Curtiss-Wright Industrial Division and Leane International – our distributor in Italy – have today announced a partnership to supply a leading material handling vehicle OEM with bespoke JC1200 joystick controllers for use on its range of lift trucks.
Commenting on the project, valued in excess of £2 million over five years, Andrew Thornton, VP of Global Sales & Marketing of Curtiss-Wright Industrial Division says: “With a trust that’s been established through the long-term relationship with our distributor, Leane International, we were able to work closely with the customer to develop a customized joystick controller to provide lift truck operators with an ergonomic solution that ensures safe and efficient vehicle performance.”
While the main architecture of the JC1200 was retained to ensure life and strength performance, teams from both Curtiss-Wright and the vehicle OEM worked closely to design a new paddle assembly with a different shape and contour to the standard joystick controller. With the redesign handled by Curtiss-Wright Industrial Division’s teams at its UK headquarters, the company was able to create both digital and physical 3D models for the lift truck manufacturer, with an ultra-quick turnaround to meets the customer’s needs.
Having received full approval from the OEM, the bespoke JC1200 controllers are now being shipped direct from Curtiss-Wright’s manufacturing facility in China to Leane International in Italy, where they undergo final assembly to apply distinctive snap-on caps to each JC1200 depending on the function of the paddle controller. Up to six joysticks are used in each lift truck, with functions including lift, lower, extend, retract, spread and narrow.
The JC1200 paddle joystick is ideal for control panels and armrests for industrial trucks and agricultural/construction machinery where cost-effective, long-life operator controls are essential. Long-life bearing systems and Hall-effect technology means the JC1200 achieves 40 million cycles while providing smooth, easy-to-operate functionality.
Featuring a 9mm under-panel depth and requiring minimal installation space, the JC1200 benefits from spring-loaded return-to-center/return-to-end paddle movement and integrated panel seal ensuring IP67 protection.
The JC1200 is available with a 5Vdc supply voltage and optional factory-programmable electronics configured to one of two analog voltage outputs (0.5-4.5V or 1.0-4.0V). It provides safety functionality via dual outputs, set to positive or negative ramps, or a combination of both providing system designers the option to compare output signals for error checking.
