How do I avoid my forklift tipping over when cornering?

Speed is of the essence in intralogistics. But accident prevention and work safety remain the absolute priority in warehouses. The danger increases when forklift trucks attempt to corner at high speed, potentially causing the vehicle to keel over. Assistance systems can help effectively reduce the risk.

As is often the case, the answer is computer-controlled. Corresponding assistance systems automatically adjust vehicle speed when cornering. These solutions are therefore able to provide an advance antidote to critical situations – preventing harm to the load, to the truck, and, last but not least, to the human operator.

Automatic speed adjustment

“Speed limits dependent upon the angle of steering when cornering”– that is how forklift truck maker STILL, headquartered in Hamburg, describes the solution. It may sound complicated, but ultimately it is very simple – and an effective way of preventing trucks from toppling over when taking a bend. Curve Speed Control is a smart assistant that manages forklift driving speed automatically in accordance with the cornering angle. As a result, the operator does not have to think about their velocity when taking a bend. The vehicle brakes of its own accord, with precisely the force required, ensuring the operator can drive with sufficient speed, but also with sufficient safety.

The Linde Material Handling Curve Assist  is based on a similar principle. It, too, automatically lowers the truck’s speed at corners as a function of the angle of steering. This reduces the risk of the vehicle tipping over and also minimizes the load on the tires. The smart solution is now available as standard equipment in a variety of vehicle ranges. And they secure excellent results in what is known as the lateral stability test (L test).

The L test: ensuring safety at speed

ISO 22915 defines stability criteria for industrial trucks. In the past, this was verified by means of a stationary vehicle on a tilting platform. But in practice, accidents still occur, especially when trucks topple over when cornering. As a result, the need arose for a dynamic test. The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) therefore created a lateral stability test, also known simply as the L test (EN 16203:2014).

During the L test, an unloaded truck initially accelerates with lowered forks along an exactly defined track to 90 percent of its maximum speed. Then comes the test proper: after entering the maneuvering zone, the operator turns the vehicles quickly but uniformly through a 90-degree angle to take a corner. There is a predefined course layout that takes into account the truck’s dimensions, with predefined limits. Linde Material Handling forklifts performed particularly well. Every model passed all test runs, even without Curve Assist – thanks to the high steering axle and low center of gravity.

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