RE: SkidWeigh System , Load Handling Vehicle Monitoring

System
Utilization Reporting In Real Time
Majority of the material handling operations incorrectly assume that lift
truck fleets are operating at 70 to 80 % of utilization, which would
mean that for every 8 hours of working shift, they believe the vehicles
runs about six hours.
Its well known that average lift truck utilization is only about 25% or 2
hours of actual daily operation for material handling operations without
any fleet management.
Standards Data
Most of the operations do not have any engineered standards in order
to measure a lift truck operational utilization. It is well known fact that
the task to arrive at such a standard is not easy one.
It requires time study and even when standards are in place (As of
example measurements of the number of pallets moved per recording
period) , its difficult to measure vehicle utilization against the
standard.
The flow of material might change which means a new standard must
be incorporated. In many cases the input from the lift truck operator is
required to report the work in progress.
Industry Approach For The Lift Truck Utilization Reporting
From the hour meter readings of the ignition run time, traction and
perhaps of the lift time measurements against the recording period
reports are generated as of example YEARTO-DATE history, MONTHLY
history, WEEKLY history and PERIOD history.
Based on collected data and history files per vehicle, departments, etc.
the fleet usage might provide the end user with certain information
and trends as far as fleet utilization. This type of information is not
good enough and in many cases is irrelevant data and will not result in
any improved vehicle utilization of the fleet.
Improved Lift Truck Utilization With Real-Time Data Driven
Operator Activity
In order to achieve immediate improvement it is necessary to manage
lift truck fleet operation at a lower level and in the final analysis to
report productivity results in terms of the vehicle utilization measured
in real-time on an individual basis.
Utilization Factor
Providing that the workload is there and all other elements within the
total material handling operation are in place and working well, there is

no reason why
substantially.

the

lift

truck

utilization

cannot

be

increased

The object of the material handling is to move materials.

The unit of the measurement for the lift truck utilization factor is
provided by measurement of the raw data (driving time loaded, driving
time unloaded, standing time loaded, standing time unloaded, lift time,
number of lifted loads above pre-determined load weight thresholds)
expressed as percentage of pre determined operational sample work
time.
(Pre-determined operational sample work time is specified in the
SkidWeigh System and will depend on the system application)
The degree of utilization factor of utilization considered to be
optimum will depend upon the type of the material handling
operation.
As of example the utilization factor for continuous lift truck haulage
work will be different for the order picker.
Note:

Default utilization factor based on large sample of the raw data collected in
many material handling operations using ACCU-DATA automatic data
collection. (Worldwide Patented Technology, Load Handling Vehicle
Monitoring System) is 18.

Real-Time Visual Information Of Vehicle Utilization

The raw data are read continuously, updated, recorded. Any deviation
from the utilization factor for the particular material handling operation
will provide the operator with visual warning for:
- Under utilization pre-warning with time out shown in seconds
- Under utilization warning
Digital indicator mounted on the vehicle dashboard which shows visual
warning whenever the operator exceeds a pre-programmed under
utilization factor parameter. Display will beep and /or flash and show
visual warning for the duration of the event. Lift truck operators are
constantly reminded of the utilization factor.
Real Time Reporting of Vehicle Utilization
With a constant measurement of lift truck utilization on every lift truck
in real time, everyday you will achieve a consistent increase in
percentage of lift truck hours utilized. The fact that all of the operators
performance is visible all the time, pre-warning of under utilization is
usually in itself a means of improved utilization without any analysis.
With Bolero optional wireless Internet based fleet management
reporting system the operational managers can view and manage their
fleet utilization data from a web browser, anywhere, anytime.

Utilization information is delivered to the right people to your inbox in

form of exception e-mails.