What Is a Forklift Crane?

Stacking crane refers to a special crane that uses a fork or a string as a picking device to pick up, handle and stack in a warehouse, workshop, etc. or pick and place unit cargo from a high-level shelf. It is a storage device.

Stacking crane

The stacking crane has the following characteristics:

1. High work efficiency

The stacking crane is a special equipment for the three-dimensional warehouse. It has high handling speed and cargo storage speed. It can complete the warehouse entry and exit operations in a short time. The maximum operating speed of the stacking crane can reach 500m / min.

2. Improve warehouse utilization

The size of the stacking crane itself is small, and it can be operated in a narrow aisle. At the same time, it is suitable for high-level shelf operations and can improve the utilization rate of the warehouse.

3 high degree of automation

The stacking crane can be remotely controlled without manual intervention.

There are many classification methods of stacking cranes, and the main classification forms are as follows:

(I) Classification according to the presence or absence of guide rails

It can be divided into rail stacking cranes and trackless stacking cranes. Among them, rail stacking cranes refer to stacking cranes running along the track in the roadway. Trackless stacking cranes are also called overhead forklifts. The main operating equipment used in the three-dimensional warehouse includes: railway stacking cranes, trackless stacking cranes and ordinary forklifts.

(2) Classification by height

It can be divided into low-level, middle-level and high-level. Among them, the low-level stacking crane refers to a lifting height of less than 5m, which is mainly used in the split-type high-level warehouse and simple three-dimensional warehouse; The lifting height is 5 to 15m. The high-rise stacking crane refers to a lifting height of more than 15m, which is mainly used in an integrated high-rise warehouse.

(III) Classification according to different driving methods

It can be divided into upper driving type, lower driving type and upper and lower driving methods.

(D) according to the degree of automation

Can be divided into manual, semi-automatic and automatic stacking cranes. The manual and semi-automatic stacking cranes have a driver's cab. The automatic stacking cranes do not have a driver's cab. They are controlled by automatic control devices, which can perform automatic addressing and automatic loading and unloading of goods.

(E) Stacking cranes can be divided into bridge stacking cranes and roadway stacking cranes according to different uses.

Bridge-type stacking crane refers to the stacking crane that stacks cargo and is guided by hanging columns; laneway stacking crane refers to the support of metal structures with upper and lower supports. The crane runs along the warehouse lane and loads and loads the items. crane.

The racking system using stacking cranes should be numbered according to the positions of the columns, floors, and rows of the racks in order to achieve automatic access to the designated storage location and the use of electronic computers for inventory management. In fact, most of the latest large-scale three-dimensional automatic warehouses use electronic computers for in-store management. However, in order to save equipment investment, most of the small automatic warehouses still use manual control and semi-automatic control.

First, manual control

Manual control is when the driver checks the cargo position number on the driver's table of the stacking crane, while operating the joystick or button to complete walking, lifting, and loading and unloading of the fork.

Second, semi-automatic control

On the driver's table of the stacking crane, the driver presses the button of the required cargo position number, and the crane automatically completes various actions of walking, lifting, and stops at the designated cargo position number. The movement of the fork is controlled by a manual joystick or by a button. Most of the return actions are automatically returned to the original position by pressing the return button.

Third, fully automatic control

This is a form of unmanned operation. The control panel is installed outside the crane, and the buttons or punch cards are used as instructions. Therefore, as long as the start button is pressed, the remote-control stacking crane can automatically enter and leave the warehouse. Recently, a storage device such as a magnetic core memory is also used to store the inventory amount or variety of each lot number and carry out in-store management.

Fourth, computer control

Set up a ground control panel directly connected to the computer, and enter the storage and entry instructions into the computer for centralized control. The warehouse entry and exit instructions sent by the electronic computer are stored in the front box calculator on the ground control panel. The calculator controls the stacking crane to automatically enter and leave the target cargo while performing warehouse entry and exit location numbers, Variety, frequency and other calculations are implemented in the library management.

In large three-dimensional automatic warehouses, this management method is often adopted. In the small independent rack-type warehouses that have been built, there are also some in-store management using small electronic computers.