Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks
Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks are electric trucks designed to operate in narrow aisles. Typical storage aisles are 3.6 meters wide, adequate space for a counterbalanced lift truck to pivot within the aisle. Then again, narrow aisles can be around 2.4 meters wide to as little as 1.8 meters. The narrow space requires specific lift truck models which are capable of tight turns, small, and able to put away loads without pivoting. The popular kinds of narrow-aisle trucks are reach trucks, turret trucks and orderpickers.
Narrow-aisle reach trucks
The very first types of narrow-aisle lift trucks manufactured for warehouse applications are the reach trucks. These small trucks could easily turn within narrow aisles since 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 design is that the outrigger arms can inhibit access to the storage rack because the truck cannot get close enough. These kinds of trucks work well within a warehouse which is well lit, has even, clean floors, good traffic flow and enough turning space.
Turret trucks
The turret truck design has pivoting forks on side of the truck. The forks pivot 90 degrees and move from side to side. The load faces forward while the operator drives down the aisle. Once 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 easily deposit the load before resuming their original position. Turret trucks could come with a wire guidance system that keeps the truck on its path in very narrow aisles. In man-down trucks, operators remain at floor level.