Since their launch in the material handling business in the 1920s, forklifts have gone through a huge evolution. Today, these machines are much smarter and stronger. These types of equipment have revolutionized the material handling arena and have become exceptional workhorses within our warehouse and distribution centres all over the globe.
The initial lift trucks approximately 100 years ago, started as very simple pieces of motorized equipment which were just capable of moving pallet loads from one place to another. Today, really advanced units are offered in the marketplace. These units are offered in a huge array of weight capacities, many lifting heights and various designs. Moreover, these equipments come with a variety of ergonomic designs to improve operator comfort and many new safety features. Keeping the operator as comfy as possible could really add to the overall productivity attained during a shift.
Among the only remaining universal features which are on the huge range of lift trucks available nowadays are the tires which move the machinery and the forks which are used to pick up loads. The basic design and application of different types of forklifts utilized in manufacturing centers, distribution facilities and warehousing applications is included in this article.
Counterbalanced Lift Trucks
Counterbalanced Forklifts consist of: Electric forklift models and Internal Combustion or IC models.
Narrow-Aisle Lift Trucks
Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks include: Order-Pickers, Turret Trucks and Reach Trucks.
Low Lift Pallet Trucks or Pallet Jacks
In this particular class, Electric-Powered Pallet Trucks are included, as are Non-Powered Pallet Trucks.
Counterbalanced Forklift Trucks
The lift truck is the most common type of lift truck. This model is the sit-down, counterbalanced kind. A weight located in the equipment's back is responsible for counterbalancing the weight of the load. The counterbalance is what prevents the forklift the truck from tipping over.
Counterbalanced lift trucks will typically have lifting heights of roughly 16 feet, or 189 inches. Additionally, these models are capable of lifting a range between 4,000 to 6,500 pounds. Counterbalanced lift trucks come outfitted with backup alarms and other safety features such as lights.
Approximately 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 complete many different jobs. Depending on whether or not you would be using the machine outside or indoors and what particular types of cargo you will be utilizing as well as what type of terrain and surfaces you will be operating on determines the type of lift truck that you would pick.