Show of force
April 1st 2004

From heavy duty counterbalance trucks to a series of white papers, Lindes IMHX highlights reflect its comprehensive coverage of the materials handling industry. Here, H&SS rounds up the companys latest developments If you attended last months IMHX, the chances are you will remember the Linde stand. Even if the Linde Ladies from the musical Starlight Express, the ball skills of the Freestylers and the huge stand itself failed to make an impression, you cannot have failed to notice the thousands of give-away Linde footballs being carried around the exhibition each day. This was a truly inspired piece of marketing at one point most of the people at the show seemed to have one, and those that didnt were mobbing the stand to get one! Distracting though Lindes entertainment and hospitality at the exhibition undoubtedly were, the company also kept its audience stimulated with a wide range of new products and initiatives. Perhaps the most notable equipment making it debut was the H 40, H 45 and H 50 series. With this, Linde has extended its 39X hydrostatic range of IC counterbalance truck from 2.0 to 5.0t. Launched in September 2002, the smaller capacity models in the 39X range have proved very successful and Linde anticipates a similar performance from the new trucks in the heavier capacity sector. Safety & productivity Right from the initial design stage, the new trucks have been developed to address the primary customer business issues of achieving high productivity in complete safety, at the lowest price. The spacious cab has been planned to provide the driver with an intuitive interface for enhanced comfort and productivity. The fully adjustable, suspension seat features joystick control integrated in the armrest, which adjusts to suit the individuals preference. The twin short-stroke accelerator pedals require only small foot movements to produce smooth, responsive acceleration. The compact, adjustable steering wheel and hydrostatic power are designed to minimise physical exertion when travelling or manoeuvring, enabling the operator to maintain optimum efficiency throughout the shift. The low chassis and facia design, together with slim yet robust mast profiles give the operator favourable all-round visibility, while the digital instrument display is mounted at eye level to provide a simple, continuous update to the trucks status. Safety and security are provided by the specially designed protection frame, which combines the operators compartment with an integrated overhead guard. The front axle and rear mast are resiliently mounted, which together with the mounted rear axle and engine, is claimed to give unsurpassed levels of comfort when travelling over uneven surfaces. Effectively, the cab is isolated from vibrations, as is the load on the forks, resulting in comfort, stability and control. Another notable feature is the top mounting of the tilt jacks, the resulting geometry of which is said to provide outstanding precision load control in all situations, as well as minimise mast deflections. The high precision hydrostatic transmission operates without a gearbox, clutch differential or conventional brakes. As a result there are far fewer moving or consumable parts. Fuel consumption is significantly reduced while productivity and uptime is enhanced. Hydrostatic transmission is of particular benefit in applications that require rapid and frequent direction changes, such as loading/unloading operation. Physical demands on the operator are minimal and, unlike conventional systems, the Linde transmission suffers no adverse effects from constant forward and reverse movements. Another addition to the 39X range on show for the first time at IMHX was the H 25 CT Compact cushion tyred 2500kg capacity truck. It has been designed to meet demand for compact LPG powered trucks an area that Linde has identified as an important category in the UK engine powered market sector. Providing the flexibility to work in situations where space is tight, this LPG unit can also be used in tasks that require operation both indoors and outside. Effortless manoeuvrability Incorporating the operational, ergonomic and economic benefits found across the whole 39X range, the H 25 CT Compact has an overall length of just 2.5m to the fork face. The hydrostatic power steering is said to enable almost effortless manoeuvrability. Like the larger trucks in the range, the compact unit features a resiliently mounted front axle, mast and steer axle to free the cab and load from vibration. The spacious cab features a fully adjustable seat incorporating fingertip joystick controls. Top mounted tilt cylinders give smooth control with minimal deflection and enable the use of slimmer mast profiles for enhanced visibility. Quiet and fuel efficient, a high torque engine provides reliable and productive performance in busy applications, while low emissions help to make a pleasant working environment, particularly when the truck is used indoors. For those more interested in the reach truck side of the market, Linde exhibited its AC powered Active range. Extending from 1.0 to 2.5t, the range has three categories: Compact 1.0, 1.2 and 1.4t, with a wide range of tilting masts up to 6275mm lift; Standard 1.4, 1.6 and 2.0t, fitted with clearview triplex masts and integrated sideshift as standard for high residual capacities up to 11500mm lift; High capacity 2.5t model designed for heavier loads that exceed the mainstream unit load weights and available with triplex fixed masts and integrated sideshift up to 10050mm lift. All three categories have a spacious, user-friendly operators compartment, designed for ease of use. The full suspension seat has been specially devised for the side-seated position of reach trucks and can be adjusted to suit each individual driver. A full 150mm of height adjustment and electronically controlled lumbar support is standard to ensure every operator has the best driving position. The fingertip joystick controls are available either as dual or single function, while the electric steering incorporates a rheostatic feature, providing a road feel for smooth precision when manoeuvring and travelling. Steering resistance and lock-to-lock ratios can be adjusted to individual preferences. A choice of 180 or 360 steering modes is offered as a standard option. AC drive and lift motors are fitted as standard for maintenance-free performance. Time between standard maintenance routines has also been extended to 1000hrs. Torque/speed ratios, acceleration and top speed are adjustable to match application. Flying the flag for British manufacturing, Linde also showcased its new C4531 03 reach stacker, which is built at the companys ultra-modern heavy-truck facility in Merthyr Tydfil. This latest range of high performance reach stackers features a spacious operator compartment and rugged low profile contoured chassis. Technical enhancements designed to give high productivity combined with low operating costs include a fully integrated CANBUS electronic control system for continuous and seamless management of the key functions. As well as electronic control for engine fuel mixture/exhaust emissions, the range also features the latest transmission developed by Dana-Spicer, the TE27 Series. By coupling this unit with the new Stage 2 Cummins QSM11 engine, Linde says the resulting power and drive package provides the operator with precision control and smooth truck operating characteristics, coupled with economic power utilisation, quieter operation and lower emissions. Linde also used IMHX to announce a series of biannual White Papers that will, the company says, build into a definitive report covering every aspect of contemporary materials handling industry in the UK. Available now, the first is titled Mobile Equipment creating a Safe Working Environment. If you would like a copy of the report or further details on any of the Lindes new trucks, please contact Andrea Ayre via the details below.

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