Since their launch in the material handling industry in the 1920s, lift trucks have gone through a huge change. Today, these high tech machines are much stronger and smarter. They have revolutionized the material handling world and have become irreplaceable workhorses within our distribution and warehouse centres all over the globe.
At first, during their introduction roughly 100 years ago, lift trucks were really simple pieces of motorized machines made to transport pallet loads from one place to another. Today, extremely sophisticated units flood the marketplace. These models are offered in different weight capacities, numerous lifting heights and different designs. Furthermore, these kinds of equipments come with a variety of ergonomic designs to enhance driver comfort and lots of new safety features. Keeping the operator as comfortable as possible could really increase the overall efficiency 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 machine to move around and the forks could carry and lift loads. The basic design and application of different types of lift trucks utilized in warehousing applications, manufacturing centers and distribution facilities is included in this specific article.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
Counterbalanced Lift Trucks consist of: Electric forklift units and IC or Internal Combustion models.
Narrow-Aisle Forklifts
Narrow Aisle Forklifts comprise: Order-Pickers, Turret Trucks and Reach Trucks.
Low Lift Pallet Jacks or Pallet Trucks
Pallets Jacks comprise Electric-Powered Pallet Trucks as well as Non-Powered Pallet Trucks.
Counterbalanced Forklift Trucks
The lift truck is the most common type of forklift. This model is the counterbalanced, sit-down version. A weight situated in the rear of this machine 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 normally have lifting heights of around 16 feet, or 189 inches. Additionally, these units could lift a range between 4,000 to 6,500 pounds. Counterbalanced lift trucks are available with backup alarms and other safety features like lights.
Around 60% percent are electric units and roughly 40% percent are IC models. Each kind of lift truck has a specific place and is ideal to complete many different jobs. Depending on whether or not you would be utilizing the machinery outdoors or indoors and what specific kinds of cargo you would be using as well as what type of terrain and surfaces you will be operating on determines the kind of forklift which you will select.