Project Objective

Deliver a functional prototype of an electrically actuated side-shift, capable of handling the designated load capacity, that is compatible with a 12V power supply, will function in all weather conditions, and has a life of 1,200,000 cycles.

Team

The project team is

• Forrest Ashmore
• Max Meziere
• Nicholas Koch
• Saroop Shrestha
• Shawn Anderson
• Tyler Williams

Customer/Market Requirements

A side-shift system is necessary for any lift vehicle because of imperfect driving and maneuvering. The client needs an electric system to replace the existing hydraulic system.

Design Challenges

• Performance: The actuators will need to function without failure while carrying a minimum specified load; forklift operators will use this function to slide a load to the side while the load is resting on a surface.

• Budget: Slender, electric actuators which fit in the limited space near the carriage that can produce enough torque will be expensive. We must determine if the target production quantity can justify the cost. In the event that the electric actuators are cost prohibitive, then we will develop our own concept from scratch and scaling up this system to meet load, fatigue, and power supply requirements will be more challenging than retrofitting off-the-shelf actuators.

• Integration: Must be integrated so that it is compatible with the existing controls on production Hyster-Yale forklifts. If time allows, the final product will transmit information over the CAN bus used on their forklifts as well. For the purposes of this project, the final product doesn’t necessarily have to be integrated with the truck since we are working with a generic carriage prototype. Possible programming of wireless communication to actuator.

Outcomes

The expected outcomes of the Hyster-Yale Sideshift project are as follows:

• A virtual packaging study of the system, including carriage structure, cable routing, motor selection, and simplified controls.

• A functional mockup of the system constructed out of wood, cable, and an aftermarket winch motor similar to the one proposed for the actual design.