Crown Equipment is giving order pickers their greatest update ever with new technology for the company’s pallet trucks that offers a substantial efficiency boost.
The Crown QuickPick™ Remote Order Picking Technology utilizes a special glove that remotely controls the movement of the pallet truck andis now being rolled out throughout the Southeast Asia region.
The system uses task-automating technologies to simplify workflow and optimize the order picking process, thereby increasing productivity and reducing operator fatigue.
QuickPick™ Remote is compatible with the Crown PC 4500 Series centre console rider pallet trucks and GPC 3060 Series low level order pickers.
Greg Facer, general manager – Crown Insite and technology business development Pacific Rim, said Crown’s designers saw the potential to integrate rider pallet trucks and low level order pickers with beneficial new technology in the same way it does with its counterbalance forklifts and reach trucks.
“Our design team looked at how we could improve efficiency to more of our equipment range through technological innovation,” Mr Facer said.
“Research found that with rider pallet trucks, the operator steps up and down from the driving platform frequently, taking many unproductive steps during the picking process.
“We realised if we could design and engineer a means of remotely controlling the truck, we could save around 70 percent of the steps operators take getting on and off the platform and significantly reduce the number of unproductive steps.”
Crown developed a system that literally puts the power to advance the truck in the hands of operators, even when they are not on the truck. While the QuickPick Remote system is simple to use, Crown engineers overcame considerable challenges in bringing it to fruition.
“The transceiver glove and trigger has to ‘pair’ with individual trucks in a way that would allow multiple trucks to be controlled by multiple operators in the same work environment,” Mr Facer said.
“This is similar in principle to how individuals can pair their mobile phones with a Bluetooth hands-free device in passenger vehicles but at a more advanced level, allowing operators to work independently of each other without interference.
After pairing, operators simply double click the button embedded in the glove to move the truck to the next picking location.
“Because there are often random cartons in warehouse aisles, the truck needed to have a means of ‘sensing’ such obstacles and avoiding contact. This was achieved by mounting lasers to the front of the vehicle that inform the truck of any obstacles, activating the braking system.
“Through its ability to detect obstacles in the path of the truck with lasers, QuickPick Remote also enables the system to work with Crown’s Access 1 2 3® Comprehensive System Control that initiates minor corrections to the travel path to keep the truck moving down the aisle.
“The wireless transceiver glove and trigger modules also include horn and brake buttons for added safety and control.”
“Low-level order picking is a fast-paced, physically demanding job where operator fatigue has a significant impact on productivity. In fact, customers tell us that any improvements in the picking process would contribute to noticeable operational gains,” Mr. Facer said.
This technology enables operators to remain behind the forks, working in the optimum position for picking while maintaining a consistent rhythm and pace, resulting in increased productivity and reduced fatigue.”
A video of the QuickPick Advance Remote system can be viewed at news.crown.com.
PHOTOS AND CAPTIONS:
High resolution images are available on request via: david.sultana@crown.com.
Order selectors simply press a button on the wireless transceiver glove to remotely advance the truck to the next pick location.
QuickPick™ Remote helps reduce the number of steps order selectors take on and off the platform by up to 70 per cent.
Access 1 2 3 technology provides advanced diagnostics to pinpoint problems, view inputs and outputs and test components to minimise downtime.
About Crown Equipment Corporation
Crown is one of the world’s largest material handling companies with a reputation for award-winning product design, advanced engineering and technology, and superior after-sale service. Crown’s business philosophy utilizes vertically integrated processes to design, manufacture and distribute forward-thinking, innovative solutions that improve customers’ productivity and operating efficiency. Crown produces a broad range of forklifts as well as automation and fleet management technologies.
The company’s global headquarters is located in New Bremen, Ohio, USA, with regional headquarters in Australia, China, Germany and Singapore. Its employees number more than 12,000 worldwide. Crown operates a service and distribution network that exceeds 500 retail locations in over 80 countries. To learn more about Crown’s ideas for helping customers advance the productivity of their operations, visit crown.com.
You can also view our online newsroom at http:www.crown.com
Contacts:
David Sultana
Crown Equipment (Singapore) Pte Ltd
+65 6690 1860
Nigel Tunnel Jones
PR Communications
+61 428 973 672