An order picker or stock picker equipment is really similar to a typical forklift. It has hydraulic tines able to raise a pallet. Order pickers could also lift the operator up to high places, which is a feature that lift trucks presently do not provide. Typically, order pickers are powered by electricity. These equipment are mostly utilized in a warehouse environment. Usually they are utilized for transporting pallets and doing certain tasks in the shelving and stocking department.
The operator of the oder picker sits up on a platform where they operate the controls. These controls help to direct the machinery forward, backward or steer it from side to side. When the operator has positioned the unit in place the tines could be lifted up to the required level which makes it convenient for the operator. For example, if the materials required, are situated on a shelf which the operator cannot reach, then whole platform can be raised up to certain level. Due to the counterweight situated at the other end, the unit remains balanced, even at higher levels.
The platform is then lowered back to its original position after the order has been picked. The order picker is then directed or driven to its next location. With the majority of models, it is possible to move the order picker while the platform is raised, however, some companies may have procedures and policies in place preventing such maneuvers in the name of safety. An order picker can also put pallets on a shelf. Forklifts and stackers could be used to complete these specific tasks at some companies instead.