A stock picker or order picker machinery is very like a regular forklift. It has hydraulic blades able to raise a pallet. Order pickers can also lift the operator up to high places, which is a feature that lift trucks currently do not offer. Typically, order pickers are powered by electricity. These equipment are mainly utilized in a warehouse environment. Most often they are utilized for moving pallets and finishing certain jobs in the shelving and stocking department.
The order picker operator sits up on a platform where they operate the controls. These controls help to direct the machinery backwards, forwards or steer it from side to side. Once the operator has positioned the unit in place the forks can be lifted up to the required level that makes it convenient for the operator. For example, if the materials required, are located on a shelf that the operator could not reach, then whole platform is capable of being 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 lowered back to its original position after the order has been picked. The order picker is then driven or directed to its next location. With the majority of models, it is possible to move the order picker while the platform is raised, however, some businesses may have procedures and policies in place preventing such maneuvers for safety reasons. An order picker is also able to place pallets on a shelf. Stackers and forklifts may be utilized to finish these particular jobs at some companies instead.