Software steps

Lift truck vendors also continue to expand their software offerings. For example, in addition to fleet software, Raymond also offers labor management software. Rather than using engineered standards, says Kaumo, the software integrates with multiple data sources including vehicle telematics and warehouse management software to monitor task execution times and come up with optimal performance levels.

“This [software] uses actual data, based on what workers are doing right now, and develops goals and metrics from that,” Kaumo says.

Robotic end riders can automate workflows and moves that eat up considerable operator time with conventional vehicles.

Not only can labor management be used by supervisors to see which workers are the top performers and which are slipping below goal, it also provides valuable insight on what it costs a DC to serve its customers, and can also be used for labor planning and forecasting, says Kaumo.

Fleet software andtelematicsare another way to ensure operations stay productive, notes Paramore. Managers can see analytics in the software on trends such as working time spent moving or lifting, or time spent with the key in the “on” position. The software also digitizes pre-shift checklists and lets managers see trends on checklist failures.

Fleet software can also facilitate updating checklists to ensure vehicles are being properly sanitized between shifts, and the software and telematics allow for access control so unauthorized users can’t hop on and use a vehicle. “In this time of Covid-19 challenges, checklists can be updated to reinforce and remind operators of the importance of following sanitation or protective mask standards, while with access control have digital control and traceability over who is using each vehicle,” says Paramore.

In this era of social distancing, the pre-shift digital checklist function is definitely being tweaked to add questions about sanitation and use of protective gear, agrees Mark Stanton, general manager for PowerFleet,a provider of telematics and fleet management software. Additionally, says Stanton, telematics provides for access control and a digital record of who has used each vehicle and when, which also supports health protection practices.

“With a system like ours, you know exactly what equipment an operator touched, when it was touched, and over what period of time,” says Stanton. “So [telematics] can give you a great deal more control and insight over chain of custody for your assets.”

Another software tool is VR. Not only can VR training speed up the onboarding, it can expand the skill set of existing operators, says Kaumo, or teach a new workflow, like how to move loads for hand-off to newly deployed automation. “There can be a module created in the VR system [to teach a new workflow] and the operator can hop on a truck, put it in virtual mode, and learn how to do it without actually moving the truck,” he says.

Sensors and cameras

Telematics makes extensive use of sensors, but some vendors are also adding additional sensing to provide real-time locationing over where workers are, or assets like pallets. Powerfleet is exploring new types of location-based services that make use of technology such as ultrawideband (UWB) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), says Stanton. PowerFleet’s acquisition last fall of Pointer Telocation provides PowerFleet with additional locationing tech, he adds.

For users, real-time knowledge of the location over lift trucks, warehouse associates, or other tracked objects like returnable containers will allow for better congestion management, says Stanton. As he explains, “we can have a great deal more views and appreciation of how the industrial engineering aspects of a facility are actually doing, like whether trucks are taking the optimum routes. We can develop heat maps for an operation and avoid bottlenecks.”

Digital cameras can be considered another form of sensing. For example, multiple vendors offer fork-mounted cameras to guide fork placement. These cameras can integrate with the vehicle’s display screen so operators can see where forks are positioned when handling loads that might be up several levels. Kaumo likens integrated fork-view cameras to the cameras now being used on cars and light trucks so consumers can do things like back up safely, or with some vehicles, automatically backup a trailer. Kaumo says that with Raymond’s fork camera option, there is a laser in the camera that enables the operator to see where the center of a pallet is.

Fork-mounted camera systems address two key goals of lift truck operations—enhanced productivity and safety, says Thieme Wels, content marketer with Stoneridge-Orlaco, a vendor that provides the systems. They also keep operators from having to crane their necks to try to see where the forks are.

“Camera systems increase safety and improve ergonomics,” says Wels. “They give operators a better view, which saves time and increases productivity.”

A new feature for Yale is a pair of digital cameras integrated with a vehicle’s telematics impact sensor. When an impact occurs, a mobile app feature presents users with a video clip that shows 3 minutes prior to the impact and 3 minutes after. “You get a visual record of what happened, and enhanced accountability,” says Paramore.

The integrated camera setup from Yale can also be used to capture video footage on demand to visually document situations the operator sees in the DC that merit review, or to take a still image of a load or pallet as it’s being placed for loading or transfer. “The camera provides another layer of accountability when it comes to the condition of goods being transferred to partners,” says Paramore.

Power sources

Battery technology continues to evolve, with lithium ion (Li-ion) power becoming an option for electric trucks versus lead-acid batteries. Li-ion is attractive for its fast charging times, light weight, and small form factor. Paramore says Yale is supporting Li-ion in multiple ways, including a battery box replacement program, which integrates Li-ion batteries with the battery charge indicator and lift interrupt system. Yale also have developed vehicles fully designed on Li-ion characteristics.

In a fully integrated Li-ion vehicle such as a sit-down counterbalanced forklift that Yale offers, the vehicle offers a lower seat and floor plate to make it easier to get on and off, as well as more head room, notes Paramore. An integrated Li-ion vehicle also has an optimal center of gravity for the weight of the power source, which enhances handling.

All of these tech innovations, from autonomous trucks to new features in fleet software, cameras, or Li-ion powered units, boil down to easing customer concerns around productivity, safety and employee turnover. “All of these technologies are about making the customers life easier and operationally pain free,” says Paramore. “If we’re doing something with technology that does not align with the objective, we’re doing something wrong.”