Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks
Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks are electric trucks designed to function in narrow aisles. Typical storage aisles are only 3.6 meters wide, adequate space for a counterbalanced lift truck to pivot in the aisle. Nevertheless, narrow aisles could be around 2.4 meters wide to as little as 1.8 meters. The narrow area needs specialized kinds of lift trucks which are small, capable of tight turns, can put away loads without pivoting. The common types of narrow-aisle trucks are reach trucks, turret trucks and orderpickers.
Narrow-aisle reach trucks
Reach trucks were the very first narrow-aisle lift truck to be manufactured for warehouse use. These small trucks can turn without problems in narrow aisles as their design has eliminated the requirement for a huge 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 inhibit access to the storage rack as the truck cannot get close enough. These trucks work well inside a warehouse that is well lit, has clean, even floors, good traffic flow and ample turning space.
Turret trucks
The design of a turret truck has pivoting forks on side of the truck. The forks pivot 90 degrees and move from side to side. The load faces forward whilst the operator drives down the aisle. Once it stops at the designated storage place, the truck's forks turn to the storage side and raise the load to their full extension, and next easily 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 really narrow aisles. Operators remain at floor level in man-down trucks.