Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks
Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks are electric trucks designed to function within narrow aisles. Standard storage aisles are only 3.6 meters wide, enough space for a counterbalanced lift truck to pivot in the aisle. On the other hand, narrow aisles can be 2.4 meters wide to as little as 1.8 meters. The narrow space needs specific lift truck models that are small, capable of tight turns, and able to put away loads without pivoting. The popular kinds of narrow-aisle trucks are order pickers, reach trucks and turret trucks.
Narrow-aisle reach trucks
The first kinds of narrow-aisle lift trucks manufactured for warehouse use are the reach trucks. These small trucks can turn with no trouble in narrow aisles because their design has eliminated the need for a huge counterweight. Instead, stability is provided by outrigger arms that extend in front of the truck. The disadvantage of this particular design is that the outrigger arms could hinder access to the storage rack because the truck cannot get near enough. These trucks work well inside a warehouse which is well lit, has even, clean floors, ample turning space and good flow of traffic.
Turret trucks
The turret truck design has turning forks on side of the truck. The forks turn 90 degrees and move from side to side. The load can 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 lift the load to their full extension, and then smoothly deposit the load before resuming their original position. Turret trucks can come with a wire guidance system that keeps the truck on its path in really narrow aisles. In man-down trucks, operators remain at floor level.