CeMAT: the S200 pedestrian stacker and the S300 ride-on model equipped with a platform. According to Cesab, the trucks are "designed for greater efficiency, safety and flexibility". They offer greater battery capacity, lifting heights of up to six meters and faster lifting and lowering speeds. The devices are equipped with the Cesab traction control system, which adjusts the pressure of the drive wheel to the respective load weight and thus always ensures optimum grip.

The compactly designed S200 with its rounded chassis and centrally positioned drawbar offers load capacities from 1.45 to two tons. The S300 series, designed for intensive forklift and transport applications, is also designed for payloads of up to two tons. The trucks, which can travel at speeds of up to 10 km/h, are equipped as standard with speed reduction when cornering, power steering, height-adjustable tiller arm and vibration reduction in the handles and can also be operated with the tiller fully upright if required.

Most accidents happen when reversing

With the Ergologic joystick, all hydraulic functions on Unicarriers forklifts can be controlled with one hand without fatigue. Photo: UniCarriers

Ergonomics is an ongoing trend in the industrial truck industry and has become increasingly important over the past 30 years. As Unicarriers reports, "an ergonomic driver's workplace is one of the most important criteria when purchasing new forklift trucks, alongside the total cost of operations and performance". The best possible visibility is an important factor here. According to a study, 77 percent of all forklift truck accidents are collisions, 33 percent of which occur when reversing.

Large fields of vision thanks to slim mast profiles with optimally arranged hydraulic hoses and electrical cables, slim pillars and slanted slats in the canopy as well as a high seating position ensure good all-round visibility. Camera systems can also improve visibility to the front or rear.

The optimum driver's workplace is tailored as individually as possible to the respective operator. For example, the driver of the new "Tergo URS" swivel reach stacker from the Atlet by Unicarriers product family can call up numerous individual settings by entering a personal PIN code when starting to drive. The backrest can also be tilted backwards by up to 18 degrees. This takes the strain off the driver, who has to look upwards for around a tenth of the working time.

"Floating armrest" relieves pressure on the shoulder area

UniCarriers has developed the individually adjustable "floating" armrest to relieve the driver's arm and shoulder area. The patented mini steering wheel is installed at the end of the moving armrest, on which the left forearm can be placed, and represents an ergonomically optimal solution with its palm-sized functional surface. All controls for the lifting function are accessible from the right armrest in the form of mini levers and buttons. All important functions of the lift mast can also be controlled via a joystick.

Container carrier now also with remote control

The Combi-SC Straddle Carrier with a load capacity of up to 80 tons is equipped with an integrated weighing system and is available with remote control.photo: Combilift

The Combi-SC Straddle Carrier from Irish manufacturer Combilift is designed for the really "heavy chunks", i.e. containers and similarly large loads. Available in versions with a load capacity of up to 80 tons, the device has a comparatively low axle load, which allows it to be used on uneven terrain without special ground reinforcement.

As a trade fair premiere at CeMAT, Combilift presented a Combi-SC with remote control. This means that users can now choose between variants with a driver's cab, without a cab and with remote control or a combination of both options. According to Combilift, the version with remote control will be preferred for applications that involve frequent indoor use of the carrier.

The device is equipped with an integrated weighing system and thus complies with the guidelines of the SOLAS Convention of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which comes into force on 1 July and requires the weight verification of loaded export containers.

Maneuverable movement and storage of long goods

Genkinger made its first appearance at CeMAT under the new name and presented three completely newly developed forklifts, including an electric four-way pedestrian pallet truck with the type designation EGY-S. The truck was developed to move long goods maneuverably in narrow aisles and to store them easily at great heights. As Richard Ludwig, Managing Director of Genkinger, explains, "the device is therefore predestined for use in the timber industry, the furniture industry, the building materials and sanitary trade, the door and window industry and in the steel industry".

A newly installed mast extension mechanism in the form of a hydraulic pantograph offers an unusually large field of vision at any rack height. The four-way wide-track chassis is designed for longitudinal and transverse travel. In the normal position, the drawbar is parallel to the drive wheel, which enables fast movement. The power steering enables easy maneuvering in tight spaces and reduces operator fatigue.

Reinhard Irrgang

Contact:

Cesab Material Handling Deutschland GmbH

Combilift Ltd. co. www.combilift.com

Genkinger GmbHwww.genkinger.de

Jungheinrich AGwww.jungheinrich.de

Still GmbHwww.still.de

Toyota Material Handling Deutschland GmbHwww.toyota-forklifts.de

UniCarriers Europe GmbHwww.uncarrierseurope.com/dea