USAC Comparative data REPORT
Susan Comfort
Product Manager, Narrow Aisle Products
The Raymond Corporation
Greene, N.Y.
©2011 The Raymond Corporation
©2011 The Raymond Corporation
I. Comparing Productivity
An independent load-handling test demonstrates greater energy efficiency and productivity in a Raymond ® truck versus
comparable Crown models.
Productivity is top priority when choosing a lift truck for busy, fast-paced warehouses and distribution centers. All other factors being
equal, the lift truck that moves the most pallet loads per shift delivers the greatest return on investment.
Among the critical variables in the truck’s efficiency is the ability to run long on a battery charge, so instead of stopping to charge the
battery, the truck can continue to do more work. The best situation is for the truck to move more pallets faster while also using less
energy.
In February 2011, The Raymond Corporation commissioned a study to evaluate productivity and energy efficiency of three of the
leading models. The Model 7400-R45TT Reach-Fork® lift truck, the Model 9600-CSR30T Swing-Reach®, and a Raymond Stand-up
Counterbalanced Model 4250-R40TT were each tested against competing Crown models.
The tests were conducted by PosiCharge™, an independent organization specializing in electric vehicle power systems, test equipment
and vehicle charging stations, with North American headquarters in Monrovia, Calif. The testing was overseen and verified by United
States Auto Club Properties Inc. (USAC), the performance-testing and endorsement arm for USAC, located in Speedway, Ind. The
research was conducted in a test laboratory at the headquarters of The Raymond Corporation in Greene, N.Y.
The research results indicate that the Raymond® Model 7400 Reach-Fork truck took 4 percent less time and used 21 percent less
energy than the Crown Model RR5725-45. The Raymond Model 9600 Swing-Reach truck used 40 percent less energy than the Crown
Model TSP-6000. The research results indicate that the Raymond Model 4250-R40TT Stand-up counterbalanced truck uses 17 percent
less energy and took 9 percent less time than the Crown Model RC5545-40. This difference has significant implications for long-term
productivity and life-cycle ownership costs in actual warehouse duty.
©2011 The Raymond Corporation
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II.
Controlled Conditions
The goal of the test was to quantify and compare the energy consumption and productivity of two comparable Raymond and Crown
trucks (Table 1) when performing identical load-handling tasks. To minimize any performance differences between the trucks that could
be attributed to driver skill, the same three drivers tested each unit. This left the machine capabilities as the only variables. Each driver
ran three trials on the same shuttle course for a total of 48 cycles. The lift truck settings were set to “factory defaults” before each
test and verified before proceeding. Digital stopwatches were used to measure time during the test cycles. Before testing, the lift truck
batteries were completely charged. Battery levels were above 50 percent charge on the battery indicator at all times during testing.
A Xantrex™ Link 10 single-battery bank monitor was used to measure the voltage and current. The overall electricity consumption was
recorded after each run. The vehicle lift heights were preset for 200 inches. The same test load, a steel weight marked at 2,000 lbs.,
was used in all the tests. The load was secured with two strap belts to a wooden pallet.
Table 1. Test Vehicle Specifications
Truck Models
Raymond
7400-R45TT
Crown
RR5725
Raymond
9600-CSR30T
Crown
TSP-6000
Raymond
4250-R40TT
Crown
RC5545-40
Truck Type
Reach
Reach
Turret
Turret
Stand-up
Stand-up
Rating
4,500 lbs.
4,500 lbs.
3,000 lbs.
3,000 lbs.
4,000 lbs.
4,000 lbs.
(High Performance
Lift Standard)
(High Performance
Lift Option equipped)
Tire Type
Cushion
Cushion
Cushion
Cushion
Cushion
Cushion
Drive Systems
Type
AC
AC
AC
AC
AC
AC
Drive System
Power
6.3 kW
N/A
19 kW
N/A
5.2 kW
(2 per truck)
N/A
Hydraulic Control AC
Type
AC
AC
AC
AC
AC
Hydraulic Control 15.8 kW
Power
N/A
20 kW
N/A
10.5 kW
N/A
Power Steering
Type
Electric
Electric
Electric
Hydrostatic
Hydrostatic
Electric
Battery Size
18-125-15
18-125-15
24-125-15
24-125-15
18-155-17
18-155-17
Battery Type
Deka
Deka
Douglas
Douglas
EnerSys
EnerSys
Battery Capacity
875 Ahr
875 Ahr
875 Ahr
875 Ahr
1,240 Ahr
1,240 Ahr
Battery Voltage
36 V
36 V
48 V
48 V
36 V
36 V
Battery Weight
2,496 lb
2,496 lb
3,258 lb
3,258 lb
2,835 lb
2,835 lb
©2011 The Raymond Corporation
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III.
Course Layout
The test course (see Figure 1) required each truck to transport the load over a distance of 110 feet. The test procedure was as follows:
1. The lift trucks were warmed up by running the course for 10 minutes before each phase of testing.
2. The lift truck was placed at Position 1 with the load on the forks, and the battery monitoring system was attached and
activated.
3. The truck started traveling forks first. While halfway down the 110-foot path, the operator initiated the carriage lift toward
the 200-inch height limit.
4. Just before reaching Position 2, the operator turned the truck to face the load drop area. At Position 2 and with the forks
raised to 200 inches, the operator simultaneously reached out and lowered the forks.
5. Upon releasing the load, the operator applied the reach-retract function.
6. The empty vehicle traveled truck first back to Position 1, completing one cycle.
7. Cycle 2 started with travel from Position 1 to Position 2.
a. The reach truck and turret truck lifted to 200" empty, then lowered
8. At Position 2, the operator reached the forks out and in to pick up the load.
9. The truck traveled back to Position 1, ending Cycle 2.
Sixteen cycles constituted one complete trial. The times were then recorded, the power usage data gathering was stopped, and the
ampere-hour and watt-hour information was noted. Each driver was allowed to practice the course with each vehicle to be prepared to
execute the sequence of travel and lift events.
Figure 1. Test Course Layout
110’
Pallet Racks
Position
1
Direction of Travel
Pallet Racks
Truck First
Travel
Forks First
Travel
Area of Pallet Drop
For Reach Trucks
Position
2
200 Inches
Direction of
Travel
Load is
Dropped Off
4 Inches
110’
Truck Travel vs. Lift Height (Steps 3 & 4 of the Test Procedure)
Note 1: Not to Scale
©2011 The Raymond Corporation
Note 2: Cycle 2, the Reach truck and Swing-Reach truck lifted to 200" empty, then lowered
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IV.
Test Results
At the end of the test, PosiCharge representatives analyzed the data and reported the results. The Raymond Model 7400-R45TT ReachFork and the Raymond Model 4250-R40TT used less energy while doing more work. The Raymond Swing-Reach truck used 40 percent
less Ahr than the Crown Model TSP-6000.
Table 2. Reach Truck Performance Summary: Raymond vs. Crown
Raymond Model 7400-R45TT
Raymond Model 4250-R40TT
Average Power
Usage (Ahr) compared with Crown
Total Time
48 cycle time compared with Crown
21% less Ahr
4% less time
17% less Ahr
9% less time
Electrical usage
A higher rate of energy consumption means more battery changes and more batteries used over the life of the truck. It also means
higher electricity cost and loss of productivity while the battery is being charged. Savings in electricity alone are significant.
In testing, the Raymond truck consumed 17-40 percent less energy than the comparable Crown. As Table 3 shows, the Raymond Model
7400-R45TT Reach-Fork truck would save an estimated $3,250 in electricity per truck. The Raymond Model 9600-CSR30T Swing-Reach
truck would save an estimated $11,750 in electricity per truck. The Raymond Model 4250-R40TT stand-up counterbalanced truck would
save an estimated $1,880 in electricity per truck over five years when compared with the Crown truck. This does not account for savings
made possible by carrying fewer batteries and chargers, nor does it include labor savings from charging and changing batteries less often.
Table 3. Energy Consumption Comparison
Reach Truck Model
5-year Electricity Cost
Crown RR5725-45
$15,480*
Raymond 7400-R45TT
$12,230**
Savings with Raymond 7400-R45TT
Turret Truck Model
$3,250
5-year Electricity Cost
Crown TSP-6000
$24,024*
Raymond 9600-CSR30T
$14,414**
Savings with Raymond 9600-CSR30T
Counterbalanced Truck Model
5-year Electricity Cost
$14,730*
Raymond 4250-R40TT
$12,230**
©2011 The Raymond Corporation
* Based on five years of three-shift operation at $0.08/kWh.
** Based on 40 percent energy savings over Crown TSP-6000 as
documented in PosiCharge/USAC test.
$9,610
Crown RC5545-40
Savings with Raymond 4250-R40TT
* Based on five years of three-shift operation at $0.08kWh.
** Based on 21 percent energy savings over Crown RR5725-45 as
documented in PosiCharge/USAC test.
* Based on five years of three-shift operation at $0.08/kWh.
** Based on 17 percent energy savings over Crown RC5545-40 as
documented in PosiCharge/USAC test.
$2,500
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V.Conclusion
1. A higher rate of energy consumption means more battery
changes and more batteries used over the life of the truck.
2. It also means higher electricity cost and loss of productivity
while the battery is being charged. Savings in electricity
alone are significant.
Raymond representatives attributed the superior power
efficiency and higher productivity of the Raymond ACR System™.
The superior engineering of the ACR System delivers more
uptime, fewer battery changes, lower maintenance costs, and
helps you move more product faster. These advantages, along
with simultaneous function controls and improved operator
visibility, translate to lower cost of ownership for customers.
The Difference in Productivity and Energy Advantage: The
research results indicate, that to do the same number of cycles,
the Raymond Model 7400 Reach-Fork truck uses 21 percent
less energy and used 4 percent less time than the Crown Model
RR5725-45. The Raymond Model 9600 Swing-Reach truck uses
40 percent less energy than the Crown Model TSP-6000. The
research results indicate that the Raymond Model 4250-R40TT
stand-up counterbalanced truck uses 17 percent less energy and
used 9 percent less time than the Crown Model RC5545-40. This
difference has significant implications for long-term productivity
and life-cycle ownership costs in actual warehouse duty.
The Raymond Model 7400-R45TT
uses 21 percent less energy and
4 percent less time than Crown’s
Model RR5725-45 (both trucks
equipped with AC lift) to do the
same cycle.
The Raymond Model 9600 uses 40
percent less energy than Crown’s
Model TSP-6000 (both trucks
equipped with high performance
lift system) to do the same cycle.
About The Raymond Corporation
The Raymond Corporation is a global provider of unmatched material
handling technology, expertise and support to increase productivity and
cost-efficiency. High-performance, reliable Raymond lift trucks range
from a full line of manual and electric pallet trucks and walkie stackers to
counterbalanced trucks, Reach-Fork trucks, orderpickers and Swing-Reach
trucks. Through its CustomCare™ approach, Raymond and its Sales and
The Raymond Model
4250-R40TT uses 17 percent
less energy and 9 percent less
time than Crown’s RC5545-40
to do the same cycle.
Service Centers deliver a comprehensive package of personalized enterprise solutions — like the iWarehouse® fleet optimization system, in-depth
industry knowledge and consulting, flexible financing, OSHA-compliant training, and industry-leading asset protection — to optimize warehouse
operations.
For additional information about The Raymond Corporation or to locate a Raymond dealer, visit the company Website at www.raymondcorp.com or
call 800-235-7200. Above. And beyond., ACR System, Raymond, Reach-Fork and Swing-Reach are U.S. trademarks of The Raymond Corporation.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
©2011 The Raymond Corporation
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