Forklift Truck Classification
For little under a century, the forklift truck has been working its magic. Even now, this particular piece of equipment is found in every warehouse operation all over the globe.
Because of World War I, there were shortages of manpower which ed to the construction of the very first forklifts. Companies like for example Yale & Town and Clark introduced the material handling equipment that used powered lift tractors in their factories. In the year 1918, Clark saw the potential for these equipment and started selling them.
It was during the 1920s that the forklift design evolved from a basic tractor with an attachment to a dedicated equipment that was equipped with a vertical lifting mast. The forklift developed and became more advanced with World War II. The forklift played a vital part during this time in the handling of materials for different armies throughout the world. It was also during this time that wooden pallets were introduced that solidified the need for the forklift within the material handling industry.
Forklifts gained momentum and continued to develop when WWII ended. During the 1950s, forklifts which utilize batteries made an appearance. There were other more specialized forklift models introduced like the Narrow Aisle Reach truck. This particular type was made by the Raymond Corporation. In the 1960s and 1970s, improvements were made in the electronic controls area. This made forklifts a lot more versatile and companies were able to look at warehouse efficiency.
There are various options you could utilize to power a forklift today. These comprise electric battery, diesel, gasoline, CNG or compressed natural gas, LPG or liquid propane gas. The very first hybrid forklift was developed by Mitsubishi. It currently runs on diesel battery and lithium ion. This particular model consumes thirty nine percent less fuel than existing models. Statistics prove that its carbon dioxide emissions are about 14.6 tons less compared to those forklift models that are powered by internal combustion or IC engines.