Since their launch in the material handling business in the 1920s, forklifts have undergone a huge change. These days, these machines are much smarter and stronger. These types of machinery have revolutionized the material handling world and have become exceptional workhorses within our warehouse and distribution centres all around the globe.
Initially, during their launch roughly 100 years ago, lift trucks were very simple pieces of motorized machines made to move pallet loads from one place to another. Today, extremely sophisticated units flood the marketplace. These units are available in a huge variety of weight capacities, various designs and numerous lifting heights. Moreover, these kinds of machinery are available with various ergonomic designs to improve operator comfort and many new safety features. Keeping the operator as comfy as possible could 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 forks and tires. Tires enable the machine to move around and the forks could carry and lift loads. The basic design and application of different types of forklifts utilized in warehousing applications, manufacturing facilities and distribution centers is covered in this specific article.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
Counterbalanced Lift Trucks include: Electric forklift units as well as IC or Internal Combustion units.
Narrow-Aisle Lift Trucks
Narrow Aisle Forklifts comprise: Reach Trucks, Order Pickers and Turret Trucks.
Low Lift Pallet Trucks or Pallet Jacks
Pallets Jacks include Electric-Powered Pallet Trucks as well as Non-Powered Pallet Trucks.
Counterbalanced Forklift Trucks
The most common type of forklift is the counterbalanced sit-down kind of the forklift. A weight located in the rear of this machinery is responsible for counterbalancing the load's weight. The counterbalance is what prevents the forklift the truck from tipping over.
Typically, a counterbalanced lift truck has a lifting height of roughly 16 feet, 189 inches is the most popular. In addition, these units are capable of lifting a range between 4,000 to 6,500 pounds. Counterbalanced forklifts are offered with backup alarms and various other types of safety features like lights.
The forklift market is presently divided into approximately 60 percent electric models, with 40 percent IC units. Each and every type of forklift has a particular place and is ideal to complete many different tasks. Depending on whether or not you would be utilizing the machine outdoors or indoors and what particular types of loads you would be utilizing as well as what type of terrain and surfaces you would be operating on determines the type of forklift that you would select.