Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks
Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks are electric trucks designed to operate in narrow aisles. Standard storage aisles are just 3.6 meters wide, enough space for a counterbalanced lift truck to pivot in the aisle. Nevertheless, narrow aisles can be around 2.4 meters wide to as little as 1.8 meters. The narrow space needs specific lift truck models which are capable of tight turns, small, could put away loads without pivoting. The popular kinds of narrow-aisle trucks are reach trucks, turret trucks and orderpickers.
Narrow-aisle reach trucks
The first types of narrow-aisle lift trucks developed for warehouse applications are the reach trucks. These small trucks can turn with no trouble in narrow aisles because their design has eliminated the need for a large counterweight. Instead, stability is provided by outrigger arms which extend in front of the truck. The disadvantage of this design is that the outrigger arms could hinder access to the storage rack since the truck cannot get close enough. These types of trucks work well inside a warehouse which is well lit, has even, clean floors, enough space for turning and good flow of traffic.
Turret trucks
The turret truck design has turning forks on side of the truck. The forks pivot 90 degrees and move from side to side. The load could face forward while the operator drives down the aisle. When it stops at the designated storage place, the truck's forks pivot to the storage side and lift the load to their full extension, and next smoothly deposit the load prior to resuming their original position. Turret trucks are available 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.