Power Trucks Give Flexibility
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WHILST the closest attention might VV be paid to the purchase of materials in the cheapest markets, time and motion studies, and the installation of modern and faster machine tools, the major field for adopting economies—the study of the movement of materials— was far too often ignored. This was a point from the paper by C. F. Shipp, in which the author dealt with power trucks.
The extent of the benefits of installing power trucks would obviously depend on the type and capacity of the trucks, working conditions, loads to be carried, and so on. The author gave a rough idea of the possible saving in labour costs alone by assuming that a hand truck carried a load of 6 cwt. at an average speed of 2 m.p.h., whilst the power truck carried 30 cwt. at 5 m.p.h. on the same journey. The labour cost per ton would be nearly 12 times as great with the hand truck. An important feature of the powertruck system was its great flexibility, in that it was readily adaptable to factory extensions or developments, rnodifica lions in layout, and changes in the weights and dimensions of loads. Mr. . Shipp had the conveyor system in mind • when making these ob...ervations. The fork-lift truck was fundamentally a stacking machine, its duties differing basically from those of the normal runabout truck. The fork truck was an expensive machine which Ought: not to have to travel farther than was necessary. For this reason it should not replace the runabout truck. . It was important to have the right number of power trucks available for any particular job, as one fewer than the minimum on a specific unloading or loading operation might easily put the chain "out of step."
As an example of the use of trucks with elevating platforms, the author quoted the case of a large paper mill where 15 men were employed to wheel „pulp in barrows. Each man moved a bale at a time, the bale weighing about 6 cwt. Three power trucks were introduced, and each carried eight bales t, a time on a stiliage, the work being carried out easier, quicker and cheaper.