Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks
The type of electric truck that is made to function in narrow aisles is known as a Narrow Aisle Lift Truck. A counterbalanced lift truck could turn within the aisle because typical storage aisles are just 3.6 meters wide and this is adequate space. Nevertheless, narrow aisles could be around 2.4 meters wide to as little as 1.8 meters. The narrow space needs specialized lift truck models which are capable of tight turns, small, can put away loads without pivoting. The common types of narrow-aisle trucks are order pickers, reach trucks and turret trucks.
Narrow-aisle reach trucks
Reach trucks were the very first narrow-aisle lift truck to be developed for warehouse use. These small trucks could easily turn in narrow aisles as 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 downside of this particular design is that the outrigger arms could hinder access to the storage rack because the truck cannot get close enough. These trucks truly work well in a warehouse that is well lit, has clean, even floors, enough space for turning and good traffic flow.
Turret trucks
The design of a turret truck consists of forks on the side that turn. The forks turn 90 degrees and move from side to side. The load faces forward while the operator drives down the aisle. When it stops at the designated storage place, the forks of the truck turn to the storage side and raise the load to their full extension, and next easily deposit the load prior to resuming their original position. Turret trucks can come with a wire guidance system which keeps the truck on its path in really narrow aisles. In man-down trucks, operators remain at floor level.