Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks
Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks are electric trucks designed to function within narrow aisles. Typical storage aisles are only 3.6 meters wide, sufficient space for a counterbalanced lift truck to pivot within the aisle. Nonetheless, narrow aisles can be 2.4 meters wide to as little as 1.8 meters. The narrow area needs specific lift truck models that are capable of tight turns, small, could put away loads without turning. The popular types of narrow-aisle trucks are order pickers, reach trucks and turret trucks.
Narrow-aisle reach trucks
Reach trucks were the first narrow-aisle lift truck to be manufactured for warehouse applications. These small trucks can turn without difficulty within narrow aisles since their design has eliminated the requirement for a large counterweight. Stability is instead provided by outrigger arms extending in front of the truck. The disadvantage of this design is that the outrigger arms can hinder access to the storage rack since the truck cannot get near enough. These types of trucks really work well inside a warehouse that is well lit, has even, clean floors, ample space for turning and good flow of traffic.
Turret trucks
The design of a turret truck has pivoting forks on side of the truck. The forks turn 90 degrees and move from side to side. The load could face forward while the operator drives down the aisle. When stopped at the designated storage place, the truck's forks pivot to the storage side and raise the load to their full extension, and next smoothly deposit the load before resuming their original position. Turret trucks are available with a wire guidance system which keeps the truck on its path in very narrow aisles. Operators remain at floor level in man-down trucks.