Still revamps its high lift pallet trucks

The EXV 14-20 and EXV-SF 14-20 trucks have a wide variety of uses and are characterised by numerous improvements regarding power, precision, ergonomics, compactness, safety/security and environmental responsibility.

High-lift trucks play a key role in intralogistics, because hardly any other industrial truck has such multifunctional uses. Whether for load transport in the pre-storage zone, loading and unloading HGVs or serving storage racks – these compact pedestrian and ride-on machines master warehouse and transport tasks even in the narrowest spaces. To enable them to cover even more customer needs, Still has enlarged its EXV battery-powered high-lift truck series by adding six new models with load capacities of up to 2.0 tonnes.

The EXV 14, 16 and 20 pedestrian high-lift trucks and the EXV-SF 14, 16 and 20 (with a fold-out stand-on platform) are usable as combined pedestrian and ride-on trucks. They are characterised by many innovations, high remaining load-bearing capacities and exceptionally good manoeuvrability, as well as the new slim orange-silver design. The many possible configurations, e.g. a mast selection including a tele-mast, NiHo mast (high stacking under low roof) or triple mast, allow maximum lift heights of up to 5466mm, and the right machine can be configured for every transport task and actual conditions of use, even in a refrigerated warehouse. A powerful 2.3kW 3-phase drive system and a 3.2kW lift motor ensure good driving and lifting performances.    

With a maximum unloaded speed of 10km/h and 8km/h when loaded, the EXV-SF 14-20 models are the fastest trucks on the market and are thus also optimally usable for medium to long distances. The fold-out, air-damped stand-on platform and side guard hoops individually adjustable to the respective body height ensure safety and comfort at the same time. The pneumatically cushioned stand-on platform can be individually adjusted according to the driver’s weight. To guarantee safe cornering, the EXV-SF 14-20 are equipped as standard with the Curve Speed Control Function, which produces automatic, gentle speed reduction on curves. The high-lift trucks with a stand-on platform are also equipped as standard with an articulated tiller which ensures smooth, safe and secure directional stability even when driving at  10km/h. The trucks can also be supplied with the unique Still combination tiller. These tillers can be folded out in ride-on mode, increasing the spacing distance between the driver and truck and allowing driving at 6km/h.

The maximum speed of the pedestrian high-lift trucks is also 6km/h. The EXV 14-20 trucks also have electrical steering as standard and highly sensitive, precise operation thanks to the proportional valve steering control. Still’s Optispeed tiller adjusts the speed automatically depending on the tiller angle. This enables safe working even in particularly confined surroundings. If the truck must also remain drivable with the tiller in a vertical position, this is possible with the creep speed function available as an option.

At the same time, the central positioning of the tiller and optimised grip tiller head of the Still Optispeed tiller allow equally good operation for right and left handed drivers. The haptically differently shaped buttons have a better feel, with a raised area for the lift function and a depression for the lower function. This allows a clear distinction as to which button is for which operation even without looking at them.

Still has increased the lift and lower speeds for more efficiency when stacking in and out. The trucks lift loads at a speed of approx. 0.16m/s, and the forks raise at up to 0.30m/s when unloaded and even reach a top speed of 0.40m/s when lowering. Unnecessary noise emissions are avoided through precise lift and lower control and by an integral cushioning action when lowering, which ensures gentle braking shortly before contact with the floor.

However, the trucks also achieve new best performances in their class with regard to remaining load-bearing capacity. Thus a truck with a triple mast can Still lift 730kg at a lift height h3 of 5,402mm, and as much as 880kg at a height of 4,802mm. The operator can see these values for the current fork height at all times thanks to the innovative and patented load capacity indicator on the mast. This enables even heavy pallets to be stored and retrieved safely at great heights which in turn allows operators to store more goods on the same floor area. 

Another highlight regarding load capacity and robustness is the Initial Lift function. With this option even the EXV 14i to 16i and EXV-SF 14i to 16i can transport 2.0 tonnes on Initial Lift, provided mast lift is not used. This means the trucks are also optimised for the needs of horizontal transport and handle more goods in the same time as trucks without Initial Lift, thus helping save costs to procure additional trucks. Thanks to Initial Lift, the EXV also manages ramp movements effortlessly and offers more ground clearance for uneven floors. The new suspension design for chassis with Initial Lift also guarantees optimum traction at all times, thus transmitting force to the floor effectively.

For efficient use in multi-shift operation, Still offers an optional improved sideways battery change. This is now even easier because the battery is mounted on steel rollers and is pushed out a short distance as soon as the battery clamps are released, thus allowing it to be pulled more easily into the changing frame. Therefore the battery change is completed quickly and is also safer and kinder to the back.

Operators have everything constantly in view through the new display and control unit with a particularly bright, low-reflection and robust colour display. This can be used to select driving programs or read out information about the truck or charge status of the battery. As well as the Boost driving programs for maximum goods handling performance and the Eco energy-saving mode with reduced driving, lifting and lowering speeds, Still now also offers the Blue-Q function as standard on all high-lift trucks. Depending on the use profile and truck equipment, energy savings of up to 7% are achievable in Blue-Q mode in spite of maximum available driving speed. This merely involves adapting the driving parameters without a noticeable drop in goods handling performance. The trucks also show environmental responsibility through very low noise emissions of less than 67dB, and a recyclability of 95%.