Lift trucks have undergone a major change ever since their introduction to the market in the 1920s. These machines are now a lot 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 lift trucks around 100 years ago, started as really simple pieces of motorized machines that were just capable of moving pallet loads from one place to another. Nowadays, very sophisticated models flood the marketplace. These models are offered in different weight capacities, various designs and many lifting heights. Moreover, these kinds of vehicles come with a variety of ergonomic designs to enhance operator comfort and numerous new safety features. Keeping the operator as comfy as possible can greatly increase the overall productivity attained during a shift.
Among the only remaining universal features that are on the huge variety of lift trucks available today are the tires that move the equipment and the forks that are used to raise loads. The basic application and design of different types of forklifts used in distribution facilities, warehousing applications and manufacturing centers is included in this specific article.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
Counterbalanced Forklifts include: IC or Internal Combustion models, as well as Electric Trucks.
Narrow-Aisle Lift Trucks
Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks comprise: Turret Trucks, Reach Trucks and Order-Pickers.
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 most common kind of lift truck is the counterbalanced sit-down kind of the lift truck. A weight located in the back of this machine is responsible for counterbalancing the weight of the load. The counterbalance is what prevents the forklift the truck from tipping over.
Normally, a counterbalanced lift truck has a lifting height of around 16 feet, 189 inches is the most popular. Also, these units could lift a range between 4,000 to 6,500 pounds. Counterbalanced forklifts are offered with backup alarms and other safety features like lights.
Roughly 60% percent are electric models and about 40% percent are internal combustion models. Each type of forklift has a specific place and is best to complete lots of various tasks. Depending on whether or not you will be using the machine outdoors or inside and what particular kinds of loads you will be utilizing as well as what kind of surfaces and terrain you would be operating on determines the kind of lift truck that you will pick.