Forklift trucks have been around for numerous years. Since its inception, the forklift has become an indispensable equipment for the materials handling business.
The lift truck is also referred to as a forklift and was initially used to lift and transport baggage at train stations and airports. Throughout WWII using these machines exploded and the warehousing industry expanded significantly. The traditional machine was adapted to deal with the requirements of stacking inventory on higher shelves and they were made to carry heavier cargo and move faster.
The lift truck is most commonly utilized for stacking inventory in warehouses. Items for the most part are packed onto pallets that are made specifically to allow the forks to move beneath the openings of the pallets. The lift truck can then carry the goods securely without it wobbling or falling onto the ground. When the pallets are in position, they could be easily transported to another location. Forklifts are also utilized a lot in the mining, agricultural, shipping and docking industry.
The lift truck is also seen on constructions locations, since many models have been designed to pick up large heavy boxes and concrete slabs, heavy pipes, other equipment and ceramics. As it is fairly a compact unit, this specific equipment could move from one location to another at a moderately good speed.
The dimensions of the lift truck vary depending on the model and its particular application. For warehousing applications, there are the narrow aisle truck units. These are quite a bit smaller in size and need the floor to be very flat. Usually, they are designed with rear wheel steering. There has been a dramatic increase in these equipment within the mining and manufacturing machinery industries. As forklifts usually deal with flammable supplies, petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals, the machinery have become more robust and stronger.
Lift trucks have a load capacity ranging from 1 to 5 tons. There are heavy-duty units which can handle up to 50 tons. These units are usually utilized to load shipping equipment off of and into ships. Lift trucks and their required training to operate are specially regulated to ensure the safety of the individuals using this specific machinery. No one could legally operate them without finishing the correct training and documents.