The Raymond Corp.: iWAREHOUSE™ SYSTEM OPTIMIZES LIFT TRUCK FLEETS

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

The Raymond Corporation now offers the iWarehouse™ system, an enterprise fleet management solution for warehouse and distribution center managers to collect and analyze real-time lift truck data to maximize fleet productivity and reduce costs.

The iWarehouse system draws real-time, accurate information from the operating systems of Raymond® lift trucks. Warehouse managers can access this information via a custom Web portal to generate reports and benchmark lift truck and operator productivity; diagnose potential lift truck issues remotely; reduce the risk of impacts; and optimize lift truck capital and maintenance costs. The communications system is enabled through an exclusive relationship with ShockWatch®, an industry leader in usage monitoring and impact detection in the handling of goods across a full range of industries.

 “The iWarehouse system provides transparent access to metrics that enable facility managers to reduce labor and maintenance costs, and improve operator productivity like never before,” says David Furman, vice president for The Raymond Corporation. “When a vehicle can communicate real-time information about itself and its activities, it allows for continuous operation improvement. Ultimately, this information can be used to optimize one fleet or multiple fleets of lift trucks in a warehouse or distribution center.”

Revolutionary data gathering
The Raymond iWarehouse system connects to the lift truck vehicle manager with a single connector — the iPort™ — in contrast to the “octopus” design that is found in some lift trucks today and has eight to 12 wires connected to switches, contactors and other external sensors, which add more potential failure points to the lift truck. The data from lift trucks equipped with iWarehouse is not inferred from contactors and sensors, but comes from the vehicle manager itself, for improved accuracy and data quality. The unique architecture enables revolutionary modules that only Raymond can offer.

Modules customize iWarehouse
The iWarehouse system is available with a variety of modules that users can choose to meet their specific needs. The modules enable warehouse managers to collect detailed information about lift truck fleets and even send the lift trucks some instructions.
iAlert™ automatically sends alert code notifications via e-mail to the service technician to identify required maintenance or to provide an early indicator of an impending maintenance issue. The iAlert feature improves maintenance efficiency by telling service technicians which parts to have on hand for fixing problems on a single service call.
iControl™ configures specific operator profiles based on skill level to limit lift speed and acceleration, which are set automatically when the operator signs in to use the truck. Parameters can be updated as operators meet training and experience requirements. iControl also verifies that operator licenses are current and ensures the operator is certified to operate a particular type of lift truck.
iImpact™ notifies warehouse and service managers if there is an impact or other significant event while the truck is in motion. The system can be programmed to limit travel speeds based on the level of the impact.
iVerify™ requires the operator to review the OSHA-mandated operator daily checklist before the lift truck will start and notifies the service manager if an item needs service. If critical items fail inspection, the lift truck will not start until service is performed.
iMetrics™ tracks lift truck usage data for facility managers to determine whether the best truck was used for a specific application, total hours of operation and number of lift trucks used during a given shift. This data helps managers evaluate operator productivity and optimize lift truck fleets.
iTrack™ generates reports on lift truck fleet data by truck, facility, region and company. iTrack allows online access through a personalized Web portal to track parts and labor time for each truck; and generate custom reports that reveal opportunities to save time, maintenance and costs across the enterprise. Vital information, such as best-practice presentations, special warranties, truck specifications and contact information for dealers or service technicians, also is available on the portal.

View Company's products and contact information

http://www.raymondcorp.com

View Similar Products