DC Velocity - January 2011

dle goods in a different way in the future,
and that this truck might not accommo-
date? If you could redesign this lift truck,
what would you change?

The answers to these and other questions often lead to design changes and even totally new products that improve efficiency, safety, accuracy, and driver comfort. For instance, narrow-aisle reach truck operators told Cat Lift Trucks that they couldn’t always tell whether the fork tips high above their heads were level, which was hampering their operations. Cat responded by adding a sensor that determines when the forks are level and switches on a red light mounted on the head guard. Operators can easily see the light when they look up at the forks.

In another case, workers in cold storage facilities complained to the Raymond Corp. that they were losing productivity because of a pallet truck’s safety feature. The trucks have an emergency reversing button that shuts the vehicle down when it hits something—including the strip curtains used in refrigerated facilities. After hearing their concerns, Raymond modified the truck to allow operators to temporarily disengage the button by activating the horn when driving through strip curtains.

Both safety and comfort were a concern for one particular group of operators whose jobs often require them to drive backward. Not only did they dislike having to twist their bodies to gain better visibility, but they also worried about having to take their hands off the safety handle in order to honk the horn. Toyota Material Handling U.S.A. solved that problem by designing a swivel seat that allows the back end to swing a specified degree but keeps the driver’s feet in the same position relative to the pedals. A safety handle with an integrated horn button, mounted on the right back overhead guard pillar, lets operators hold on and honk without letting go or having to twist frontward.

Safety was also the issue in a number of
retailers’ storerooms, where personnel were
concocting all kinds of hazardous ways to
carry cartons up and down ladders. After
hearing about the problem, Crown
Equipment Corp. designed a unique, self-
propelled “lift truck without forks” for use
in congested stockrooms. Called the Wave,
the vehicle allows an operator to
safely grab a carton off a shelf and
slide it onto a load tray, lower it, and
deliver it to its destination.

TELL THEM WHAT YOU REALLY
THINK
While lift truck manufacturers say
they take customer opinions seri-
ously, it’s important to note that you
can’t always draw a straight line
from customers’ suggestions to a
particular product feature. Instead,
says Mallett of Cat Lift Trucks, the
manufacturers think in terms of
identifying a need or problem that
requires a solution. Or, as Crown’s
Gallagher puts it, their aim in asking
for customers’ input “is not just to
design and engineer a great prod-
uct, but also to design and engineer
a great experience.”
So the next time a lift truck dealer
or manufacturer asks you to partici-
pate in a survey or host a site visit,
say yes. Although these visits can be
time-consuming, you’ll likely find
it’s well worth your time. Give them
your honest opinion about their
products and tell them what you’d
like to see. The resulting improve-
ments—in product efficiency, safety,
accuracy, and quality—will not only
result in a better product for all users
but could also directly benefit your
own operation. ;

LIFT TRUCKS materialhandlingupdate

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