A forklift is an essential component of industrial equipment, and an order picker has a unique function that can be of great benefit to your material handling needs. An order picker is essentially a specially designed type of forklift. This lift truck is used for retrieving goods from vertical shelves, such as a pallet rack system.
The way an order picker works is that the lift truck operator is actually raised along with the lift system to retrieve the items. This is an excellent feature when there are many individual goods to be moved around. It is also helpful in situations where you don’t have a full pallet load to move. By raising the operator along with the lift truck system itself, the operator can easily see exactly where items are located, so that moving them is much more efficient. An order picker will also allow your operator to be driven from the raised position, so they can move multiple items with less effort. Order pickers can be considered aerial lifts because of the way they raise and lower the operator.
Any business that requires regular retrieval of individual products, or partial pallet loads, can benefit by using an order picker. They are meant for indoor use and as such use rechargeable batteries. This is a great feature because it means they are quiet to operate and will be free of harmful emissions. This makes for a more pleasant environment for your employees. Generally, the rechargeable batteries will last for an entire shift, and much more work can be done with fewer stoppages before it’s time for battery charging. Once the day shift is completed, the battery can be recharged overnight, so your order picker lift truck is ready for operation the next day. If you have more than one shift, alternating between two or more rechargeable batteries will allow your operations to keep running without delays.
It is important to take stock of your material handling needs to see if an order picker lift truck can benefit you. These aerial lifts are best suited for heights of between 20 and 30 feet, and they do not have the same operating capacity as traditional lift trucks. Therefore, if you have a combination of individual items, partial pallet loads and full pallet loads that need to be moved among your inventory shelving, you may need to use both types of forklifts. Knowing what your largest loads will weigh, and how often you need to move smaller loads, will tell you if an order picker or a traditional forklift will meet your needs.
About the Author
Bahrns Equipment specializes in industrial equipment for industrial needs, such as forklifts, packaging and material handling. Visit the company online at www.bahrns.com to learn more about what they offer, and see how they can become your industrial supplier of choice.
Publishing Rights
You may republish this article in your website, newsletter, ore book, on the condition that you agree to leave the article, author’s signature, and all links completely intact.