The overwhelming response and some valuable inputs on my last blog Forklift Selection Guide – 7 Questions to ask,we are encouraged to continue on our journey of writing to express & share the experience / knowledge for Material Handling Equipment(MHE) Sector
While forklift is probably the most commonly used or known MHE, the vast range of Warehousing Equipment in MHE is a mix of various types of equipment with different abilities and offers diverse application options to the user.
BOPT is also referred by many as PPT (Power pallet truck) or EPT(Electric Pallet Truck), however essentially they are referring to same equipment.
Application:
Advantages:
Capacity: 1.5T to 3T (Standard)
Customization: Many manufacturers (OEM) offer customized sizes & capacity variants in BOPT, Depending on the customer application. Customization in capacity and fork dimensions.
Application:
Capacity:
Battery Operated – 2.0 T to 10 T (Standard)
Diesel Operated – 6T to 20T
Advantages:
Customization: Many OEM offer customized capacity variants, Depending on the customer application. There are also in-build platform with Tow Trucks (or Platform Trucks)
Electric stacker or Battery Stacker as referred to is basically designed for use in Warehouse / store with racks to stack & de-stack palletized load.
Electric stacker has 3 sub-variants
Standard Electric stacker (Fixed Forks)
Counter Balance Stacker
Straddle Type / Adjustable Forks
Application:
Advantages:
(*Dimensions likely to have some variation with different makes & model)
Load Capacity : 1.0 T to 2.0T (Standard)
Lift height : 2.5 M to 5.5 M (available up to 6.0 M also with Some OEM)
Customization: Some OEM offer customized sizes & capacity variants in Stacker.
High lift truck, Reach Truck or Reach Lift Truck as referred to by various suppliers are referring to same equipment.
Reach Truck has 3 sub-variants
Four-way Reach Truck
Application:
Advantages:
Load Capacity : 1.0 T to 3.0 T
Lift height : 6.0 M to 13.0 M
Note: While customization in RT is offered by some OEM / manufacturers, in our opinion it is advisable to go for standard make & model for safe working and durable performance.
Advisable to use with Camera & display for height above 7.5 M
VNA or Narrow aisle trucks are extremely popular for dense warehouses with very high no. of pallet storage to maximize the space occupation in the cube as it requires bare minimum aisle space.
Articulated Forklift
VNA
Application:
Advantages:
Load Capacity : 1.0 T to 3.0 T
Lift height : 8.0 M to 15.0 M
Reach Truck vs Double Deep RT – Schematic Layout*
Advisable to use with Camera & display for all makes & models.
It is also critical to have forklift in your warehouse equipment selection for container stuffing / destuffing application, especially considering movement on dock leveler / inclined gradients at time of loading / unloading in vehicle.
While there are many other Warehousing Equipment types i.e. Platform trucks, Order pickers, Attachment Clamps (e.g. Bale clamp & PRC) and combilifts we would have loved to cover but that’s probably for some other blog on some other day. Are you a customer or supplier in Material Handling Equipment / Logistics sector?, just register your mail id to get regular updates / information about MHE sector and also to get valuable leads.
