Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks
Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks are electric trucks designed to function in narrow aisles. A counterbalanced lift truck could turn in the aisle as typical storage aisles are 3.6 meters wide and this is adequate space. Nonetheless, narrow aisles can be about 2.4 meters wide to as little as 1.8 meters. The narrow area needs specialized kinds of lift trucks that are capable of tight turns, small, can put away loads without turning. The common kinds of narrow-aisle trucks are turret trucks, order pickers and reach trucks.
Narrow-aisle reach trucks
Reach trucks were the very first narrow-aisle lift truck to be developed for warehouse applications. These small trucks could turn easily within narrow aisles because their design has eliminated the need for a large counterweight. Instead, stability is provided by outrigger arms extending in front of the truck. The disadvantage of this particular design is that the outrigger arms can inhibit access to the storage rack as the truck cannot get near enough. These kinds of trucks truly work well inside a warehouse that is well lit, has clean, even floors, enough space for turning and good flow of traffic.
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. When stopped at the designated storage place, the forks of the truck turn to the storage side and lift the load to their full extension, and then 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 very narrow aisles. In man-down trucks, operators remain at floor level.