The only constant in today’s warehouse is change. One area that especially illustrates this is order-picking applications. Order picking is the backbone of warehouse operations, helping ensure products are delivered to customers quickly and accurately.
Traditionally, this process was labor-intensive and required workers to manually retrieve items from low- to mid-level shelves using basic forklifts or pallet jacks. These methods, while functional, were limited by their inability to access high shelves without additional equipment, leading to productivity and efficiency concerns.
This limitation became a significant issue with the rise of e-commerce. As e-commerce continues to increase along with customer expectations, warehouses face the challenge of managing an increasing volume of smaller, more specific orders instead of bulk shipments. Consumers are also expecting faster delivery times, which puts immense pressure on companies to streamline their order fulfillment processes.
High-level order picking has become essential for improving efficiency and increasing order fulfillment speed in large warehouses. Storing goods at high rack levels maximizes warehouse space, allowing for the accommodation of more inventory without expanding the facility footprint. The ability to go higher is fueled by technological advances – including automation systems and forklifts – that enable companies to adopt higher racking configurations, such as very narrow aisle (VNA), that allow for denser storage while maintaining accessibility to inventory.
While some companies look to automated systems to support a high-density warehouse, deploying these systems can require significant disruption to warehouse operations. Automated systems also typically require a much higher capital investment.
Elevated operator order picking vehicles have continued to evolve with the growing use of high-density storage applications, offering greater lift heights that allow racking layouts to go higher to optimize storage space and accommodate SKU proliferation. They are designed to operate in narrow aisles and high racking systems, offering stability at height and greater lift and lower performance.
These specialized forklifts are typically narrow and compact, making them well-suited for environments with limited aisle space. Their smaller size allows for better maneuverability in tight areas. The defining feature of an elevated operator order picker is an operator platform that rises along with the forks, placing them at the same height as the shelves or racks so they can pick inventory directly from the shelves.
To keep up with the growing demand for high-level order picking, some elevated operator forklifts have introduced new features designed to help busy order pickers maintain confidence and safety at height while efficiently handling a variety of tasks. This evolution is most notable when it comes to productivity and efficiency.
For instance, greater visibility in high-level order picking applications, especially at height, can increase operator confidence, leading to greater productivity. Order-picking vehicles with enlarged platform windows, optional panoramic overhead guards and openings in the floorboard provide ample views both above and below the operator platform. Building on this concept, forklift designers are making advances that enhance visibility and increase operator confidence by expanding what the operator can see above, below and to each side while working within the aisle and traveling throughout the warehouse.
A mid-console window centered between the operator controls is a recent introduction to the elevated operator order picker that provides a view of the floor below when the platform is raised. This is in addition to a large upper window that offers a wide view of pedestrians, objects and other equipment, as well as openings in the center and on each side of the floorboard to provide clear views directly below.
Beyond operator visibility, the operator compartment has evolved to help enhance safety and efficiency. This includes designs that enable operators to maintain a stable stance, with four points of solid contact with the forklift, during lifting and lowering operations, as well as travel. Modern compartments can often be customized to meet individual operator preferences and application requirements to help boost operational efficiency. They offer operators a wider range of motion and accessibility to a wide pick-face.
Ergonomic controls that can be adjusted to varying heights allow operators the flexibility to work from an optimal position throughout their shifts. Compartments can also be fitted with a variety of accessories, such as device holders, to support operators as they tackle a wide variety of tasks in the dynamic order picking environment.
Advances in mast design that increase lift and lowering speeds further enhance efficiency and productivity. Forklifts that can lift and lower loads more quickly enable workers to move goods at a faster pace, improving throughput, reducing downtime and increasing the overall productivity of a facility.
With forklifts becoming more connected and intelligent, operating systems can now deliver a customizable, interactive, data-rich user experience to enhance operator performance. The intuitive systems monitor inputs from all on-board sensors to provide users with real-time, actionable data relevant to the task at hand, including safety reminders and widgets that display key operating metrics like battery state of charge, hour meter and height indicator.
As companies continue to look for ways to balance rising real estate costs with the demand to meet consumer expectations and e-commerce fulfillment, the need for efficient and safe high-level order picking will continue to grow. Today’s elevated operator order pickers offer a solution to modern order picking by helping managers optimize space utilization while enhancing picking efficiency and safety to help increase throughput.
