Yale’s operator assist solution available on more models

Visitors to ProMat can see the expanded availability of Yale Reliant, the company’s advanced operator assist solution, which is now available on 13 additional Yale lift truck models. Electric counterbalanced trucks in the 3000-12,000lb capacity ranges and the company’s very narrow aisle (VNA) turret truck and enclosed end rider join the five other core warehouse models available with the operator assistance technology, which first launched in 2021 as a ‘first-of-its-kind’ solution.

The Yale Reliant solution uses multiple detection technologies to monitor the surrounding environment and the status of the lift truck and load. Where other approaches provide audible alerts, which can get lost in the din of a busy warehouse environment, Yale Reliant automatically adjusts lift truck performance so that operators are alerted by feeling the truck respond, helping reinforce best practices to support truck stability. The system constantly monitors truck and load status to prioritise stability as it implements hydraulic and traction controls. In practice, Yale Reliant can provide warnings and assist with operator awareness by proactively reducing truck speed if it detects something in the monitored area, such as obstacles, other trucks or pedestrians.

“With OSHA estimating that nearly 100,000 injuries involving forklifts occur annually, warehouses are constantly looking for tools that can help support safety efforts for all types of lift truck equipment, from order pickers and reach trucks to end riders and counterbalanced trucks,” says Nic Temple, director of technology solutions at Yale. “But while we’re already breaking new ground with expanded availability on a broader range of lift truck types, operator assist systems are still a relatively new entry to the market. Trade shows like ProMat are the first opportunity for many in the industry to see this technology and its practical application.”

The ProMat booth focuses on detection technologies and advanced truck stability. The detection technologies demonstration shows how Yale Reliant helps operators detect obstacles and implements performance triggers to slow down the truck, providing operators with additional time to brake or steer away. The advanced truck stability demonstration shows how the system implements hydraulic and traction controls to help maintain stability, based on continuous monitoring of truck and load status.

“The booth demonstration is truly representative of real-world capability, not a half-baked solution with narrow capabilities and a limited track record,” says Temple. “We have over 2500 units commercially deployed with this technology, and our detection and automated performance control capabilities prove themselves every day in real-world warehouse environments.”