Ever since their introduction in the material handling industry during the 1920s, forklifts have gone through a huge evolution. Nowadays, these high tech machines are a lot stronger and smarter. They have changed the material handling arena and have become irreplaceable workhorses in our distribution and warehouse facilities all over the world.
Initially, during their launch roughly 100 years ago, lift trucks were really simple pieces of motorized machines made to move pallet loads from one place to another. Nowadays, extremely sophisticated models are available in the marketplace. These models are offered in a huge variety of weight capacities, different designs and many lifting heights. Additionally, these machinery are offered with different ergonomic designs to improve operator comfort and many new safety features. Keeping the driver as comfortable as possible can really add to the overall production accomplished during a shift.
Amongst the only remaining universal features which are on the huge range of forklifts available these days are the tires which move the equipment and the forks which are used to lift loads. The basic design and application of different kinds of lift trucks used in distribution centers, warehousing applications and manufacturing facilities is included in this particular article.
Counterbalanced Lift Trucks
Counterbalanced Lift Trucks include: Electric lift truck models and Internal Combustion or IC units.
Narrow-Aisle Lift Trucks
Narrow Aisle Forklifts include: Turret Trucks, Reach Trucks and Order-Pickers.
Low Lift Pallet Jacks or Pallet Trucks
In this particular category, Electric-Powered Pallet Trucks are included, as are Non-Powered Pallet Trucks.
Counterbalanced Forklift Trucks
The forklift is the most common kind of forklift. This model is the sit-down, counterbalanced kind. 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. As well, these units are capable of lifting a range between 4,000 to 6,500 pounds. Counterbalanced forklifts come outfitted with backup alarms and different other types of safety features like for instance lights.
About 60% percent are electric models and roughly 40% percent are IC models. Each type of lift truck has a particular place and is best to accomplish a lot of various jobs. Depending on whether or not you would be utilizing the machine outside or inside and what type of surfaces and terrain you would be operating on, as well as what particular kinds of loads you would be utilizing determines the kind of forklift which you would choose.