Deployment and operation
Daily checks and follow-up
Three forms
A daily check sheet filled by the operator each shift — appearance, sensor lenses, working mechanism, safety edges, buttons, lights, charge, unusual noise. A periodic service sheet signed off monthly, quarterly and annually. A fault log recording time, machine, location, task, symptom, alarm, action, recovery time and any parts used.
Machine record
One file per machine: build and commissioning dates, serial number, cumulative mileage and cycles, parts replaced, servicing, faults, firmware version. It is the only sound basis for deciding whether to replace a part, and it exposes the odd machine out.
House rules
Aisle discipline — running lanes, waiting, docking and charging positions kept clear. Carrier discipline — deformed carriers retired, which matters more to docking success than anything else. Code inspection. Trained and authorised people only. Honest exception reporting rather than restarting to hide a fault. Servicing on schedule.
Three follow-up visits
At one week: confirm normal running, operator competence, open questions. At one month: check that servicing is happening, review the fault log, tune parameters for the first time. At three months: full condition check, actual against designed performance, and recommendations.