UL-RECOGNIZED BATTERY PACK FOR WALKIE PALLET TRUCK

Yale Materials Handling Corp., Greenville, N.C., featured an assortment of scalable automation, comprehensive power solutions and enterprise asset management designed to solve the toughest challenges facing today’s distribution and warehousing operations.

For example, its MPB045VG walkie pallet truck is said to be the first Underwriters Laboratories (UL)-recognized lithium-ion battery pack available in the forklift industry. With an extended run time, excellent charging capabilities and small footprint, the new lithium-ion battery offers an efficient and productive power alternative for retail, beverage and food delivery applications. The lithium-ion option is designed to last up to five times longer than traditional lead acid batteries, and can be repeatedly charged to 100% capacity without an equalization charge, allowing operators to spend more time moving products and less time charging. The battery is also intended for convenient opportunity charging with no negative memory effects, and is completely maintenance free.

Yale uses technology from Balyo, a French robotics company that specializes in solutions to automate pallet transportation, to enable its end rider model to operate as a self-guided truck, an ideal solution for delivering products in a wide range of applications. The infrastructure-free navigation requires no tape, wire or magnets for guidance, and uses structural features such as walls, columns or racks to manage a single truck or an entire fleet. Plus, the built-in smart management system helps the truck anticipate and react to its immediate environment. Its advanced obstacle-detection feature controls truck speed in real time, affording smooth movement while minimizing unnecessary stops and shocks, allowing up to 20,000 hours of use. 

Zero-emissions fuel cell technology and on-site hydrogen generation from Nuvera Fuel Cells LLC, Billerica, Mass., combined with Yale’s material handling industry expertise enables a turnkey solution to help reduce emissions and improve performance. Fuel cell-powered lift trucks can be used to help increase efficiency, lower lifecycle cost, reduce operational disruptions and minimize environmental impact.

Fitted to a very narrow aisle truck, Yale A-WARE, a location-based performance control solution, uses RFID tags fitted in each aisle, rather than magnets or reflectors, to automatically enforce speed and lift limitations. This allows operators to focus on meeting operational goals, reduce downtime and extend equipment life through reduced mechanical wear and impacts. Yale A-WARE can also adjust to the nuances of each aisle, with multi-zone functionality to identify high traffic areas and automatically detect dead-ends, reducing the risk of collisions and decreasing operational downtime. The RFID tags also offer faster installation and cannot be covered up, ensuring maximum reliability. 

And,Yale Vision helps operations manage costs, protect assets and optimize productivity by monitoring equipment, truck and driver performance to illuminate total cost of operation.

Yale Materials Handling Corp.
252-830-0261
www.yale.com


HIGH-DENSITY WAREHOUSE STORAGE SOLUTIONS

Storax America/Flexspace, Charleston, S.C.,showcased its high-density, mobile, industrial storage solutions aimed at increasing storage capacity, accessibility and productivity while decreasing a facility’s footprint.

Its mobile racking system, Poweracks, is an industrial mobile racking system comprised of a racking superstructure installed to a powered moving base. Poweracks replaces conventional static aisles with one moving access aisle.

The high-density pallet shuttle, Ranger, is a modern storage solution that automatically circulates pallets on a shuttle system by handheld remote control or a WiFi PDA device. Utilizing advanced photocell technology, the Ranger detects and positions itself underneath a pallet, delivering and extracting pallets with a deep lane tunnel system.

Storax America/Flexspace
512-771-6715
www.storaxsolutions.com


NEW LIFT TRUCK MODELS

Big Lift LLC, Lombard, Ill., launched two new lift truck models.

The Big Joe PDSR walkie reach truck, for example, boasts a 3,000-pound load capacity with lift heights up to 157 inches, and features power steering, side-shift, integral tilt and proportional controls for lift, lower, reach and retract as standard. The PDSR is an AC-powered vehicle whose powertrain delivers lengthy run times, while its compact chassis allows the unit to perform a wide variety of material handling tasks in small spaces.  

The Big Joe J2 Joey low level order picker features a 2,000-pound total vehicle capacity and the ability to lift 1,500-pound pallets up to 72 inches. The J2 Joey includes power steering, an ergonomic mini-mast and an industrial battery compartment. Optional equipment includes a choice of guardrail-mounted or front-mounted controls based on application needs and an overhead guard upon request. A

Big Lift LLC
630-916-2600
www.bigjoeforklifts.com


TURNTABLE WRAPPING MACHINE

Muller, Glenview, Ill., introduced the new Raptor HPL turntable wrapping machine with Muller’s Logo Wrap enhancement, which enables users to protect pallet loads while simultaneously covering the product in custom messaging.  The Raptor HPL is a heavy-duty, semi-automatic turntable that can wrap up to 35 loads per hour, and boasts an easy-to-use control panel that creates customized wrap patterns for each unique application. In addition, patented strain gauge technology enables electronic film feed and corner compensation. A motorized power pre-stretch system with adjustable film tension control guarantees users optimal film usage. Film tension control ensures superior load containment and helps eliminate film breaks and product damage.   

Also on display was Mullers’ Octopus 1717C automatic rotary ring stretch wrapper, and the Yellow Jacket orbital wrapper, for attendees looking to secure oversized, oddly shaped, palletized loads while the pallet remains on the forklift. The orbital wrapper is a horizontally positioned stretch wrap machine that moves around and under a load, as the Yellow Jacket manually advances across the length of the load. Typically it takes two workers roughly 10 minutes to wrap a similar load by hand. Yellow Jacket can wrap a similar load with one worker in 1 minute.

Muller also displayed its Lock N’ Pop cohesive applicators and LDX-RTB case packer, which is manufactured by Muller’s sister company Loveshaw Corp., South Canaan, Pa.

Muller Load Containment Solutions
800-628-6787
www.mullerlcs.com