Background
Alphaplan Group, headquartered in Hulshout, Belgium, specialises in ultra-flat warehouse floor solutions used globally in very-narrow-aisle (VNA) logistics systems. Its patented FloorShaver and FloorProfiler products grind and certify warehouse floors to tight tolerances required by high-bay racking operations. To demonstrate how floor quality directly affects truck performance in a sales environment, and to support operator training at customer sites, Alphaplan commissioned a purpose-built VR order picker simulator from Polish developer Flint Systems.
The Simulator
Flint Systems built the simulator around a standing-position motion platform designed for order picker operation. The platform delivers tilting and vibration feedback that responds to load weight and surface conditions, with operators able to set load weight directly. The simulation is modelled on the STILL RX-X order picker design, and real floor profile data from Alphaplan-measured warehouse surfaces has been transferred into the virtual environment. Operators can experience how truck behaviour changes across different floor qualities, giving the system direct commercial value alongside its training application.
Training Scope
The simulator covers core competencies for high-bay, narrow-aisle warehouse operations:
- Forward and reverse driving in tight logistics aisles
- Raising and lowering the cabin and working platform
- Maneuvering between racking systems
- Precise positioning relative to warehouse shelves
- Manual package picking and fork-based pallet handling
- Operation on an inductive guidance track, where a floor-embedded cable restricts lateral steering until the operator exits the track
Dual Application
Alphaplan intends the simulator for two parallel uses: skills training for operators working in high-bay warehouses, and live product demonstration at trade fairs and industry conferences. The floor-profile fidelity is central to the sales application. Prospects can feel in real time the difference that Alphaplan's floor grinding solutions make to truck stability and ride quality, without needing to visit a live installation.
