Exploring the operating characteristics of industrial trucks for various tests of material handling systems

Modern, automated handling systems today must operate efficiently in a dynamically changing environment and therefore cannot be managed with old design methods. In recent years, new methods have emerged for the efficient design and operation of handling systems, of which optimization methods and simulation software are the most frequently used tools in practice. These are very effective, but they usually serve to properly map processes, and therefore they are less able to take the characteristics of technical devices into account. In order to be able to apply these modern computer methods with sufficient efficiency, it is necessary to analyse the properties of technical devices and to explore those parameters which can influence the operation of the handling system. This article presents the first steps of a research project aimed at the accurate modelling of material handling equipment, primarily for simulation tests of handling systems. In addition to a general description and overview, the most important operating characteristics of industrial trucks are presented on the following pages.