Lifting comfort to new levels
January 1st 2009

The latest generation of electric counterbalance lift trucks from Yale focus on operator comfort, ease of manoeuvrability and are designed to combine energy efficiency with high productivity

Commenting on the new 1.5 - 2.0t, 3- wheel (VT) and 4-wheel (VF) trucks forklift trucks, Gaurav Anand, Yale product manager, says "The introduction of the VT and VF Series marks a step forward in ergonomic design and operating performance for three and four wheel electric counterbalance trucks." Key to the successful design is the operator module. This offers easy access and a seating position that comfortably accommodates more than 95% of operators worldwide, with a height range from 160cm to in excess of 194cm.

Working in partnership with an industrial design consultancy from Finland, Yale engineers collated data on the changing size of operators to develop an ergonomically advanced operator working environment with, what it believes to be the lowest step height in the industry with 3-point easy access on to the truck, generous headroom and good forward visibility through the new clear view mast.

The new full comfort seat with integral mini-lever control module, integrated direction switch and horn button has been designed in conjunction with seat manufacturer Sears. This is combined with an easy-to-read LCD 'Heads-up Display' and infinitely adjustable steering column with memory tilt and synchronous steering option.

Research shows that operators can spend up to half their time travelling in reverse.

The Yale VT and VF Series has an integrated rear grab handle with horn button as standard and a swivel seat option to help alleviate the impact on the operator when driving in reverse for long periods of time.

The electric trucks have been designed to provide an energy efficient solution at the lowest cost of ownership for a wide range of applications.

Yale VT and VF trucks allow users to determine the 'e-balance' of performance and energy consumption by selecting either the 'eLo' (Energy Saving) or 'HiP' (High Performance) setting for their specific application.

The 'eLo' setting offers the lowest possible energy consumption in each class (2.02Ah per VDI 2198 test cycle) while the 'HiP' setting can be selected for a heavy duty performance cycle or where high productivity is of paramount importance.

Within the 'eLo' and 'HiP' settings are four additional operator performance modes for operational flexibility.

The new Series is available in lift capacities from 1.5 to 2.0t. Short, medium and long wheelbase chassis accommodate a range of 48V DIN battery capacities from 460 to 750Ah and BS battery capacities from 595 to 900Ah, all with side extraction option.

The new extended steering axle of the VF model allows the truck to operate in many existing three-wheel aisles, while having four wheel operating characteristics for indoor and outdoor applications.

More information can be found on the website: www.therightplace.eu.

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