Moves heavier loads
Work that is too heavy or awkward to push by hand can move on a powered vehicle over a defined route.
Tugging and pallet movement.
A tugger tows loaded carts along a route. A pallet-capable vehicle lifts and moves the load itself. Both suit longer runs and heavier work that people currently push or drive.
What does a tugging and pallet movement system do?
A tugging or pallet-movement system moves loaded carts or pallets along a planned route between fixed hand-off points.
Handles multiple carts
A tugger can move a train of carts in one run where the route and coupling method allow it.
Frees a driven vehicle
Repeat runs currently made by a forklift or pallet truck can move to a vehicle dedicated to that route.
What is inside a tugging and pallet movement system?
A tugging system combines the vehicle, coupling or lift method, load carriers, route, charging, and hand-offs. The arrangement follows the load, carrier, route, traffic, and operating pattern.
Vehicle and coupling
The tugger or pallet vehicle, and the hitch, fork, or lift method that engages the load.
Carts or load carriers
The carts, dollies, or pallet types the vehicle is designed to engage, and how they are positioned at each end.
Route, charging and safety
The mapped route, charging positions, and the assessment for a heavier vehicle in shared space.
How the system is specified
The vehicle and handling equipment are selected from the load, carrier, coupling or lift method, route, gradient, traffic, and hand-offs.
- Vehicle class
- Tugger, pallet mover, or autonomous forklift. The class follows the load and how it must be engaged.
- Payload and towing capacity
- Set by the loaded weight, the number of carts in a train, and any gradient on the route.
- Coupling or lift method
- Hitch, fork, or lift, decided by the carts or pallets already in use on your site.
- Route and gradient
- Distance, ramps, floor joints, and turning space at each end.
- Safety and integration
- The assessment for a heavier vehicle sharing aisles, plus signals at pick-up and drop-off.
When tugging or pallet movement is a good fit
Check the load, carrier, coupling or lift method, route, gradient, traffic, and the pick-up and drop-off points.
- Load
- What is towed or lifted, and what does it weigh loaded?
- Carts
- What carriers do you already use, and can they be engaged as they are?
- Route
- How long is the run, and are there ramps or tight turns?
- Traffic
- How much forklift and foot traffic shares the route?
FAQs
Common questions about planned tugging and pallet-movement routes.
Can it use my existing carts?
Sometimes. The coupling method and cart condition decide it. Carts often need a consistent hitch point even when the cart itself is reused.
Is a tugger better than several transport robots?
It can be, where one run can carry several loads. Where stops are spread out and independent, separate vehicles usually work better.
Can it handle ramps?
That depends on the gradient and the loaded weight. Both are checked before the vehicle class is fixed.
Does it replace a forklift?
It can take over repeat, defined runs. Unplanned lifting and one-off moves still need a driver.
Other systems in this category
Compare other warehouse-automation systems.
Return on investment
Use your production figures to explore a simple planning estimate.
Contact Uru Robotics.
Find out whether tugging or pallet movement is right for your operation.