Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks
Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks are electric trucks designed to operate in narrow aisles. Standard storage aisles are just 3.6 meters wide, adequate space for a counterbalanced lift truck to turn in the aisle. Nevertheless, narrow aisles can be 2.4 meters wide to as little as 1.8 meters. The narrow space needs specialized kinds of lift trucks which are capable of tight turns, small, and able to put away loads without pivoting. The common kinds of narrow-aisle trucks are turret trucks, order pickers and reach trucks.
Narrow-aisle reach trucks
The first types of narrow-aisle lift trucks manufactured for warehouse use are the reach trucks. These small trucks could easily turn within narrow aisles because their design has eliminated the need for a big counterweight. Instead, stability is provided by outrigger arms extending in front of the truck. The downside of this design is that the outrigger arms could hinder access to the storage rack because the truck cannot get near enough. These types of trucks work well inside a warehouse which is well lit, has even, clean floors, good flow of traffic and ample space for turning.
Turret trucks
The design of a turret truck includes forks on the side that pivot. The forks pivot 90 degrees and move from side to side. The load could face forward while the operator drives down the aisle. Once stopped at the designated storage place, the forks of the truck pivot 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 that keeps the truck on its path in really narrow aisles. Operators remain at floor level in man-down trucks.