Linde Material Handling is expanding the use of software to customise industrial trucks, giving operators a way to adjust selected functions after a forklift has entered service.
The company calls these adaptations Customized Options. More than one-third of its trucks are supplied with at least one option, including both specialist hardware and digital features. A new electrical and electronic architecture connects the physical vehicle with a digital twin from production, allowing functions to be downloaded remotely and parameters to be changed for specific operating conditions.
Applications include automatically lowering radio volume while reversing, reducing speed to 2 km/h when a load exceeds a defined weight or the forks rise above a specified height, and using a rotating beacon to indicate whether the seatbelt is fastened.
Stefan Prokosch, Senior Vice President Customized Solutions at Linde MH, says future in-house material-flow requirements cannot be fully predicted. The software-based approach is intended to reduce the risk that a truck becomes unsuitable simply because warehouse operations change.
Mechanical customisation remains part of the offering, from stainless-steel pallet trucks for food production to specialist forks, adapted controls and heat-resistant wooden joysticks. Linde has also developed a reach-truck attachment for handling heavy paper rolls.
A global interdisciplinary team is developing the options, supported by a graphical editor for creating digital functions and transferring parameter files to individual trucks. For fleet owners, the model could improve asset flexibility as warehouses become more automated and connected.
A multilingual professional experienced in Europe, Canada, and China, Herbert has developed invaluable networks in the automotive and energy industries. He has led high-profile projects involving ENBW, Mercedes-Benz Group, Siemens Group, and the Fraunhofer Institute.