The e-commerce industry is experiencing rapid growth, and high-tech innovations, such as fully autonomous electric lift trucks, are being introduced to improve efficiency in fulfillment processes. Additionally, companies are optimizing the productivity of their lift truck fleets by utilizing low-tech features such as attachment units. Electric trucks are particularly suitable for indoor material handling as they offer high accuracy and safety while minimizing human errors.

Order Fulfillment

According to industry experts, businesses aim to fulfill more orders quickly while ensuring quality and safety. Achieving this goal can help reduce reliance on a shrinking labor force with high turnover rates. In this context, advanced technologies for lift trucks can play a crucial role in meeting these challenges. Kennedy suggests that such technologies can enhance efficiency management and productivity while maintaining safety standards.

Lift truck technology has advanced significantly to improve efficiency management and flexibility in material handling processes. One example is the development of "dual-mode" autonomous lift trucks, which can operate autonomously for repetitive tasks but allow human operators to take control when needed. Technology integration is another crucial factor in ensuring safe operation while optimizing performance. For instance, remote order picking technology can automatically direct a lift truck to the next pick position based on data from the warehouse management system, allowing operators to focus on the picking and placing tasks without returning to the operator compartment frequently. Additionally, lift truck operators can employ voice-directed solutions that interface with the WMS to streamline specific workflows and accelerate throughput.

The selection of trucks or technologies required to maintain a certain level of throughput can vary depending on the operation's needs. Investing in robotic or autonomous trucks or trucks equipped with the latest operator assist features is only sometimes necessary. During assessment sessions with lift truck providers, low-tech solutions can also be identified to address site-specific requirements or functional gaps, significantly enhancing productivity.

Yale has collaborated with its customers to create specialized basket attachments for order pickers that have proven effective in improving productivity. These attachments provide operators a convenient basket-like space to organize products and fill specific orders or batch pick for later consolidation. Yale has worked with several e-commerce and retail companies to develop such attachments for order pickers.

Picking

An additional attachment that can be valuable is the layer picker attachment, which enables lift truck operators to quickly create mixed-SKU pallets by grasping, moving, and placing a whole layer of cases onto a position faster than manually building mixed pallets. Yale developed extra-long forks (measuring 144 inches) for one customer for their fleet's electric trucks. They enclosed end rider pallet jack models, allowing them to move multiple pallets simultaneously and boost throughput.

Combining low-tech solutions like basket attachments with advanced technology such as wireless remote advance often leads to the most significant throughput improvements. A "blueprint" session, also known as an assessment session, with Yale, can identify the optimal mix of lift truck models, technology features, attachments, and rack and layout changes to achieve the maximum benefits.

For instance, an operation might benefit from adding more order picker units and adjusting the racking to accommodate two levels of product picking, with the fastest-moving items on the ground level and the medium movers on the second level.

Autonomous Lift Trucks

E-commerce anticipates an increase in the adoption of autonomous lift trucks as user companies encounter higher volumes and a shortage of operators. A dual-mode independent lift trucks provides the flexibility to function as a regular truck. However, the return on investment typically comes from fully automating specific pallet movement workflows for busy, multi-shift sites.

Nonetheless, the industry emphasizes the significance of the lower-tech aspects of boosting productivity in an electric autonomous truck fleet. This includes collaborating with dealers or OEMs on attachments and seeking guidance on setting up an efficient low-level order-picking operation or a layer-picking area Combined with trucks tailored to specific tasks and operators; these components form a system prioritising accuracy, productivity, and safety. 

If you also wish to integrate and implement the above automation i.e. electric lift trucks, and autonomous trucks in your warehouse management, you need not worry. Contact the 13Sqft team, and we will take care of your needs in a single click. At 13Sqft.com, we have a Competitive Price solution, Customization Facility, Verified Vendors, Pan India Reach, and End-to-End Procurement.