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Tag: pallet trucks

Data Collection from Weighing Systems on your Mobile

Posted on by Keith McKinley

RAVAS, a specialist in mobile weighing solutions, recently launched an update of the RAVAS WeightsApp, an app that makes it possible to work smarter with a mobile weighing system. This new and improved version is now available for download.

Display weight on site

It is a common situation in the warehouse: the indicator of the mobile weighing system is too far away for the employee to read directly. RAVAS has the solution for this: the RAVAS WeightsApp. This app makes it possible to display the weighed weight on the spot and directly on a smartphone or tablet. The app also stores the weighed gross weights, together with the tare weight, product code, date, time and ID of the weighing system or operator.

Additional features for greater convenience

But the app goes beyond displaying weighted weight. The stored data set can be viewed at any time and can also be sent as a CSV file to any e-mail address so that it can be imported into a spreadsheet program on a PC. As an additional function, the app makes it possible to download a log file of the RAVAS indicator and send it as a CSV file for technical analysis in case of malfunctions. When working with an Android or iOS device that has an integrated barcode scanner, it can be used to enter product IDs. More information about the RAVAS WeightsApp can be found on the website.

New Low-lifting Pallet Trucks Safe and Comfortable

Posted on by David Priestman

UniCarriers introduces three new low lifting pallet truck models with a special focus on ergonomics and a multitude of customisation options. The global manufacturer of industrial trucks now offers the PLF, PLR and PLS models in three distinct lengths and with two different load capacities. The trucks were designed to assist loading and unloading, cross-docking, internal transports and order picking processes. Thanks to the TDS concept, for which a patent is already pending, the models also achieve high performance in sub-zero temperatures and other challenging conditions. Long service intervals result in low total costs of operation and maximum uptime.

Where goods are loaded, picked and transported, safety and efficiency are often two competing factors. The new UniCarriers low lift pallet trucks are designed to ensure fast and safe working at the same time. This is where the PLF model’s Side Protection Bars and the driver protected platform from the PLR and PLS help to guarantee safety even when driving at maximum operational speeds. The new pallet truck models reach maximum speeds of 10 to 12.5 km/h, depending on the chosen steering type. The models are available with a load capacity between 2,000 and 2,500 kg and in “Mini”, “Junior” or “Senior” chassis lengths. Users can choose between lithium-ion or lead-acid batteries. Furthermore, as an alternative to the standard lift-out batteries, battery rollers can be selected as an option to speed up battery change in multi-shift operations.

The many repetitive movements when operating a pallet truck can impact upon operators with regard to repetitive strain over prolonged periods of use. UniCarriers prevents this with a variety of ergonomic features such as a low vehicle entry and ergonomically shaped tiller heads. They allow employees to operate the vehicle safely with easily accessible controls. In addition, the folding platform of the PLF model and the driver protection platforms with side and rear entrances of the PLS and PLR offer a high degree of damping, which can also be electronically adjusted for better comfort while driving.

TDS concept guarantees high performance without safety risk

The aim of UniCarriers’ patent-pending TDS concept is maximum traction, damping and stability. Even on wet and uneven surfaces, the braking distance remains short and high driving speeds are possible without the wheels spinning, no matter how heavily the pallet truck is loaded. Specially developed castor wheels combined with the damping effect of the traction wheel minimise impact vibrations. The asymmetrical positioning of the castor wheels extends the damping, as not all wheels are hit simultaneously in the event of an impact. At the same time, the design of the castor wheels combines damping with good side stability. Therefore, even fully loaded pallet trucks can be driven around corners without loss of performance. Thanks to easily accessible maintenance parts and long service intervals, the new models ensure maximum uptime and low total costs of operation.

Document Allows further Wood Packaging Repair Options

Posted on by David Priestman

Heat-treated wooden components will be temporarily allowed for the repair of wooden pallets and packaging, increasing options for businesses who want to grow their capacity of ISPM15-compliant wooden packaging material (WPM) before the final Brexit deadline on December 31, 2020.

The new measure was proposed by the UK Government and also approved by the devolved governments on a temporary basis to help raise stocks of compliant WPM in the weeks remaining before the cut-off date, and in the first half of next year. This is because, as the UK Government has stated, from January 1, 2021 ‘it will be a legal requirement for all wood packaging material moving in both directions between UK and the EU to be compliant with a treatment and mark as specified in the International Standard for Phytosanitary measures No 15 (ISPM15).’

Accordingly, the ‘temporary easement’ addendum to the UK Wood Packaging Material Marking Programme (UKWPMMP), which governs ISPM15 in the country, now permits the additional option of ISPM15 repairs to avoid ‘the total retreatment of pallets after repair’, as required by the original regulations. The easement is open only to existing members of the UKWPMMP and their approved sites and will be subject to them fulfilling the terms and conditions of the addendum. It will be valid until July 31, 2021.

John Dye, President of the Timber Packaging & Pallet Confederation, said: “We support this temporary addendum to the UKWPMMP. It is a further step forward in our industry’s preparations for Brexit, which will give companies the ability to repair pallets to ISPM15 standards more rapidly and moves our business further towards its compliance targets.

“Using heat-treated wood for repairs is also more energy efficient as it saves a significant amount of kilning capacity when compared to treating the whole of every repaired pallet. We also expect this measure will encourage an increase in repairs, which in turn will help towards Government targets for reuse.”

Companies wishing to take advantage of the easement change need to declare their intention by emailing the UKWPMMP Secretary, who will update the Forestry Commission inspectors and the relevant auditors; this will ensure the right traceability and plant health obligations continue to be met. There are no additional fees for members of the scheme.

Reliable Products, Attention to Specific Needs

Posted on by David Priestman

Gruppo Grendi has developed a wide range of services by selecting reliable suppliers to support their daily activities. It is precisely from a need for reliability that Yale was selected to provide solutions to upgrade the efficiency of their warehouse, sited in Porto Canale, Cagliari. Opened in 2013, this innovative warehousing space in Sardinia is based in the rear port area, becoming one of the first companies with a warehouse operating close to the port basin.

With a history surpassing 190 years, the family owned Gruppo Grendi has seen six pioneering generations guide the group to their continued success today. Beginning as freight forwarders in 1828, the company has evolved to become a company of transporters, shipowners and terminal operators. It has transformed over two centuries to become a market leader in the transportation industry, by staying ahead with the latest transportation and technological trends

Tailored and reliable solutions

Trustworthiness and reliability have been the key factors which have guaranteed the partnership between Gruppo Grendi and Manitech, exclusive dealer for Sardinia. Manitech have supplied their customer with a fleet of 21 Yale® products from counterbalance trucks to order pickers through a long-term rental agreement. Long-term rental provides flexibility for their equipment choices and a tailored solution for Gruppo Grendi.

Coupled with the support and suggestions from Manitech, the Gruppo Grendi business has met their peak production for seasonal requirements while keeping their fleet size optimised for their daily needs. “Yale solutions have fulfilled our needs for a fleet working 24/7, with long battery duration for applications such as shelving storage and container loading,” explains Emanuele Demetrino, Gruppo Grendi Warehouse Manager.

“Gruppo Grendi is the undisputed leader in Sardinia for the logistics and transport sectors,” said Luca Pibiri, Sales and Marketing Manager of Manitech. “We proposed a wide range of Yale electric trucks, such as reach trucks, which offer all-round visibility and flexibility, horizontal and vertical order pickers, designed to allow quicker and more accurate order picking of materials, and platform pallet trucks, which optimise productivity in horizontal transportation and loading and unloading of vehicles. It has been an extraordinary success.”

Shelving, picking and loading: Yale solutions are the answer

For the all-electric truck fleet, Gruppo Grendi opted for ERP16 VT series electric counterbalanced forklift trucks, which are ideally suited for picking pallets and container loading. The three wheel electric forklift truck from the Yale VT series combines high performance and energy efficiency in a highly ergonomically advanced solution for medium to heavy duty applications, such as warehouse spaces. Thanks to a design which provides operators with manoeuvrability in confined spaces and a very comfortable working compartment, this product reduces back strain and minimises fatigue throughout shifts.

For second and third level picking up to around 5m, Gruppo Grendi chose Yale MO10E order pickers to enable the fulfilment of customer orders in a short timescale.

From the same series, Gruppo Grendi selected the Yale MO 25 low level order pickers for first and second level picking through the various warehouse aisles. Available with a fixed or lifting platform with independent forklift, the MO series also includes a scissor lift option for ground and occasional second level picking. This series of order picker lifts is ideal for cross docking and load shuttling as well as order picking in intensive and high throughput warehouse operations and horizontal transport over short and long distances.

Working effortlessly and efficiently even in confined spaces, the MP18-20 pedestrian powered pallet truck is designed around the needs of the operator and offers intelligent ergonomics and excellent manoeuvrability. Every component of the MP Series has been designed to provide exceptional reliability. Ideal for the light, medium and heavy duty indoor load handling Gruppo Grendi faces daily, the MP Series is up to 11% more productive when unloading and uses up to 7% less energy, tested against equivalent competitors trucks.

Gruppo Grendi selected the ride-on MP20X platform pallet trucks for their medium to heavy duty applications. The ride-on platform pallet truck is ideal for their cross docking and vehicle loading applications.

Completing the fleet of Yale products, the reach trucks from MR14 series were selected for shelving and order picking applications within the Sardinian warehouse. The robust heavy-duty mast design provides high residual capacities and stable load handling enabling faster put away and retrieval times.

• Gruppo Grendi offers a wide range of solutions for the logistics industry, with a 190 year heritage.
• Unicar-Yale dealer Manitech supplied 21 trucks for the Gruppo Grendi warehouse in Cagliari, from counterbalance trucks to order pickers.
• Trustworthiness and constant support have been the key factors that have guaranteed the partnership between Gruppo Grendi and Manitech.

The company has benefited from increased productivity and a greater return on their materials handling fleet investment. “We are totally satisfied with our decision to select Yale solutions,” says Emanuele. “Our Yale dealer, Manitech, understood our specific needs and provided the best solutions for our company. The reliability of the Yale brand, with equally reliable trucks, was enhanced by the constant service and attention to us as a customer. With our Yale trucks, we have been able to reduce our maintenance costs, which has resulted in time savings and an overall productivity increase,” concludes Emanuele.

More Yale news

Smart Weighing, No Stopping

Posted on by David Priestman

Smart attachments like Ravas iForks demonstrate how to shift forklift value away from mere materials handling and in the direction of data sampling. Logistics Business reports.

Smart logistics and Industry 4.0 have created an ever-growing demand for data input as a tool to optimise supply chains and reach required profit levels. A notable example is the Ravas iForks forklift scale, a brilliantly simple concept which works by replacing standard truck forks with smart weighing forks. Thus, via the integration of connected forklift trucks, real-time in-process data on
material flows is made available to the appropriate people and software platforms in your organisation.

Smart Weighing

Are there any particular market sectors within the warehouse for which the iForks are particularly appropriate? “Actually, you can use iForks for almost all applications within the warehouse, or production facility, for that matter,” says Rob de Ridder, International Sales Manager at Ravas Mobile Weighing. “From cross docking for road, sea and air freight, stock control, batching and
dosing, filling, inbound/outbound, waste management and dimensioning in terms of weight and volume. Eliminating errors in order picking is another important application, but we have other integrated scales that are more suitable for that process. Basically, our solutions are suitable and available for logistics and production sites in all kinds of industries.”

“Take the example of an LTL carrier, handling a constant stream of inbound pallet shipments every day, and shipping them out to their destination in freight trucks and sea containers,” Rob de Ridder continues. “Picture a fleet of connected forklift trucks that offload these pallet shipments from inbound freight trucks, providing a continuous stream of data on these materials to the company’s WMS or ERP system. Every pallet lifted out of the freight truck is identified and weighed on the forks of the lift truck. The resulting data set on the pallet shipment is communicated with the WMS or ERP system. And all this on the fly, en route from a freight truck to a buffer zone in the company’s warehouse.”

Read the whole article here: https://flickread.com/edition/html/index.php?pdf=5f3d1fcf3160d#36

User-friendly Lithium-ion Trucks

Posted on by David Priestman

AMAB has recently chosen Toyota Material Handling as a partner for their lithium-ion trucks. The user-friendliness of the trucks and lithium-ion solution was a determining factor in their choice.

AMAB offers a variety of services and one-stop-shop total solutions, on their own premises or at their customers’ sites. They are specialised in packaging: co-packing, repacking, electro assembling. “Our workers are people with a physical or mental disability. Together with the occupational therapist we decide which role they can fulfil despite their disability. We try to regularly switch their tasks to bring variety in their job,” says Rudi Crombé, manager of the technical department in Zaventem, where the introduction to lithium-ion has just been completed.

“Before this purchase, most of the machines at our 3 sites were already Toyota trucks, which we always have been satisfied with. That’s why it was a logical step for us to also buy our next trucks from Toyota,” he adds. He also immediately expresses that AMAB appreciates the fact that a Toyota representative always comes on site to introduce new machines and give a clear explanation. “In 2015 we merged with our other branches. We used this opportunity to establish an inventory and ask 3 potential candidates for a service contract.

“Toyota eventually came up with the best offer. The majority of our fleet consists of Toyota trucks, which makes it easier for the technician. This way we only have to call in one technician, which requires less kilometres, and less impact on the environment,” says Crombe. Preventive maintenance and repairs are therefore also planned more efficiently this way, keeping transportation to a minimum. For a few months now AMAB has several lithium-ion-powered pallet trucks and stackers in operation at their site. After much deliberation, they decided not to go for traditional lead-acid batteries, but for lithium-ion instead. When asked why they chose lithium-ion, Crombe’s answer is clear: “It’s easy to maintain, easy to use, and the initial cost offers an ROI on the long term because of the lowered energy consumption and longer battery life. After all, battery change takes up a big part of our maintenance budget. While lead-acid requires supervision, check-ups and a separate charging area, this is not the case for lithium-ion. It’s very easy to use, which makes it ideal.

“Our employees often prioritise habit and routine. So for them, the implementation required some adjustment. Before, they had to drive the lead-acid trucks until the battery was empty before charging them. We noticed they often waited to charge the lithium-ion trucks as well because the battery was not empty yet. But now they are used to it and it has become a routine. When the workers end their shift, they automatically charge them. The batteries are never empty again! Before, a truck would stand still here and there, leaving them to work with one machine less. Our available space is restricted, which is why trucks standing still are not an option. Now we can use all trucks efficiently and we don’t lose any parking space.” https://toyota-forklifts.eu

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