High-performance lift trucks are a vital ingredient in high-throughput material handling. But only by optimising your lift truck fleet’s uptime and minimising disruption can you achieve sustainable efficiency improvements. InfoLink 2.5, the latest iteration of Crown’s InfoLink fleet management tool system, enables managers to capture and analyse the dynamic performance characteristics of their lift truck fleets in real time. At the press of a button, the system analyses the workloads and performance of vehicles and drivers across multiple sites. User-friendly displays quickly alert managers to potentially disruptive factors in the logistics chain, helping them reduce downtime and cut costs.
While developing InfoLink 2.5, Crown identified the six key areas that influence efficient fleet management. These include compliance, impacts, equipment, operators, energy consumption and maintenance. InfoLink was designed from the ground up to handle all six key areas, and the individual modules are seamlessly integrated with one another. The resulting solution is capable of running automated processes that collate and analyse all relevant data in real time, with no errors and no manual intervention.
A cockpit for fleet managers
Fleet managers running InfoLink 2.5 can compare the actual performance of warehouse shifts or entire sites against performance targets. The relevant information is displayed in intuitive graphical format, and colour-coded status indicators make navigation simple and straightforward. Users can see immediately whether the core elements in real-time processes are running optimally (green), require attention (yellow) or need immediate action (red). For example, if, in 30 days’ time, the number of licensed operators in a fleet is forecast to drop below a predefined level, the “compliance” status indicator can provide a warning in time to allow for further training. A single click generates an instantaneous analysis of the situation by equipment type or operator, so managers can take swift action to resolve the problem before it becomes critical.
When in-depth information is required, InfoLink can generate minutely detailed reports – by driver, lift truck and time period. Because reports can be customised using specific criteria, it is just as easy to generate a personal report for an individual driver as it is to produce a broad overview for senior management. This gives everybody in the logistical chain a clear idea of how actual performance compares to operational targets.
Take control of equipment failures and industrial accidents
Nothing jeopardises efficient processes as much as unplanned downtime, whether caused by accidents or equipment failure. InfoLink provides precise data on vehicle status every time a new operator logs on, via start-up inspection checklists. Items in need of attention are immediately flagged. If the condition is deemed unsafe the truck can be automatically locked out and an e-mail notification sent to the maintenance department for action. Damage and truck abuse are reduced through a proprietary technology which measures impacts while virtually eliminating false alarms. InfoLink’s preventative maintenance tracking utilises actual run time rather than calendar scheduling to ensure timely maintenance. The system even provides a forecast so you can predict the maintenance workload well ahead of demand. Downtime is reduced to the barest minimum.
But safe, well-maintained machinery is not the only factor that prevents unplanned downtime. Two other issues are often involved – unauthorised and unqualified operators. To avoid these issues, InfoLink tracks operator profiles, together with details of their individual certificates and training histories. The vehicles themselves are secured by access codes, so they cannot be operated without appropriate authorisation. This integrated approach has another advantage: operator skills can be matched to lift truck operating schedules. This means training requirements can be identified well in advance, avoiding bottlenecks and costly overtime.
InfoLink 2.5 is just one component of the Crown Insite™ productivity suite. The various Crown Insite modules cover all the factors that impact on the smooth, productive operation of your lift truck fleet. The system helps you determine which vehicles are best suited to specific tasks, enables you to control and diagnose the various systems, and analyses all production data and costs. Insite helps you manage your resources efficiently and economically – whether you are in charge of a few individual vehicles or a vast lift truck fleet spread across multiple sites. Each module can be used individually or as part of an integrated solution.
The Crown Insite™ productivity suite: an overview of the modules
• SureSpec™: works out which vehicle is most suitable for the proposed location and application.
• Access 1 2 3®: provides comprehensive system management and diagnostics, thereby guaranteeing optimum performance, fast fault location and maximum uptime.
• InfoLink®: the all-inclusive fleet management system that captures and analyses all your lift truck fleet’s dynamic performance characteristics and acts as a productivity tool for your entire fleet.
• FleetStats™: analyses all your operational data and operating costs over the entire lifetime of your lift trucks and manages them through a centralised reporting system.
Each module can be used individually or as part of an integrated solution.
You can find out more about Crown at www.crown.com
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