Crown’s D4 Armrest earns international design award
Crown Equipment Corporation, one of the world’s largest material handling companies, has introduced the D4 Armrest as an option for its Crown C-5 Series, Crown FC Series and Crown SC Series sit-down counterbalance forklifts. It is ergonomically designed to help improve operator experience and comfort, ultimately helping boost productivity throughout the entire operation. The armrest recently captured a GOOD DESIGN® Award, further strengthening Crown’s international recognition for excellence in industrial design.
“Crown designers and engineers conducted extensive field research to ensure the design of our new armrest properly incorporates the operator’s work context, physiological needs and cognitive requirements. The result is one of the industry’s most ergonomically advanced armrests designed for optimal comfort and operation,” said Jared Ranly, marketing product manager, Crown Equipment. “The armrest is vital to providing operators a comfortable, productive work environment that does not leave them with aches and pains at the end of the shift. This is important as warehouse managers struggle to attract and retain skilled employees in a tight labor market.”
The fully adjustable, D4 Armrest features a large surface area with a breathable pad that pulls moisture from the operator’s arm and is replaceable as wear and tear occur. It has an integrated horn button, built-in grab handle and complete up/down and fore/aft adjustment allowing the operator to easily and comfortably operate the forklift in a more productive manner. For the Crown FC Series and Crown SC Series, customers may choose any one of four integrated bionic hydraulic control layout options:
- Fingertip option for operators who require rapid, minimal hand movements to operate, and easy blending of hydraulic functions. It features thumb-activated directional control, a wrist support and optimally spaced soft-touch controls.
- Dual-lever option for operators wearing heavy gloves in freezer and cold storage environments. It features finger-activated direction control and two multi-axis control levers.
- Mini-lever option for operators who require precise control and use a variety of control methods (finger, pinch-grip, etc.). Variable-spaced controls can be field-adjusted to provide spacing versatility to match operator preference.
- Combination option for operators who prefer the dual-lever option for the most used functions but also require the finer hydraulic control for the attachments.
In December 2019, the D4 Armrest earned a GOOD DESIGN® Award from The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture, Art Design and Urban Studies. The competition’s jury honored the vehicles for high-quality design in the industrial category. This recognition marks the 16th GOOD DESIGN Award for Crown.
The introduction of the D4 Armrest is accompanied by new Work Assist® organizers that can be purchased as one of three kits for electric sit-down counterbalance trucks. These magnetized one-pocket, three-pocket and clipboard organizers can be added for additional ergonomic advantages while optimizing operator efficiency and application flexibility.
