Case Study 4: SP3000 Series Stockpicker

	Technical Drawing, 10/e
	Case Study 4: SP3000 Series Stockpicker

SP3000 Series Stockpicker

At Crown, design plays a key role in the company's success. From its first design award in the early '60s, the company has made a commitment to design. But there is much more to the picture: its character and "chemistry," excellent engineering department, a powerful distribution arm, unprecedented top-down management support, a solid local workforce and its Old World work ethic.

So, while design is important to Crown, it by no means is the sole source of success. Especially at Crown, strength in many areas has provided the fertile soil for design to grow.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Crown has grown into the largest domestic manufacturer of orderpickers. In the electric lift truck industry, we are the leader because we focus a tremendous amount of time, energy and investment into designing safe, ergonomically analyzed, visually inviting and customer/user focused products.

With the new Crown SP 3000, the goal was to provide a bridge between technology and the ultimate user: to create a product that meets the demands of the customer, operator and service personnel by increasing real value and confidence through the use of design and engineering.

The SP 3000 industrial truck lifts 3000 pounds and raises operators on a platform more than 25' in the air. Operators are able to efficiently reach objects placed on inventory racks and place them on pallets for shipment to retailers and consumers. The narrow aisle environment in which these trucks operate allows warehouse customers to maximize storage potential and density in a vertical format and combat floor space problems.

The biggest problem was that nobody in the industry had tried to enhance visibility from the operator's platform. With this product, we also sought to replace two different-sized vehicles with one while trying to keep the important attributes of both. The third issue was to improve the operator's compartment.

Extensive field research helped identify site, function, task and the anthropometric and ergonomic needs of operators in their environment. This, along with brainstorming and problem-solving sessions, are ongoing processes for any project. Shallow logic and testing procedures that are simply "too quick" just do not cut it here at Crown.

Crown's unique approach of blending safety, appearance, human factors, functionality, marketability and serviceability works to find innovation targeted toward the increase of operator efficiencies and benefits. Special attention goes to providing the operator with a refined control-room environment. Visibility, ergonomics, stability and on-demand display electronics all provide instant feedback to ensure operator confidence. The unique low-profile power unit, with power steering, provides excellent responsive turning through a narrow aisle environment and successfully converts two trucks into one unified vehicle.

Improving visibility through and around the mast and power unit required a lot of effort between Design and Engineering, and the result is the most cleanly designed mast in the industry. The steering tiller tilts at five degrees to provide better body positioning and operation. Designed for the operators and the service personnel, the visual display came out of an interface study that looked into both the cognitive and physical aspects of the design. We also designed larger and more flexible storage compartments for a variety of warehousing needs and tasks.

Easy access and removal was a key factor in the design. Large swing-out bay doors provide easy access to the power unit, pump motors, electrical modules and drive train. A service port provides diagnostic readouts, and visual warning lights on the display module warn of scheduled service requirements. We have top battery access so the customer can easily check battery fluid levels and charge the battery. Because of this unique hood approach, the filling and charging of the battery can be easily done without battery removal.

The innovative use of pressure-formed, CNC-trimmed parts for the console and power unit top cover eliminated many steel parts, and the plastic, thermoformed parts reduce manufacturing costs and some of the labor associated with intensive steel fabrications. By molding parts in color, we eliminate painting and scratching; moreover in the molding process we can gain details such as vents, handholds, logos, etc., essentially for free.

At Crown, we believe the product should be an extension of the operator during the performance of daily duties. From a "product specific" visual and sensory point of view, Don Brown, IDSA, (the lead project industrial designer) designed the SP 3000 to be bold, architectural and convey strength. These goals had to be achieved while still reflecting the common design language and family identity of other Crown products. Not only that, but it also had to have its logical place in advancing design as it relates to products in development and those we know will need development in the future.

We know how essential appearance is for product desirability, and that's true not only at the customer level„it has to be everywhere. We go to extremes to create an appearance that is as masterful as it can be. We hide and grind welds, we fit and finish meticulously, we strive for consistency in color in finish. But before all of that, we think the total appearance through over and over again. We require dramatic impact at 50' and a strong "invitational desire" to use and be comfortable in or with our product. We use color to increase brand awareness, strengthen cognitive use of controls and increase the visibility aspects of use.

What does all of this mean to the bottom line? Early reports confirm high acceptance from customers and users, and orders are exceeding supply and our most optimistic expectations. And, as is customary at Crown, we have identified areas for refinement.

At Crown we truly "sweat" all of the details and try to show this with photography designed to educate or reward the various levels of individual perception. We try to portray solid design integrity with our photography and have it carried out through our printed material and all other related areas.

In summary, from all standpoints, not just appearance, we believe our character must give a strong message of excellence and corporate capability. We are very proud of our accomplishments, and we have no intention of resting on our laurels.

For more information on the Crown SP 3000, check out http://www.Crownlift.com/.