Ever since their launch in the material handling industry in the 1920s, lift trucks have undergone a huge evolution. Nowadays, these high tech machines are a lot smarter and stronger. These types of equipment have revolutionized the material handling arena and have become irreplaceable workhorses in our warehouse and distribution centres all around the world.
Initially, during their introduction about 100 years ago, forklifts were really simple pieces of motorized equipment made to move pallet loads from one place to another. Nowadays, extremely advanced models are available in the marketplace. These models are offered in a wide range of weight capacities, many lifting heights and various designs. Moreover, these vehicles come with a variety of ergonomic designs to improve operator comfort and a lot of new safety features. Keeping the driver as comfortable as possible could really increase the overall efficiency attained during a shift.
Amongst the only remaining universal features that are on the huge variety of forklifts available today are the tires that move the machinery and the forks which are used to pick up loads. The basic application and design of various types of lift trucks utilized in warehousing operations, manufacturing facilities and distribution facilities is covered in this particular article.
Counterbalanced Lift Trucks
Counterbalanced Forklifts comprise: Internal Combustion or IC units, and Electric Trucks.
Narrow-Aisle Lift Trucks
Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks consist of: Reach Trucks, Order Pickers and Turret Trucks.
Low Lift Pallet Jacks or Pallet Trucks
Pallets Jacks include Electric-Powered Pallet Trucks and Non-Powered Pallet Trucks.
Counterbalanced Forklift Trucks
The most common kind of lift truck is the counterbalanced sit-down kind of the lift truck. A weight located in the machine's rear is responsible for counterbalancing the weight of the load. The counterbalance is what prevents the forklift the truck from tipping over.
Usually, 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 kinds of safety features like lights.
About 60% percent are electric models and about 40% percent are IC models. Each and every kind of forklift has a particular place and is best to accomplish many various tasks. Depending on whether or not you will be using the equipment outside or inside and what type of terrain and surfaces you will be operating on, as well as what particular kinds of loads you will be using determines the type of lift truck that you will select.