Next generation of rider trucks

30-Jan-2017

Linde Material Handling launches new stand-on trucks

Pallet trucks with stand-on platform and driver’s seat trucks, also referred to as “riders” by industry insiders, are indispensable aids in in-house transports, manoeuvring jobs or the loading and unloading of lorries. Now LMH has launched a multi-stage product offensive for these vehicles. This opens up an even wider range of possible applications and higher productivity for operators. Furthermore, manufacturer and solution provider Linde offers the new series with significantly enhanced operating comfort, narrower chassis and a range of additional functions, which ensure even better performance and lower energy consumption. Furthermore, the product range is supplemented by additional model variants. The Linde T14 S, T20 S/SF and T25 S/SF stand-on pallet trucks in the load range from 1.4 to 2.5 tonnes, and the Linde D12 S and D12 SF stand-on double stackers with 1.2-tonne load capacity and 2,124 millimetres lift height are the first models to be converted to the new standard. More truck series will follow in the next few months.

The range of stand-on pallet trucks has been extended by an entry-level model with 1.4-tonne load capacity and a larger one with 2.5-tonne capacity to complement the existing 2-tonne model. With the exception of the entry model, Linde T14 S, the pallet trucks as well as the double stacker are offered with a choice of two different driving concepts. In the S version, the driver is positioned at a 90° angle to the roadway, which ensures good views in both driving directions and of the surroundings. At the same time, the raised, padded backrest provides comfortable support. With the SF version, the driver stands frontally to the direction of travel and has a particularly good view of the load in front of him. This variant is recommended when there is a disproportionate amount of lorry loading work. In both cases, the vehicle design ensures the greatest possible safety, since the operator is positioned within the vehicle contours so that body and hands are well protected.

Customers can now choose the most suitable truck for their application from a range of seven models instead of the former three.

Another new feature is that all vehicles have a width of 770 millimetres, which means they are 20 millimetres narrower than predecessor versions. Thanks to their more compact design, they are even easier to manoeuver on lorry loading surfaces or in block-type warehouses.

Fully suspended operator compartment

A special ergonomic advantage of all models is the driver compartment, which is spring-mounted and completely de-coupled from the chassis – a unique feature that significantly reduces the oscillations and vibrations acting on the driver, and even largely compensates for impacts resulting from uneven floors. Together with the padded backrest, this highly comfortable workstation provides effective protection against musculoskeletal disorders.

The S version, in which the driver stands transversely to the roadway, additionally features the innovative “Tip Control” operating concept. A height-adjustable hand platform which offers the operator a stable standing position, is fitted with rocker switches by means of which the travel and lifting functions can be controlled with short movements of the thumb and index finger. These switches are designed so that they can be reliably operated even with gloves. Users can flexibly arrange the control elements: Depending on preference, the steering wheel can be positioned on the right and the Tip Control lever on the left – or vice versa, the steering wheel on the left and the Tip Control on the right. A large colour display indicates all relevant operating data.

Productivity

Productivity is another asset of the new truck generation. Equipped with a 3 kW three-phase AC motor, the 1.4-tonne model accelerates to 8 or 10 km/h with/without load, and the 2.0 and 2.5-tonne models to 10 or 12 km/h with/without load. And they manage gradients of up to 15 percent even when loaded. This makes the trucks ideally suited to intensive lorry loading applications and transporting goods over longer distances. The driving speed is automatically reduced in relation to the steering angle – dependent protects the operator from driving errors.

In addition to the default drive settings, the Eco mode is provided as standard as a second performance option. Depending on the application, it allows energy savings of up to 12 percent to be achieved whenever handling capacity is not a priority.

Wide variety of optional equipment and accessories

With an extensive range of optional features, the trucks can be further adapted to ideally suit individual customer requirements. These include, for example, cold store protection, Linde’s fleet management solution “connect:” with access control, shock detection and utilisation analysis, as well as further safety features such as a speed reduction with forks lowered, as well as mast protection and flashing beacons.