This survey revealed that a forklift is the most common equipment for moving heavy cargo, so lets find out more about it.
A forklift is used in industries and other places to lift and move large loads. It is a manageable piece of machinery which has several applications. They especially used in warehouses and construction sites. Usually, suppliers of heavy machinery have a gamut of affordable priced forklifts of different kinds to be used based on the weights that are going to be carried.
History: When several manufacturers, back in 1920s began to explore new and improved designs for lifting trucks, forklifts were invented. They caught on like wild fire due to their simple design. They were a replacement to rope and pulley methods which were extremely unsafe. Over a period of time there were changes made in the design of forklift. There are operators that are trained on forklifts. They understand the limitations of the device and have a perfect control for efficient operation.
Features: A prolonged attachment that juts out from the forklifts is the most important part of the device. These attachments that jut out are inserted below the load that is to be lifted in order to raise it from the ground. The mechanism in which a forklift works is very simple where the operator raises the hydraulic pressure to manipulate the forks.
Types: Forklifts are available in different designs. The largest type of forklift is fully motorized truck which has a protective cab for the operator and this is used to lift very large loads. Other specialized yet affordable priced forklift designs comprise of lift trucks that are designed for very narrow aisles such as the ones found in warehouses. Apart from this, there are stackers which are forklifts specially designed for stacking pallets and other type of goods. Then, there are slim forklifts which are light in weight and are used in warehouses. These may be used by employees to reach products stacked at the top while the store is open. After hours, when the safety of the customer is not an issue, larger forklifts are used for bigger projects and stocking purposes. In warehouses, a typical forklift has load capacity between one and five tons. Affordably priced forklifts are available in other designs and varied load capacities as well.
They include hand pallet truck where the operator's hand muscle is the key, walkie low lift truck and rider low lift truck which are usually electrically powered, towing tractor which could use an internal combustion engine. Other variations include walkie stacker, rider stacker, electric counterbalanced truck, truck mounted forklift and many more.
Thus, a forklift can be used for horizontal as well as vertical movement of goods. They ensure safety of goods, save time of the company and improve efficiency to a great extent. And if you want to save some money as well, go for electric forklifts. They help you save on fuel. But if you intend to buy one or rent one, you must ensure that you also have a well trained operator on board. In most countries, it is a statutory requirement and safety norms need to be strictly followed.