Learning about Order Picker & Reach Truck

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 Whether you decide to buy or hire a forklift, it’s essential to know the exact purpose of the equipment and how they can assist you in getting your job done. In this blog we are going to take a look at the two types of lift trucks that are used for picking cases /single items, pallet stacking, drive-in racking and long load handling. These include order picker and reach truck.

Before we dive into the details of the variants of forklifts let’s understand the basic difference between the two operating vehicles.  In an order picker the operator goes up in the air with a load and manually picks an order from a rack. Alternatively, in a reach truck the operator stays in the cab of the machine at ground level and moves the load up mechanically. 

The Order Picker

An order picker is a type of lift truck that is used in warehouses and distribution centers to help operators to pick and deliver materials needed for filling out orders. It is primed for applications that require an operator to be at the same level as the inventory.  It has an operator’s platform from where the driver is able to control the machine by using a series of handles, paddles, steering crank and lift/lower buttons. 

The equipment helps the operator move up to the rack with the load to either place the pallets mechanically or move smaller loads on and off the order picker manually. They are great options for those needing to remove individual items from shelving. 

The two types 

Usually order pickers come in mid-level and high level variants.

•Mid-level order pickers enable the operator to pick cases or items from a height of 15 feet to 25 feet. Although, these lift trucks are mostly free roaming, they can also be set up for wire or rail guidance. 

•High-level order pickers allow an operator to pick cases or items from a greater height ranging from 20 feet to 35 feet. These lift trucks work better than mid-level order pickers in a narrower aisle and are wire or rail guided.

Application 

Since order picker can work effectively in compact and narrower places, it is best for those looking to maximize space and capacity by moving racking closer together. An order picker is considered to be the genuine lift truck for any operation that deals with many SKUs (Stock Keeping Units) and not a lot of quantity of any particular SKU number. While the these vehicles ideally fit into different types of warehouse operation processes like batch picking, spacing and slotting,  they are not the right type of vehicle if you are looking for unit load picking, right angle stacking, and transportation for long travel distances.

The Reach Truck 

A reach truck is a narrow-aisle, stacking truck that is designed for storing & retrieving pallets in racks. They are engineered with two outer legs that help distribute the load weight, and a single set of wheels in the back.

The wheels located below the operator ensure a tighter turn radius. The operator is able to navigate in and out of narrow aisles and reach significant heights, without facing any lifting capacity issue.  Typically, a reach truck can work for racks up to 30 feet. A reach truck is suitable only if you need that higher lift capability.

Types Based On Working Principle 

Popular for their extended lift height, industrial reach forklift trucks are ideal in any warehousing situation with high rise storage pallet racking. There are different types of reach forklift truck that are best suited to a range of situations:

  • Pantograph reach truck: It works on the principle of scissor mechanism known as pantograph that enables the forks and load to extend forward to “reach” into a rack with either a double or a single reach configuration design. 
  • Moving mast reach trucks: A moving mast reach truck makes use of a hydraulic system, which is based on rails assisting the whole mast to go ahead. These trucks can efficiently maneuver in narrow aisles as well as in dockside as they are fitted with larger-diameter wheels that offer better ground clearance.

Application

Reach trucks are available in hundreds of configurations to meet varied warehousing and other material handling applications. They are typically found in applications such as cold storage (refrigerated warehousing), narrow aisles, long-load handling, and truck loading/unloading.

Making the Choice

As you decide to get a forklift for your storage facility be it order picker, reach truck, diesel forklift etc, you must ascertain some important factors like:

Area of application

  • Width of aisles
  • Residual capacities
  • Construction design of the machine
  • Lift speed
  • Machine speed
  • Controls 
  • Comfort of the driver etc

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