Lift trucks have undergone a major change since their introduction to the market in the 1920s. These machines are now much smarter and stronger. They have changed the material handling world and have become exceptional workhorses in our distribution and warehouse centres all around the world.
The initial forklifts roughly 100 years ago, started as very simple pieces of motorized machinery which were just capable of transporting pallet loads from one place to another. These days, extremely sophisticated units are offered in the marketplace. These units are offered in different weight capacities, various designs and numerous lifting heights. Additionally, these machines are offered with different ergonomic designs to improve operator comfort and a lot of new safety features. Keeping the driver as comfy as possible can really add to the overall production attained during a shift.
A key feature placed on the majority of the available lift trucks on the market are tires and forks. Tires enable the machinery to move around and the forks can lift and carry loads. The basic design and application of various kinds of forklifts used in warehousing operations, manufacturing facilities and distribution centers is included in this article.
Counterbalanced Lift Trucks
Counterbalanced Forklifts consist of: Electric forklift models and Internal Combustion or IC units.
Narrow-Aisle Lift Trucks
Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks include: 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 forklift is the most common kind of forklift. This unit is the sit-down, counterbalanced kind. A weight found in the rear of this equipment is responsible for counterbalancing the load's weight. The counterbalance is what prevents the forklift the truck from tipping over.
Counterbalanced forklifts would usually have lifting heights of roughly 16 feet, or 189 inches. As well, these units can lift a range between 4,000 to 6,500 pounds. Counterbalanced lift trucks come equipped with backup alarms and other safety features like for instance lights.
Roughly 60% percent are electric units and around 40% percent are internal combustion units. Each kind of forklift has a particular place and is best to accomplish many different jobs. Depending on whether or not you will be utilizing the machinery outdoors or inside and what kind of surfaces and terrain you would be operating on, as well as what particular types of cargo you will be utilizing determines the kind of forklift which you would pick.