Custom Tugger Cart Systems
Moving products through a factory, warehouse or distribution center often comes down to the basics: tuggers, material handling carts, trolleys and casters. Tugger cart systems work almost identically to a real train, but on a small, focused scale, designed to be right for your operation. The train itself has a powered tugger operated by a person (like a locomotive) that tows a connected train of several non-powered carts and trolleys.
Track Systems Tugger Carts & Trolleys Can Make Your Material Handling Processes:
- More Flexible
- More Versatile
- More Efficient
- Safer & Faster
Contact us today and our specialists can work with you to understand your needs and design the right tugger cart or train system to maximize profitability in your material handling processes.
What Are Tugger Carts?
Tugger carts or tugger train carts are towed by a tugger, moved by hand or by a forklift. Tugger operators attach one or more non-powered carts in an effort to increase efficiency. They are used within a set path or highway, usually indoors but outdoor applications also exist, to easily transport materials to different workstations. These are most commonly seen within facilities which embrace lean manufacturing or kanban systems for material handling and transportation.
In a tugger cart workflow a train of carts is loaded at the receiving bay or internal “supermarket” and sent back into circulation. Along the path the tugger train will make stops. At each stop, the cart load will either be removed manually and swapped in exchange for the empty totes, or the entire cart will be disconnected from the train and swapped in to replace the empty cart.
Tugger Cart Advantages
Tugger carts have many advantages over the more traditional option of transporting goods via forklift.
Safety
Tugger carts travel a predictable and clearly defined route through a facility. This reduces the risk of a workplace accident. The size and weight difference means incidents that do occur may be less severe. They are naturally smaller than forklifts, creating more space for employees to move safely and efficiently around them without the need to rush. They travel at a lower rate of speed further decreasing the severity of any incidents that may occur.
Efficiency
Tugger carts can travel more efficient paths through warehouses increasing overall efficiency. Unlike forklifts they can travel smoother paths with no need to reverse or turn unnecessarily. They also travel on planned routes with no time spent with empty loads. Finally, unlike forklifts, tugger carts can transport only the material necessary for immediate fulfillment. Limiting the amount of space used through unnecessary overstocked work areas.
Flexibility
Tugger carts also offer flexibility and versatility. They can be loaded with goods of different sizes and quantities.
Reduced cost
Finally, tugger carts offer several cost saving opportunities. They can reduce overall labor costs because a single operator can fulfill multiple workstations quickly with only the necessary goods in the necessary quantities. They reduce the overall demands on the total number of forklifts in a fleet, as well as the individual hours spent on each forklift. This saves the cost of additional labor, additional lifts, and additional maintenance. Finally, their versatility can reduce the costs incurred by material outages caused by insufficient supply.
Tugger Cart Applications
Tugger carts can have many applications including but not limited to distribution centers and manufacturing plants. If your operation utilizes assembly lines, processes orders, requires stock picking, or part transfer then a well designed tugger cart system could help you move product more efficiently. Tugger cart systems are effective in any operation that has separate spaces for replenishment and line side staging, or is moving finished or unfinished goods. They are also useful for the movement of tools, changeover, or maintenance materials.
Types Of Tugger Carts
Mother Daughter Carts
Mother daughter cart systems feature base carts with towing capabilities and casters. These base carts accommodate specially designed inserts called daughters that carry specific goods. Different daughters can be swapped in and out of the base to create greater flexibility and versatility while increasing your systems productivity. Daughter carts are generally designed to handle specific goods in the most efficient way possible and are attached to mother carts.
If your operation requires trains that can handle a variety of goods interchangeably then a mother daughter system may help improve your efficiency.
Standardized mother carts can lower the overall required investment of a system by avoiding the need to implement expensive casters and tow rated frames for carts that would not be utilized all the time. They also increase the flexibility, efficiency, and versatility of your material handling processes by handling the appropriate product in the right quantities.
Kitting Carts
Kitting carts or kit carts are designed to move a kit of materials to produce a product. Tailored to your operation, these carts can help streaming your workflow by delivering the materials you need to produce a product at the same time.
WIP (Work-In-Progress) Carts
If your process requires the movement of unfinished goods from workstation to another, a WIP cart may help you work more efficiently. These carts are designed to help you move goods along your assembly path easily.
Truck Carts
If you need to move goods to shipping quickly and safely truck carts can be a helpful option. Designed to be delivered with the goods on the cart, truck carts are a helpful and efficient way to move products. When your product safely arrives at its destination; unloaded carts can be returned to be refilled and reused.
Custom Tugger Carts
No matter what your needs may be, Track Systems can help you by designed and manufacturing the perfect cart solution to your material handling challenge. Our team can consult with you to help evaluate how a custom tugger cart or system can help streamline your material handling processes. Visit our services page to learn more about how we can help you.
Specifications
| Spec | Min | Max |
| Weight / Capacity (lbs.) | 1000 | 25000 |
| Lenght | 24″ (2′) | 156″ (13′) |
| Width | 24″ (2′) | 53″ (4’5″) |
| Materials | Steal / Stainless Steel |
Technical Detail
| Operation, Functionality, Applications |
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