In September of this year, Komatsu Forklift USA, Inc. assembled the preproduction models for its new AC drive and hydraulic powered BBX50 series forklifts. The new BBX50 was officially released December 2nd, 2005, at the National Dealer Meeting held at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. This new generation of forklifts has increased performance, power, and reliability while lowering maintenance time and costs. AC-driven lift trucks maintain their battery charge longer than DC. This improves productivity by allowing AC trucks to operate at peak power for longer. Maintenance requirements are reduced, cutting time and costs. End users quickly find out that this combination is key in a tough competitive economy. Along with changes to the drive system, many operator compartment improvements have been implemented. Komatsu Forklift’s goal is to provide the operator with maximum comfort along with maximum performance. With capacity’s ranging from 4,000 to 6,500 pounds, Komatsu Forklift can now target more markets requiring 6,500-pound trucks.

Improvements for the new BBX truck include:
• AC drive motor and AC hydraulic motor
• No brushes or contactors that require periodic maintenance
• No separate power steering motor
• Ramp speed control and ramp start
• Adjustable regenerative braking to conserve power
• Transverse mounted drive motor for improved power transfer efficiency
• Programmable display for speed and performance
• LED headlights

These improvements translate into reduced maintenance costs and higher performance.  Fewer moving parts means fewer parts to replace and maintain. In addition, the elimination of brushes allows AC motors to be much smaller than comparable DC motors. This has helped increase the battery compartment area allowing the use of bigger batteries. The drive power is now adjustable for different speeds. The truck can be set in higher levels for working faster, higher productivity, and for an experienced operator. It can also be set in lower levels for extending operation hours longer or handling easy-to-break cargoes safely. The control unit controls traction motor/hydraulic motor speed, meter panel display, troubleshooting, and communication between controllers.

There is now a faster, smoother response when the operator changes the direction. Furthermore, the BBX50 has more power when climbing a grade than the previous generation. The performance remains at 100% all the way until the battery hits 80% discharge, which is beyond the capabilities of DC power. Power regeneration occurs when the accelerator is released and the truck is coasting as well as when the brake is applied. The Komatsu Operator Presence System is now standard in all trucks disabling the travel and lift/lower functions when the operator is off of the seat. With the introduction of AC technology electric trucks are now able to perform comparably to traditional I.C.E. trucks. The release of Komatsu Forklift’s new BBX50 series continues the company’s acceleration into the future as an industry leader.