Material Handling Product Innovations of 2021

Graphic Products Introduces Easy-to-Use Bronco Max Printer

The new Graphic Products DuraLabel Bronco Max printer is designed to provide access and ease of use for multiple users, while producing highly durable labels and signs. Connecting the DuraLabel Bronco Max to a network allows users company-wide to send print jobs directly to the printer from their workstations. The included LabelForge PRO software provides information about the supplies loaded in the printer in real-time, allowing the user to print labels/signs without wondering if the right width, material, color, and/or roll length of supplies is currently loaded in the printer. The software provides templates for standard labels to meet regulatory requirements; users can also create custom labels for their individual needs. Max comes with adjustable tape guides and sensors and can print odd-shaped die-cuts. www.graphicproducts.com

Hamilton Introduces 24/7 Endurance Caster Series

Hamilton’s new Endurance series is designed to provide continuous, fail-safe operation. With a maximum load rating of 1000 pounds per caster, the series features the highest-rated industrial casters with the same critical dimensions as the industry’s highest volume product class. Endurance is also the first and only industrial caster series designed with forged kingpinless construction and heat-treated raceways in such a small form factor. That forged steel construction makes Endurance casters well-suited for applications that require 24/7 operation or for applications that are too critical to fail. www.HamiltonCaster.com

Appleton’s CartMover XR Safely Moves Heavy Loads

With a 20,000+ pound capacity, the new CartMover XR is Appleton’s most powerful and flexible CartMover. It has an improved, extreme duty lifting platform and frame and an enhanced ergonomic design that increases worker safety. A four-inch lift height allows for moving a wider-than-ever variety of carts over a greater range of surfaces. Paired with the long life, easy-to-change Lithium Iron Phosphate modular battery, the highly-maneuverable, CartMover XR is ideal for both long-haul moves across a facility, and short moves within a manufacturing cell. It can be equipped with custom hitches to securely connect to a variety of carts, bins, vehicles or other wheeled loads and is customizable to solve specific material handling challenges. www.cart-mover.com.

UniCarriers Forklifts New Electric Pneumatics Trucks Enhance Productivity

Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas has rolled out UniCarriers® Forklifts’ MXS3 and MXS4 Series 3-wheel and 4-wheel electric pneumatics forklifts ranging in capacity from 2,700 to 4,000lbs. The trucks have high levels of serviceability and standard overhead crane battery extraction, which limit the amount of time needed for daily service tasks and checks. Dual 48-volt AC motors (travel and hydraulic) help to increase performance and offer high levels of torque and provide excellent energy efficiency. The trucks also have advanced curve control to limit the speed of the vehicles while cornering. www.logisnextamericas.com

MHS Robotics’ Multi-Pick Robotic End Effector a Good Fit for DCs

The multi-pick robotic end effector introduced this year by MHS Robotics took home a 2021 RBR50 Innovation Award from Robotics Business Review. Unlike end effectors that handle a single item at a time, the multi-pick robotic end effector from MHS Robotics can pick up and hold up to 36 items simultaneously and pack four orders at a time into four separate shipping boxes. Working as part of a goods-to-robot order fulfillment workflow, the solution reportedly offers a throughput rate of up to 90,000 pieces picked and 42,000 orders fulfilled per day. This capability makes it a strong fit for distribution and fulfillment operations with large amounts of multi-item orders to fulfill, such as multi-packs of consumer goods, office supplies and more. www.mhsglobal.com.

Combilift’s Aisle Master-OP Allows Access from Both Sides of Truck

Combilift’s Aisle Master-OP (AME-OP) is a stand-on electric powered model that combines the advantages of a narrow aisle articulated forklift and an order picker for versatile operation in warehousing applications. The step-through operator compartment has a low floor height of just 11in, which enables convenient, single step access from both sides of the truck and speeds up order picking. The AME-OP truck has all the key features of the conventional Aisle Master – indoor/outdoor, for loading/offloading and for stock replenishment at other times during shifts when order picking is complete. Available variants include lift capacities up to 3,300-6,000lbs and lift heights up to 39ft. It can operate in aisles as narrow as 72in. https://combilift.com/us/aisle-master-op/

HEAVYDUTY 20 Anti-Slip Coating Is Ideal for Industrial Environments

Wooster Products’ new HEAVYDUTY 20 is an anti-slip coating that provides high traction and durability for industrial and commercial environments. Part of the Walk-A-Sured® Water Clear Epoxy System, this eco-friendly, two-component epoxy system meets OSHA and ADA standards and ASTM slip-resistance requirements. It contains 100% solids, with no solvents or VOCs, ensuring compatibility with previously installed coatings. HEAVYDUTY 20 is water- solvent- and chemical-resistant and contains polymer grit, which gives it long-lasting added traction. It is ideal for use on industrial floors by machining centers and other oil-prone areas and in auto service stations where oil and grease are common. Available in 1-gallon kits (which cover 150-225 square feet) HEAVYDUTY 20 is easily applied with ¼” nap lint-free epoxy roller. www.WoosterProducts.com

Jib-Master Forklift Crane Converts Any Forklift into A Mobile Crane

The Jib-Master forklift crane from Air Technical Industries is available in several models, such as the JB-4R, which has powered articulating mast rotation, hydraulic boom lift and powered hydraulic telescopic boom retracted 3,000 pounds capacity, extended 2,000 pounds capacity and lifts up to 144” plus height of fork truck lift. The unit is battery powered and features push button remote control. Available options include a personnel basket to lift a person over obstacles and into hard-to-reach places for maintenance or assembly work. With optional pedestal base, unit can be mounted in a fixed location in the plant, or it can be installed on a truck for field work. Other models feature boom types that enable lifting and carrying long tubular items or long rolls of material with a forklift or lifting straight up or down without rotation. www.airtechnical.com/product/jib-master-forklift-cranes/

Cimcorp Robotic Order Fulfillment Systems

Cimcorp, a manufacturer and integrator of turnkey robotic order fulfillment and tire-handling solutions, this year introduced MultiPick, a robotic order fulfillment system for crate picking that can rapidly handle a large volume of products stored in industry-standard crates, trays and totes across a high-density storage area and the Layer Pick, which uses gantry robots equipped with vacuum picking heads and clamp grippers to pick products stored in layered quantities. Cimcorp’s case picking solution integrates an AS/RS with automated case picking and mixed case palletizing— and all managed by a Warehouse Control System. www.cimcorp.com

X-Lock Angle Grinders from Makita Have Innovative Locking Mechanism

Makita U.S.A., Inc.’s angle grinders are equipped with the X-LOCK quick-change system, designed for cutting, grinding and surface prep applications in metalworking. X-LOCK is an accessory locking mechanism integrated into the gear housing for tool-free accessory changes. A click-mount and pull release lever make changing accessories easy and up to 5-times faster than traditional threaded lock-nut mounting. X-LOCK eliminates the possibility of over- or under-tightening the threaded lock spindles. The cordless angle grinders feature an efficient Makita-built brushless motor, that delivers faster grinding. A quick guard rotation allows easy tool-less adjustment for increased productivity. Spiral bevel gears provide smoother rotations and a more efficient transfer of energy for smoother, consistent grinding. Both grinders reportedly feature a rubberized soft grip and a 3-stage LED gauge to indicate battery charge level and are equipped with wire mesh intake covers to help prevent debris from entering the motor. www.makitatools.com.