Fresh on the back of the launch of its innovative pedestrian powered pallet truck last month, Yale Europe Materials Handling has today announced a revolutionary break-through product that is set to change the world of materials handling.
The brand new AF series Hover Platform Pallet Truck uses technology employed by hovercraft vessels – also known as air cushioned vehicles – effectively creating a floating truck.
Product designer, Dr Mortimer Fandango, explains: “We are continually analysing the needs of operators to come up with products that make their working lives easier, more productive and more entertaining.
“Air cushion technology is not new but has never before been seen in the field of materials handling. We believe hover technology is going to revolutionise the world of moving and handling goods with its features and benefits.”
All-terrain vehicle
The new AF series Hover Platform Truck is particularly useful for moving loads in a straight line. Corners are more challenging. However, it is ideal for applications where there is a need to work both indoors and outside as it is capable of travelling over most surfaces including land, water, mud, ice, and quicksand, which are commonplace in many warehouses.
Technological advances
The simple technology behind the hover functionality uses hair dryers to create a large volume of air in a confined space – the hover bag. The air pressure inside the bag causes lift, essentially making the pallet truck float above the surface it is travelling over. One limitation of the technology is that loads are limited to only a few kilograms.
For further information on the range of materials handling equipment from Yale visit www.yale.com.