Lithium-ion battery and charger pack:
Applied Energy Solutions’ lithium-ion battery
and charger pack for pallet jacks is designed
to provide a more energy-dense and efficient
chemistry than the traditional lead acid batteries commonly found in these applications.
As a result, the battery requires less energy
to be returned to a full state of charge, leading to considerable energy savings and significant reductions in the user’s carbon footprint,
according to Applied Energy. The new product
is also virtually maintenance free because the
electrolyte level does not need to be monitored, the company says. In addition, as the
battery is discharged, the vehicle’s performance level only drops by a little bit when compared with traditional batteries. (Applied
Energy Solutions, www.appliedenergysol.com)
High-density pallet storage: Dematic is
now offering distribution centers three different solution sets for high-density pallet storage. The company, a supplier of logistics and
material handling technologies for distribution facilities, says the technologies provide
warehouses with a way to receive, store, and
ship full or mixed-case pallet loads. According
to the company, the technologies lower operating costs by reducing labor and damage.
They also reduce building and land costs by
providing increased storage density.
The technology is available in
three variations. The first,
“deep-lane pallet storage on
the floor,” uses automated
guided vehicles (AGVs)
equipped with forks to stage
pallets in lanes multiple pallets
deep. Pallets can be stacked up
to 24 feet high in each lane.
The AGVs use a periscope
design to move a laser head
above load obstructions and adjustable forks
for precise placing and picking of pallets.
The second variation is “deep-lane pallet
storage in racks,” which uses fork-equipped
AGVs and Dematic’s satellite shuttle device to
move product to the racks, which can be up
to 40 feet high. The shuttles lift and transport
pallets to positions in the deep-lane rack.
The third solution set is “deep-lane pallet
storage in racks using a dedicated storage
and retrieval machine” (SRM) in each aisle.
Dematic says this variation improves density
and throughput versus the pure AGV-based
solutions. It allows for minimal aisle widths,
and the height of the rack structure can be
increased to 110 feet. The SRM can access
loads on both sides of the rack. (Dematic,
www.dematic.com)
Pallet rack protection: Wireway Husky Corp. has released a new wire product,
Aisle Shield. Aisle Shield provides fall protection for pallet rack aisles.
The device is made out of all-steel, welded wire. Unlike netting, which acts to
catch falling product and is difficult to install, Aisle Shield prevents the product from
falling in the first place, thus yielding a safer work environment and more efficient
material handling, according to the manufacturer.
Aisle Shield, which can be installed with engineered eyebolts, meets the demands
of regulatory agencies for fall protection into pallet rack aisles. (Wireway Husky,
www.wirewayhusky.com)
