Which Pallet truck fits your requirement?
Warehouse managers have different needs when it comes to horizontal movements.
Some managers prefer speed, maneuverability, load capacity or ease of use, while others prefer a vehicle option that will outlast the others and potentially save on maintenance or replacement costs.
Fortunately, Jungheinrich have several options when selecting a pallet truck.
What Factors to Consider
Before deciding which option to use, consider the following factors.
- Size of Facility.
- Criteria to saving money now or later?
- Load handling device (Pallet sizes and weights)
Comparing a manual pallet truck with an electric one isn’t always as easy as apples to apples.
Let’s dig bit deeper:
When to select Hand pallet truck?
A handle drawbar operates the pallet truck lifting device by manual pumping. The pallet truck is moved by pulling on the drawbar. The pallet truck has a mechanism allowing for the rotation of the axis of the drawbar so it can turn safely. Hand pallet trucks are only suitable for use on non-slippery, leveled ground with a slope level of less than 10%.
The advantage of a hand pallet truck is that the operator does not need any special certification. Training to prevent accident risks in the event of a falling load, such as stuck drawbars or locked castors, is necessary however. Because hand pallet trucks don’t have motors they can be relatively light. They can easily be stored in a delivery truck for use at the destination.
There are suitable pallet trucks for each specific use:
- Pallet trucks with short, long or adjustable forks, depending on the load
- Low-noise pallet trucks: for unloading in populated areas at night
- Extra-flat pallet trucks (low-profile)
- Quick lift pallet trucks: require fewer pump strokes to lift a load
When to select Electric pallet truck?
An electric pallet truck moves by means of an electric traction motor operated from the drawbar. It lifts using a hydraulic pump driven by the electric motor. Thus the whole pallet truck is motorized. With the electric pallet truck, no physical effort is required from the operator. It can cover more intensive handling applications and longer distances than the hand pallet truck.
A Powered Pallet Truck is ideal for moving palletized items over medium to long distances on even surfaces, or for reducing the strain on employees using Manual Pallet Trucks regularly throughout the day.
Selecting the right Electric Pallet Truck is very much dependent on the weight of the load you are moving and how frequently and far you are driving the truck. Be sure to choose a truck with a load capacity to suit the maximum weight you need to move and, if you are using the truck regularly, you might want to avoid trucks designed purely for lighter usage.
Finally you will need to select the applicable fork dimensions. A fork length of around 1150mm tends to be the most common but depending on the Pallets being transported, or space you have to work in, other configurations may suit you better.
Some added deciding factors:
In addition to these factors, there may be more specific criteria required by specific application business. For example, you can choose a stainless steel pallet truck if the work to be carried out is in a corrosive or hygienic environment. You can also add a scale function to your pallet truck so you can weigh pallets for applications that require weight information, such as transportation. You will also need make sure that the pallets you need to handle are standard size and note their dimensions.
Let’s make it bit easy for you
