Lift trucks have gone through a major evolution since their introduction to the market during the 1920s. These machines are now much stronger and smarter. They have revolutionized the material handling arena and have become exceptional workhorses within our warehouse and distribution facilities all around the world.
At first, during their launch around 100 years ago, forklifts were really simple pieces of motorized machinery made to move pallet loads from one place to another. Nowadays, extremely advanced units flood the marketplace. These units are offered in a wide array of weight capacities, many lifting heights and different designs. In addition, these kinds of vehicles are offered with a variety of ergonomic designs to improve operator comfort and numerous new safety features. Keeping the operator as comfortable as possible could greatly add to the overall efficiency attained during a shift.
A key feature placed on most of the available lift trucks on the market are forks and tires. Tires enable the machine to move around and the forks could lift and carry loads. The basic design and application of various kinds of lift trucks utilized in manufacturing centers, distribution centers and warehousing operations is covered in this particular article.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
Counterbalanced Forklifts include: Electric forklift models and IC or Internal Combustion models.
Narrow-Aisle Forklifts
Narrow Aisle Forklifts comprise: Reach Trucks, Order Pickers and Turret Trucks.
Low Lift Pallet Trucks or Pallet Jacks
In this category, Electric-Powered Pallet Trucks are included, as are Non-Powered Pallet Trucks.
Counterbalanced Forklift Trucks
The most common type of forklift is the counterbalanced sit-down kind of the lift truck. A weight located in the back of this machinery is responsible for counterbalancing the load's weight. The counterbalance is what prevents the forklift the truck from tipping over.
Typically, a counterbalanced lift truck has a lifting height of approximately 16 feet, 189 inches is the most popular. Also, these units are capable of lifting a range between 4,000 to 6,500 pounds. Counterbalanced lift trucks are offered with backup alarms and various other types of safety features like for instance lights.
The forklift market is currently divided into around 60% electric units, with 40% Internal Combustion units. Every kind of lift truck has a specific place and is suited to complete lots of various jobs. Depending on whether or not you will be utilizing the equipment outdoors or inside and what kind of surfaces and terrain you will be operating on, as well as what specific kinds of cargo you will be using determines the kind of forklift that you would select.