Increased performance in the tightest space with the NXV very narrow aisle truck

The MX-X (Man-Up) very narrow aisle truck from STILL is well renowned for its exceptional handling capacity. The new NXV (Man-Down) very narrow aisle truck is equally impressive thanks to its comfortable, safe and fast warehouse processes in very narrow aisle warehouses. In contrast to the MX-X, the cabin of the NXV, a so-called Man-Down narrow aisle truck, is not raised at the same time as the load, thus enabling the operator to leave the cabin quickly in an emergency, i.e., to extinguish a fire with a CO2 extinguisher. Active load stabilisation and the fork camera help to avoid collision damage to the rack at storage heights of up to 13.8 m. An additional positioning aid helps to improve safety and speed when picking up load carriers.

Field test at the natural remedies manufacturer Bad Heilbrunner

Based on the naturopathic knowledge of the Benediktbeuren monastery, the wellrenowned manufacturer of medicinal teas, Bad Heilbrunner, combines the latest discoveries in herbal medicine with history and the latest medical advances. "Here in Bad Heilbrunn, we produce, pack and supply around 18,000 pallets of our packs of tea to supermarkets, online retailers and chemists throughout Germany, Austria and Hungary each year," says Head of Logistics Dominik Szekeli, setting out the development of the company that was established in 1967. Today, Bad Heilbrunner is the largest supplier of over the-counter medicinal teas in Germany, with sales of 38 million tea packages. He adds, "In order to maintain our delivery capabilities, we are also bringing our IT and intralogistics equipment up to date. As part of this, we tested the new NXV very narrow aisle truck from STILL in a field test." The truck’s new features impressed the Upper Bavarian tea manufacturer to such an extent that they recently placed an order with STILL for an NXV.

Optimal configuration of the very narrow aisle truck

No two high rack warehouses are the same. Based on the warehouse dimensions, the loads to be transported, the necessary quantity of goods to be moved and potential growth in the future, STILL perfectly configures the truck to the individual customer. Thanks to its modular design, such as the different battery compartments, masts and telescopic or swivel traverse forks, the truck is tailored to the customer’s specific requirements based on an thorough analysis. Thanks to the scalable dimensions, the NXV can also be used flexibly in the tightest spaces with loads of up to 1.5 tonnes and the auxiliary lift means it can reach storage heights of up to 13.8 metres.

Ergonomic components increase performance

Numerous details, such as the ergonomic driver’s seat with optional tilting technology, the proportional seat and foot plate adjustment, the ability to adjust all control elements to the driver’s ergonomic requirements and the panoramic mirror, ensure optimum visibility of the fork tips. All this, in combination with the Joystick 4Plus, ensures intuitive and sensitive operation. The joystick is situated in line with the arm and fits in the hand perfectly. Fatigue-free, intuitive and sensitive truck control helps to improve handling capacity in the warehouse. 

Camera and positioning aids increase safety

The NXV’s new features were thoroughly tested and recorded during day-to-day operation at Bad Heilbrunner GmbH & Co. KG. The new cross-line laser makes it easier to safely and quickly position the forks at height and in the middle of the load carrier when lifting the load carrier.

The driver now has optimum visibility on the driver’s display when lifting the load thanks to the camera installed on the inside of the fork. Monitor visibility in all lighting conditions has been improved thanks to an increased projection area. All this, and the active load stabilisation helps to effectively reduce collision damage at great heights, damage to goods and personal injuries caused by falling loads.

An optional positioning laser on the mast helps to find the correct horizontal position when approaching the rack. When the laser pointer reaches the corresponding mark on the rack, the correct approach point has been reached. The fork camera helps to quickly and seamlessly lift the load to the correct lift height.

Lithium-ion technology ensures excellent availability

The NXV is an efficient and compact bundle of energy and impressed thanks to the Li-Ion technology, which guarantees optimum availability. Intermediate high-speed charging wherever there is a power outlet means you can do away with having to change the battery, thus ensuring greater flexibility. The high service life of the maintenance-free Li-ion battery helps to reduce operating costs and CO2 emissions. What’s more, Li-Ion technology helps to further increase truck availability thanks to the increased capacity of these batteries over lead-acid batteries. 

Variable load lifting thanks to swinging retractable forks

The NXV’s swinging retractable fork is suitable for lifting almost all pallets, and also enables load carriers to be transferred onto a material handling system. The extremely narrow dimensions of the pivoting and reversible swinging retractable fork mean nearly every location of the high bay warehouse can be used optimally. Pallets can thus be sensitively and softly picked up on both the left and right sides of the aisle, without having to turn the NXV. The swivel traverse mechanism, in combination with the active load stabilisation, means loads can be comfortably, quickly and precisely loaded and unloaded. The automatic fork cycle, automatic extending, setting down and retracting of the swinging retractable fork can be achieved at the touch of a button, making work much easier.

Telescopic fork increases storage capacity

The NXV’s exceptionally compact telescopic fork is ideal for particularly narrow aisles. With additional space available in the rack, it is perfect for back-to-back pallet storage. Its fast extension from right to left and vice versa streamlines storage processes.

Load-carrying equipment for every application

STILL offers the right safe and efficient load lifting solutions for every product type. The standard fork can be adjusted by hand. The forks can also be shifted symmetrically in parallel at the touch of a button in the driver’s cabin for quick turnover in the warehouse.

Semi-automatic rack approach possible in the future

The excellent performance data and optimum technical requirements of the NXV have been fully utilised by the OPTISPEED concept and the iGo pilot navigation interface. As part of this, the NXV communicates with the warehouse management system and combines the warehouse processes into an intelligent whole. Once the driver receives an order, the truck knows the next storage location to be approached in the high shelving and takes the pressure off the operator. The truck autonomously finds its way through the warehouse aisles, thus eliminating retrieval errors.

Summary

The NXV optimises performance, ergonomics and safety to meet all usage requirements. The new positioning aids help to increase precision, speed and safety when approaching load carriers. The ergonomics and equipment of the driver’s cabin, and the swivel traverse mechanism have been further improved. The Li-Ion technology’s low energy consumption and operating costs help to further reduce maintenance and operating costs.