Dealing with density
October 1st 2011 Alex Jones,product marketing manager at Linde Material Handling (UK), outlines a
number of points to consider when running the rule over VNA trucks
The market for VNA (very narrow aisle) trucks has grown
considerably over the years as the need for greater storage
density, operator productivity and cost efficiency within
warehouse racking installations has also increased.
When considering a totally new or reconfiguration of an
existing warehouse operation, there are a number of factors which
will influence both the final design of the installation and the type
of truck used.
1 Density Very narrow aisle installations provide this high
volume storage density, while retaining the flexibility of 100%
product availability and is therefore a very attractive option for
customers. For example, recent developments within the Linde
range now mean that we are able to offer very narrow aisle trucks
with lift heights up to 17250mm, covering most customer
requirements, and this now starts to offer a flexible alternative to
crane solutions.
2 DesignWhen designing a VNA system, the important areas to
be considered are load weight, load size, load stability, aisle
width, guidance type, pallet throughput and shift patterns. Linde
operates a specialist VNA team that works along side any
prospective customer to ensure that customer receives the best
advice and operating solution.
The Linde VNAP design program allows our specialist team to
design a truck to match the exact requirements of every customer
rather than just offering the nearest available truck in a standard
range. Our modular truck system then allows this specific design
to be manufactured.
We are also now able to offer alternative cab designs to assist
those customers who want to order pick within the narrow aisle as
well as handle full pallets.We have also introduced a new picking
cab, with a clear front bulk head and optional new tilting barrier
system, to increase picking efficiency and reduce driver fatigue.
3 Software Another product innovation for the VNA truck
market is our award-winning intelligent software system -
NavMan. NavMan is a semi-automated system that can be
configured to provide an interface for warehouse management
software systems in standard VNA trucks. It operates in a semi
automated mode by taking a signal from the customer's
warehouse management system into the truck control system,
which will then position the truck in the exact location to either
pick or deposit the load in the most efficient manner when
handling full loads. This system ensures that all operators,
whether experienced or novice, can work at the most efficient
rate and reduces the loss in productivity due to the effect of
fatigue at the end of each working shift. It also removes the risk
of human error in misplacing valuable pallets of stock within
very large, very high volume warehouse operations.
4Whole life costs Finally, when looking at VNA options, it is
important to calculate the total lifetime cost of the required fleet
– a calculation often overlooked at point of purchase. At Linde,
we are constantly upgrading our trucks by the use of
maintenance-free, long life components to reduce downtime and
operating costs.We provide 24/7 service support for better fleet
management through our network of 23 national network
centres across the UK and our team of over 1,000 factory trained
technicians.
We can also help customers design and validate existing or
planned warehouse operations for maximum efficiency using our
Stratos warehouse planning and
simulation software. More articles from Linde Material Handling (UK) Ltd: | 
