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Facelift for Eco-friendly Jungheinrich Hydrostatic Drive Trucks
This summer Jungheinrich is launching the latest edition of its hydrostatically driven 3s, 4s, and 5s series forklift trucks. Thanks to a newly developed control system, these hydrostatic drives feature a higher degree of energy efficiency than before and deliver top throughput performance, coupled with extremely low fuel consumption.
The focus of the new facelift was on the complete reengineering of the VFG 425s-435s series trucks. Originally launched in 2008, this successful range of forklifts is equipped with the latest generation of diesel engines, consisting of common-rail engine technology from Volkswagen. Based on automotive engineering, the drive engine guarantees low fuel consumption and low vibration levels coupled with reduced exhaust and noise emissions. “Thanks to the common rail technology and standard-equipment diesel particle filter, this engine satisfies the stringent directives of the Stage III B European exhaust emission regulations,” reports Marek Scheithauer, Head of Product Management IC Engine Powered Forklift Trucks at Jungheinrich.
New Displacement Pump Increases Efficiency By Up to 20 Percent
Among other changes, the new facelift involved replacing the old hydraulic fixed-displacement pumps employed in the 4s series with a new variable displacement pump. “This kind of pump delivers exactly the right amount of oil for the operational hydraulics,” explains Scheithauer. “In practice this means an increase of up to 20 percent in the efficiency of the lift and hydraulic functions.” Both the variable displacement pumps and the wheel motors come from Bosch Rexroth. The outstanding throughput rates, coupled with the truck’s extremely low fuel consumption, go back to the cutting-edge system control, which is based on the latest generation of control hardware and software developed in-house at Jungheinrich.
Economical and Eco-friendly: Jungheinrich IC Engines
“The new engine design combined with the standard diesel particulate filter not only meets the stringent requirements of the Stage III B European emission directive, but contributes – in conjunction with the other changes – to significantly improved energy efficiency. This leads on average to a reduction in fuel consumption of around eight percent over the entire series,” adds Scheithauer, “saving money, reducing CO2 emissions and protecting the environment.”
“The characteristics of hydrostatic drives translate into excellent driver comfort and high material handling rates, especially in intensive operations,” relates Scheithauer. During lifting operations, the engine speed increases automatically. Thanks to the hydrostatic drive, steering and operational hydraulic operations are direct, precise and effortless. With five pre-set operating programs – from reduced performance parameters for optimising energy conservation to working at maximum handling capacity – at the press of a button the driver can adjust the operational characteristics immediately to suit the job on hand.
New Compact Mast Improves Visibility By Up to 85 Percent
In addition, with the facelift the Jungheinrich IC-powered 3s and 4s series trucks now feature the all-new compact mast showcased at CeMAT 2014. The driver’s field of vision has been significantly expanded as a result of the compact nesting of sections, optimised hose and chain guides as well as two openings in the crossbar. According to Marek Scheithauer, “With the new mast layout we have managed to improve driver visibility by up to 85 percent!”
The special design of the control panel gives the driver an excellent view of the payload and fork tips. A strut-free, safety glass window in the overhead guard gives the operator an unobstructed upward view when stacking and retrieving pallets. The low upper edge of the counterweight ensures a clear view to the rear.
The operating concept, including the control system, is completely new in all three production series trucks. Technical innovations in the “driver-surround cockpit” include the new Duo Pilot integrated in the new multi-adjustable arm rest. The new Duo Pilot gives the driver full, accurate and sensitive control of all vehicle functions and, like the advanced Solo Pilots and Multi Pilots, can optionally be freely configured and adapted to suit the driver and operation. In Scheithauer’s words, “the sensitive control of the vehicle moreover adds up to a further increase in handling capacity.”
Safety-oriented Design Ensures Low Centre of Gravity, High Stability
Jungheinrich IC engine powered forklifts with hydrostatic drive deliver a high level of safety in daily operations. The trucks boast high stability due to their extremely low centre of gravity. This is largely down to the special counterweight design and the rear axle floating over the wheel suspension. This means the truck does not need an additional electronic stability program. This principle has been successfully applied since 2004 in the in-house developed Jungheinrich IC engine powered forklifts.
In addition to the inherent construction-related safety features, the hydrostatic drive trucks offer various optional driver assistance systems. For example, Access Control is an assistance system which allows the truck to be operated only after a set sequence of control mechanisms has been performed (closed seat switch, safety belt). The Drive Control assistance system is based on the Curve Control system successfully integrated in Jungheinrich electric trucks for more than ten years. Parallel to speed reduction when cornering, drive speed is restricted when the forklift reaches a set lift height. In the Lift Control package for safe load handling, not only is the tilt speed reduced at a set lift height, but if needed an integrated side shifter is put in a pre-set centre position and the mast tilt angle is shown to the driver on a separate display.
Jungheinrich ranks among the world’s leading companies in the material handling equipment, warehousing and material flow engineering sectors. The company is an intralogistics service and solution provider with manufacturing operations, which offers its customers a comprehensive range of forklift trucks, logistics systems, services and advice. Jungheinrich shares are traded on all German stock exchanges.
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