Linde Material Handling, Europe’s leading manufacturer of forklift trucks, has launched a new series of very narrow aisle, man-up trucks – the Linde K range – with enhanced performance, comfort and safety features.
As businesses in the grocery industry continue to maximise warehouse space with higher storage capacity, the new series of K trucks can reach heights of 18m in very narrow aisle warehouse configurations.
Since no two warehouses are alike, Linde relies on maximum modularity in its latest generation of VNA trucks. For example, customers have a choice between 64 different lift mast variations or any one of ten cabin widths in two different versions – depending on the individual requirements to be met on site. Further choices involve voltage, motor power, battery and chassis size. This unique approach allows Linde to tailor truck specification to the direct requirements of the application producing a more cost-effective offer and the optimum truck for the job.
The new K range gives maximum value through the many innovative features incorporated as standard or optional equipment.
Significant productivity improvements can be achieved by fitting one of the Linde System Control options. These packages of functions maximise truck performance depending on whether there is a weight on the forks and what that load weighs.
Further decreases in cycle times can be gained by the innovative ‘Dynamic Reach Control’ system which reduces pendulum movements of the truck’s mast when reaching out into the rack improving safety and increasing productivity through a reduction in lost time waiting for mast oscillations to die away or to counteract the effects of deflection.
Overall productivity can be increased by up to 25 percent compared to the basic truck. Operator comfort has not been overlooked in this drive for productivity. The cab is 50mm lower than the previous models aiding on/off access and the increased operator’s leg room and greater freedom of movement around the cab add to operator comfort. The new K truck contains more storage compartments for personal items and a holder for 1.5-litre bottles.
The front windshield, which is 80 millimeters deeper, provides up to 20 per cent better visibility of the forks and load helping to reduce damage to racking and loads.
A new digital control panel displays all relevant data on a fully graphical colour display – from travel speed or lifting height to information provided by important safety sensors. It also integrates the sensors for two handed operation and a large dead man’s switch at the bottom, which the operator must touch to move the truck. The optional “Rescue Alarm” function provides additional security. If various sensors on the controls pick up unusual behavior from the operator (e.g. remaining in the same position at height over a lengthy period), the system triggers a two-stage visual and audible alarm alerting other employees to a potential emergency.
Even here productivity is further enhanced by the main cabin lift and the secondary fork lift raising and lowering simultaneously enabling faster fork positioning. A choice of single or split controls allows tailoring to the specific preferences of the operator to aid his daily tasks.
Energy saving has also been a target in the new design with the addition of a variable displacement hydraulic pump and optimisation of the hydraulic oil flow which combine to give between 8 and 12% lower energy consumption than the previous model. Many elements of the truck have been improved to reduce maintenance times and extend interval between service interventions increasing uptime.
LINDE
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