Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks
Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks are electric trucks designed to operate in narrow aisles. A counterbalanced lift truck can turn in the aisle since typical storage aisles are only 3.6 meters wide and this is sufficient space. Nonetheless, narrow aisles can be about 2.4 meters wide to as little as 1.8 meters. The narrow area requires specific types of lift trucks that are capable of tight turns, small, and able to 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 first narrow-aisle lift truck to be developed for warehouse applications. These small trucks could turn with no trouble in narrow aisles as their design has eliminated the need for a big 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 can hinder access to the storage rack as the truck cannot get near enough. These trucks work well within a warehouse that is well lit, has even, clean floors, good traffic flow and ample space for turning.
Turret trucks
The design of a turret truck has pivoting forks on side of the truck. The forks turn 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 location, the truck's forks turn to the storage side and raise the load to their full extension, and then easily deposit the load before resuming their original position. Turret trucks are available with a wire guidance system that keeps the truck on its path in really narrow aisles. In man-down trucks, operators remain at floor level.