Linde Safety Pilot System

Preventing tipping accidents

An Intelligent Passenger increasing Your Safety

Counterbalance forklift trucks rarely tip over, but when it happens, it can endanger the driver’s life and cause significant damage to the truck and the load. Tipping is generally caused by driver error so, in order to reduce ‘human error’, Linde has developed a driver assistance system that sets new standards when it comes to safety, introducing the Linde Safety Pilot (LSP).

The Linde Safety Pilot functions like an intelligent passenger and is available in two versions, LSP Select and LSP Active. In both versions, the driver can always see key parameters displayed on a small monitor. If the driving status of the truck becomes critical, warning colors appear on the monitor, and it emits a warning signal. The Active version of the Linde Safety Pilot automatically intervenes in the forklift truck's driving and lifting functions.

Don’t leave it up to Instinct

It’s not easy for a forklift driver to stop a truck from tipping over, particularly if different, unknown loads are regularly being transported. To guarantee their safety, the driver would have to know and be able to precisely assess the load weight, the load centre distance, and the required lift height. This is simply not realistic, and in practice, it often comes down to instinct.

In both the Active and Select versions, the LSP has a range of sensors that measure data such as lift height, tilt angle, and load weight at various locations on the truck. These key values are displayed on a monitor in the driver’s cabin. The driver no longer has to guess the weight of the transported goods or the current lift height, and can now use them to keep an eye on the level of danger.

Prevents multi-truck accidents

Dangerous accidents involving counterbalance forklift trucks tipping over are significantly less likely using the Linde Safety Pilot. Below are the different factors the LSP measures:

Load weight: A highly sensitive sensor measures the pressure in the lift mast's hydraulics. Using known values such as the cylinder diameter and lifting chain gear ratio, the current load weight can be calculated.
Lift height: A specially developed cable length indicator integrated into the lift mast is used for this purpose.
Tilt angle: The accompanying sensors are integrated as standard in all Linde counterbalance forklift trucks.
Load torque (LSP Active only): On the rear axle, there is a newly developed measuring cell that can be used to calculate the load torque or the load centre distance to the front axle.

The LSP monitor displays three different states

Safer working area (green): There are no restrictions.
Threshold (orange): The display lights up orange; this means the payload threshold has almost been reached. LSP Active reduces the tilt speed when lifting.
Critical area (red): The display lights up red; this means the payload limit has been reached. A warning signal also sounds and it is at this point, the LSP Active adjusts the truck's functions.

How LSP Active intervenes while in operation

While lifting: If a heavy load is being lifted that is on the weight limit, the system emits visual and acoustic signals, it also slows down the lifting or tilting movement. If the driver doesn't react, the truck's lifting motion is stopped completely.
While driving: If the driver accelerates the loaded forklift truck too rapidly, brakes too sharply, or goes round corners too quickly, LSP Active intervenes in the driving function. The system compensates for driver error, and prevents the truck from tipping over in most cases.

Work faster and more safely using the convenience functions

Both Select and Active LSP versions have convenient functions that make operating processes safer, and more productive, including:

Pre-setting speed limits
Pre-selecting the lift height using integrated load scales:
- Before a journey, the driver can set the height the goods should be lifted to, meaning adjustments no longer need to be made during handling — which saves time.
- The integrated load scales weigh the goods in seconds, allowing the driver to quickly detect if a truck's maximum load capacity has been reached. An additional feature to this is the ability to adjust the lift height and lowering thresholds, which helps to eliminate damage and accidents in advance — meaning that low warehouse ceilings or uneven floors no longer present a danger.

	LSP Select	LSP Active
Displays on the monitor	Load, lift height, tilt angle, driving speed, steering angle, pre-selected direction of travel (2 pedals / 1 pedal), drive temperature	Load, lift height, tilt angle, driving speed, steering angle, pre-selected direction of travel (2 pedals / 1 pedal), drive temperature Display of current maximum permitted lift height, load center distance, current maximum permitted tilt angle
Active intervention	Not available	Depends on lift height, tilt angle, and driving speed (based on driving or load status)
Convenience functions	Lift height pre-selection, tilt angle pre-selection, lowering threshold, load scales (with tare function), load calculation, truck dynamics setting, energy consumption display, speed limit	Lift height pre-selection, tilt angle pre-selection, lowering threshold, load scales (with tare function), load calculation, truck dynamics setting, energy consumption display, speed limit