Forklifts have gone through a major change ever since their launch to the market in the 1920s. These machines are now much smarter and stronger. They have changed the material handling world and have become irreplaceable workhorses within our distribution and warehouse centres all over the globe.
Initially, during their launch approximately 100 years ago, lift trucks were very simple pieces of motorized equipment made to transport pallet loads from one place to another. These days, extremely sophisticated models are offered in the marketplace. These units are available in different weight capacities, various designs and numerous lifting heights. Additionally, these kinds of vehicles come with different ergonomic designs to improve driver comfort and a lot of new safety features. Keeping the operator as comfy as possible could really add to the overall productivity accomplished during a shift.
One of the only remaining universal features that are on the huge range of forklifts available nowadays are the tires which move the machinery and the forks that are utilized to lift loads. The basic application and design of different types of lift trucks utilized in warehousing applications, manufacturing centers and distribution centers is covered in this particular article.
Counterbalanced Lift Trucks
Counterbalanced Lift Trucks consist of: Electric lift truck models as well as Internal Combustion or IC models.
Narrow-Aisle Forklifts
Narrow Aisle Forklifts consist of: Turret Trucks, Reach Trucks and Order-Pickers.
Low Lift Pallet Jacks or Pallet Trucks
In this particular category, Electric-Powered Pallet Trucks are included, as are Non-Powered Pallet Trucks.
Counterbalanced Forklift Trucks
The forklift is the most common type of lift truck. This unit is the counterbalanced, sit-down type. A weight found in the rear of this equipment is responsible for counterbalancing the weight of the load. The counterbalance is what prevents the forklift the truck from tipping over.
Typically, a counterbalanced lift truck has a lifting height of around 16 feet, 189 inches is the most popular. What's more, these models could lift a range between 4,000 to 6,500 pounds. Counterbalanced forklifts come equipped with backup alarms and different other types of safety features like for instance lights.
Roughly 60% percent are electric models and roughly 40% percent are IC models. Each type of forklift has a specific place and is suited to accomplish a lot of various jobs. Depending on whether or not you will be using the equipment outdoors or inside and what kind of terrain and surfaces you will be operating on, as well as what particular kinds of loads you would be using determines the type of lift truck which you will select.