Ever since their launch in the material handling business in the 1920s, lift trucks have undergone a huge change. Nowadays, these high tech machines are much smarter and stronger. They have revolutionized the material handling arena and have become exceptional workhorses in our warehouse and distribution facilities all over the globe.
The first forklifts about 100 years ago, began as really simple pieces of motorized machines that were just capable of transporting pallet loads from one place to another. Today, really advanced models are offered in the marketplace. These units are offered in a wide variety of weight capacities, different designs and numerous lifting heights. Additionally, these types of machines come with a range of ergonomic designs to improve operator comfort and many new safety features. Keeping the driver as comfortable as possible can greatly add to the overall productivity attained during a shift.
A key feature placed on nearly all of the available lift trucks on the market are tires and forks. Tires allow the machinery to move around and the forks can carry and lift loads. The basic design and application of various kinds of forklifts utilized in distribution centers, warehousing operations and manufacturing centers is covered in this specific article.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
Counterbalanced Forklifts consist of: Electric forklift units and Internal Combustion or IC models.
Narrow-Aisle Forklifts
Narrow Aisle Forklifts consist of: Reach Trucks, Order Pickers and Turret Trucks.
Low Lift Pallet Trucks or Pallet Jacks
In this class, Electric-Powered Pallet Trucks are included, as are Non-Powered Pallet Trucks.
Counterbalanced Forklift Trucks
The lift truck is the most common kind of lift truck. This unit is the counterbalanced, sit-down kind. 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.
Counterbalanced forklifts would typically have lifting heights of about 16 feet, or 189 inches. Additionally, these units can lift a range between 4,000 to 6,500 pounds. Counterbalanced lift trucks are offered with backup alarms and other safety features such as lights.
The forklift market is currently divided into approximately 60% electric units, with 40 percent Internal Combustion units. Each type of forklift has a particular place and is best to accomplish a lot of various jobs. Depending on whether or not you would be using the machinery outside or indoors and what specific kinds of cargo you will be using as well as what type of terrain and surfaces you will be operating on determines the type of lift truck which you would choose.