Forklifts have undergone a major evolution since their launch to the market during the 1920s. These machines are now a lot smarter and stronger. These kinds of machinery have revolutionized the material handling world and have become irreplaceable workhorses within our distribution and warehouse facilities all over the world.
The initial lift trucks roughly 100 years ago, started as really simple pieces of motorized machines which were just capable of transporting pallet loads from one place to another. Nowadays, extremely sophisticated units are available in the marketplace. These models are available in different weight capacities, many lifting heights and different designs. Additionally, these kinds of equipments come with various ergonomic designs to improve operator comfort and a lot of new safety features. Keeping the operator as comfortable as possible could really increase the overall efficiency attained during a shift.
One of the only remaining universal features which are on the huge variety of lift trucks available nowadays are the tires which move the machinery and the forks that are utilized to lift loads. The basic design and application of various types of forklifts utilized in distribution facilities, warehousing applications and manufacturing facilities is covered in this specific article.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
Counterbalanced Lift Trucks include: Internal Combustion or IC units, as well as Electric Trucks.
Narrow-Aisle Forklifts
Narrow Aisle Forklifts comprise: Reach Trucks, Order Pickers and Turret Trucks.
Low Lift Pallet Trucks or Pallet Jacks
Pallets Jacks include Electric-Powered Pallet Trucks and Non-Powered Pallet Trucks.
Counterbalanced Forklift Trucks
The lift truck is the most common kind of lift truck. This unit is the counterbalanced, sit-down type. A weight situated in the equipment's back is responsible for counterbalancing the load's weight. The counterbalance is what prevents the forklift the truck from tipping over.
Counterbalanced lift trucks will normally have lifting heights of around 16 feet, or 189 inches. Moreover, these units are capable of lifting a range between 4,000 to 6,500 pounds. Counterbalanced lift trucks come outfitted with backup alarms and various other kinds of safety features like lights.
About 60% percent are electric models and roughly 40% percent are IC units. Each type of forklift has a specific place and is ideal to accomplish lots of various tasks. Depending on whether or not you would be using the machinery outdoors or indoors and what kind of surfaces and terrain you would be operating on, as well as what specific types of loads you would be using determines the type of forklift which you would choose.