Lakner, a freight forwarding company, was looking for an extendible drive-in counter which would allow the tray to be pulled out more than a meter from the counter. The idea was to cut the amount of time spent checking in trucks at the gatehouse. Wurster developed a sturdy, quick-slide drawer system enabling Lakner to check-in shipping documents immediately on arrival.
The special drive-in counter can be pulled out almost three times further than a standard check-in counter. To hand over documents, drivers no longer have to climb out of the cabin every time they check in, so that by the time they reach the loading area the system has already processed all their data. No more standing around. No more queues. Normal truck counters can only be pulled out around 400mm - for many companies, clearly an unviable option. By comparison, our truck counter slides out 1.1 metres, straight to the driver's cabin.
The system developed by Wurster uses V2A stainless steel and is fitted in the gatehouse wall directly at the level of the truck cabin. A special protection post prevents vehicles from hitting the counter. To slide the counter out, the operator presses a button to activate an electric motor and push out 3 telescopic drawer sections. Within seconds the counter is in the right position. The counter unit also allows the operator to set the maximum extension length anywhere up to 1.1 metres.
For safety reasons, to operate the drawer you have to shut the document compartment. This is important to make sure you can't trap your fingers. Despite the extraordinary range of the counter, it still holds up to 20kg in weight. Alright, shipping documents are not that heavy - but better safe than sorry!
The size of the counter was restricted by the size of the building into which we had been asked to incorporate the unit. So it only extends back into the gatehouse by 930mm. Overall, however, the unit is quite large: 720mm wide and 280mm high. For space-saving reasons, the drive motor was fitted underneath at the back and only measures 120mm. An ingenious, intricate mechanical device ensures that all three drawer sections slide in and out smoothly.
The truck counter was produced in-house using state-of-the-art machinery: a new TL 3050 laser-cutting machine supplied by Trumpf, equipped with a powerful - yet precise - 5 kW laser capable of slicing through steel plates of up to 20mm in thickness. It was exactly the right tool for the job, as all pre-cut components and drill parts had to fit like a glove. The counter is totally maintenance-free, but in the unlikely event that something should need replacing, all components are available in original, top quality, condition.
