NA and VNA Trucks: There are some truck models which have very narrow aisle or VNA features or narrow aisle or NA features. The majority of counterbalanced trucks require a minimum of 11 feet of aisle width in order to operate efficiently and safely. NA trucks however, could function in narrow aisles which are 8 to 10 feet wide. What's more, very narrow aisle or VNA trucks could operate in aisles as narrow as 6 feet wide.
The benefit of using a VNA and NA truck over a traditional lift is that it makes it possible for warehouses to be constructed with narrower aisles. The wider aisles in the warehouses allow for more storage of products in a specific space, which improves cube utilization. The loads transported using Very Narrow Aisle and Narrow Aisle trucks typically are limited to roughly 3000 and 5000 pounds. Reach trucks can function in narrow aisle. Order selectors, turret trucks and rotating mast trucks could work in narrow or very narrow aisles, depending on the specific unit.
Reach Trucks: Reach trucks are specially designed narrow-aisle trucks which are designed for storage and retrieval. They are made of outriggers and telescoping forks which enable the operators to pick up a load and after that retract it over the outriggers. These models are not the best suited for transporting loads quickly over long distances nor for unloading or loading trucks. Like the order selector, reach trucks can be available for lifting heights that are greater than 30 feet.
Turret Trucks and Rotating-Mast Trucks: Similar to standard sit-down forklifts, rotating mast trucks have masts which could rotate in one direction, to a 90 degree angle. This particular feature allows them to operate within a narrow aisle condition. Turret trucks could operate in narrow or very narrow aisle locations. Similar to order selectors, these equipment could lift both the load and the operator. Additionally, they are able to enable the operator to handle loads on either side of an aisle without exiting and re-entering the aisle.
Turret trucks are usually wire or rail guided when they are utilized within very narrow aisles. This way, the operator could focus on the work load at hand since they doesn't need to focus any energy on their driving skills. As turret trucks are considered "operator-up" trucks, they are able to be utilized for item and case picking in addition to full pallet handling.