New Technologies Impact the Evolution of the Modern-day Lift Truck

New Technologies Impact the Evolution of the Modern-day Lift Truck

by John Colborn, Director of Reach Trucks,
and Steve Medwin, Manager of Advanced Research, The Raymond Corporation

When AC motor technology was introduced to the lift truck market in 2001, it promised customers improved acceleration, more efficient battery utilization and reduced cost of ownership, versus its DC counterpart. And it has delivered on its promise. Over the last five years, the technology has evolved and has gained industrywide acceptance, providing warehouses and distribution centers with the most productive and cost-effective way to transport, stock and store product. But today’s newest lift truck innovations — such as hydrogen fuel cells, operator assist devices and ergonomic designs — are joining AC technology as significant developments in the evolution of the modern-day lift truck.

Fuel Cell Technology

Though hydrogen fuel cell technology is still on the horizon for the automotive industry, in the materials handling industry, it’s already here and is quickly becoming a viable alternative to lead-acid batteries.  

A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device in which energy is stored as hydrogen gas and converted into electricity as needed. Unlike other power methods, such as internal combustion engines, there is no pollution as a result of the process, as the only by-products generated are water and heat. 

Hydrogen is a readily available industrial gas that can be shipped from a hydrogen manufacturer to facilities via truck in liquid or gas form, or it can be generated on site. Either method requires special equipment to compress the gas to the specific pressures needed to fuel lift trucks. In addition, a hydrogen dispenser is needed to rapidly fill the lift truck’s fuel tank. For fuel cells to successfully function in lift trucks, numerous companies —  including hydrogen suppliers, fuel cell suppliers and lift truck manufacturers — have been working together to research the application of this technology.

The Raymond Corporation was recently awarded a $750,000 contract by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to research hydrogen fuel cell applications in electric lift trucks. The company’s Greene, N.Y., manufacturing facility has become a “living lab,” with hydrogen fuel cell-powered lift trucks being used in real applications. The facility currently has five hydrogen fuel cell-powered lift trucks on site, one pallet truck, three reach trucks, and one stand-up counterbalanced truck, as well as an indoor hydrogen refueling station. The goal of the two-year program is to study and evaluate the performance of hydrogen fuel in electric lift trucks and to demonstrate the safety of a hydrogen-fueled lift truck environment.

Other companies also are studying, evaluating and manufacturing the technologies necessary to make hydrogen fuel cells the next industry-adopted power source. Even national associations, such as the Industrial Truck Association (ITA), are currently reviewing the technology with a Fuel Cell Working Group.

While the development of fuel cell technology in lift trucks is still in its infancy and may currently be cost prohibitive for many facilities, it has the long-term potential to generate significant cost savings through longer lift truck run times, lower maintenance costs and the elimination of battery-charging infrastructure — especially in high throughput applications.

Hydrogen fuel cells offer the potential for higher productivity simply because they can be rapidly refueled. To restore energy, the lift truck operator drives the vehicle to a hydrogen refueling station located inside or outside of the facility to refuel the tank with hydrogen in just minutes. This process saves time compared with recharging and replacing a battery.

At the present time, however, some view fuel cell technology as complex and cost-prohibitive, and many believe the materials handling industry should stay with what it knows best – lead acid batteries. For fuel cell technology to catch on, individuals working within facilities must be willing to learn about the new technology and its associated equipment to realize the benefits fully.

Enhanced Reach Trucks: Lifting at Higher Heights

Just over thirty years ago, lift truck travel speeds were 5 miles per hour, the standard lift height was below 200 inches in narrow aisle warehouses, and productivity averaged 12 to 14 cycles per hour. However, the need for higher productivity and 24/7 warehouses and the trend toward higher cubic efficiency, have driven warehouse design to higher heights and narrower aisles. As such, lift truck manufacturers have modified and improved their trucks to perform at top capacities in this environment.

As the racks continue to climb and aisles get narrower, lift trucks continue to reach higher and deeper in smaller footprints. Reach trucks are now able to lift loads higher than 400 inches. For example, the Raymond Model 7440 Reach-Fork® truck can lift up to 444 inches and has a 4,500-lb. capacity.

As reach truck technology evolves, new tools built into the trucks — such as vertical hold and height-tilt indicators — empower operators to operate equipment comfortably and proficiently at increased heights. With vertical hold, a small display screen attached to the mast guard shows the operators preset height locations to which the forks will raise. This assists the operator in storing and retrieving loads. When the rack height is unknown, the height-tilt indicator provides a digital readout showing the height of the forks and the condition of the tilt, which is ideal for lift heights higher than 240 inches. Many reach trucks also are equipped with AC motors on both drive and lift to provide smooth and precise traction and lift control so the operator can feel more confident and productive.

Lift truck manufacturers also are developing accessories that offer visual assistance to lift truck operators when storing and retrieving pallets at greater lift heights. The Raymond Vantage Point™ System is one example of this type of accessory. The system consists of a waterproof, high-resolution camera mounted below the truck carriage and a color monitor affixed to the operator compartment. The monitor provides a 52-degree view up, down, left and right; and an adjustable, green reference line on the monitor shows the operator where the forks are located to aid in pick accuracy.

The features and accessories developed for reach trucks all help to ensure operator accuracy and productivity when storing and retrieving products at higher heights.

Ergonomic Design for Operator Comfort

While the need for operator comfort and ergonomically sound lift trucks are not new concepts, they always will be critical considerations for lift truck manufacturers developing the latest and greatest equipment. One way to encourage operator efficiency and decrease employee turnover is to make the lift truck more comfortable.

Ergonomic design can be applied to the specific development and location of hand and foot controls, operator compartment configuration, the method of controlling reach truck functions simultaneously, the nature and order of information on control panel displays, and the operator’s stance.

Many of the leading lift truck manufacturers specifically design their newest lift trucks with these considerations in mind. For example, the Raymond Model 8400 end rider pallet truck has an ergonomic control handle and grab rail that are angled at 12 degrees to match the natural position of the hand. The control handle includes conveniently located, ergonomically designed twist grips, or thumb wheels. The grab rail — which includes the horn; rabbit speed; and lift and lower buttons — is just inches away. In addition, the Raymond CoastPRO® system, the electronic coast control, can be activated with one hand; and the operator has a conveniently located, one-step trigger to jog the truck.

Along with ergonomically designed handles, many of the newest trucks have a low step height, roomy operator compartments and convenient, padded lean points to provide additional comfort during the shift.

Another important consideration involving operator comfort, specifically with reach trucks, is the industry’s use of the bidirectional stance instead of side stance. In bidirectional stance, operators face the direction of travel, whether moving tractor first or forks first. In side stance, operators stand with their sides facing the work, which results in significantly more strain to the neck and torso area throughout the duration of a shift because the neck is rotated to an extreme degree. Then operators stretch their necks further when looking up to manipulate the load. In side stance, the maximum look-up angle without strain is 60 degrees, which only equates to about 200 inches in height, versus the bidirectional stance in which the maximum look-up angle is 80 degrees (400 inches).

From ergonomic operator compartments to ergonomic handles and low step heights, lift truck manufacturers will continue to employ innovative technologies to ensure operator comfort.

Technology of the Future        

New lift truck designs have always incorporated small modifications to improve overall operations. But now more significant technologies are greatly reshaping the materials handling industry. In the early 2000s, AC motors did exactly that. Now, fuel cells and technologies that improve operator performance and comfort are poised to be the drivers in the next step of lift truck evolution.

John Colborn is the director of reach trucks at The Raymond Corporation. He is responsible for the development of marketing programs for Raymond® Reach-Fork trucks, including supporting the efforts of the Raymond Dealer Network’s salespeople; forecasting sales and production; performing competitive analysis; and identifying market opportunities for the Reach-Fork truck product line. He joined the company in 1973. Additionally, he is a member of the International Association of Refrigerated Warehousing.

Steve Medwin is manager of advanced research at The Raymond Corporation. He is responsible for evaluating the application of fuel cell technology to the materials handling business. Previously, he worked in Raymond’s Test and Reliability group. Prior to working at The Raymond Corporation, Medwin worked for 20 years at DuPont’s Engineering Development Laboratory on a wide variety of materials and technologies. Additionally, he is named the inventor on nine U.S. patents and is on both the UL 2267 Standards Technical Panel for Fuel Cell Power Systems for Industrial Electric Trucks and the Industrial Truck Association (ITA) Fuel Cell Working Group.