Forklift trucks have been around for many years. Ever since its inception, the forklift has become an indispensable machinery for the materials handling business.
Sometimes called forklifts, one of their initial uses was lifting and transporting luggage at airports and train stations. During the Second World War utilizing these machines exploded and the warehousing industry expanded significantly. The traditional equipment was adapted to handle the need to stack inventory on higher shelves and they were designed to move faster and lift heavier cargo.
Most commonly, lift truck trucks are utilized for stacking inventory in warehouses. In most cases, items are packed onto pallets that make it ideal for the forks to move in between the open spaces of the pallets. The lift truck could then lift the cargo securely without it wobbling or falling onto the ground. Once the pallets are in position, they could be easily transported to a different location. Lift trucks are also used much in the mining, agricultural, docking and shipping business.
The forklift is also seen on constructions locations, because numerous models have been made to lift big heavy boxes and heavy pipes, concrete slabs, ceramics and other equipment. Because it is quite a compact unit, this particular machinery is able to move from one place to a different location at a moderately good speed.
The dimensions of the forklift vary depending on the unit and its particular use. For warehousing applications, there are the narrow aisle truck units. These are quite a bit smaller in size and require the floor to be very flat. Normally, they are made with rear wheel steering. There has been a dramatic increase in these equipment within the mining and manufacturing machine industries. As forklifts often handle petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals and flammable materials, the machines have become more robust and stronger.
The forklifts may have load capacities from 1 to as many as 5 tons. Several heavy duty units have been made to handle as many as 50 tons. These models are often utilized to load shipping equipment onto and off of ships. Forklifts and their required training to operate are specifically regulated to ensure the safety of the individuals utilizing this specific equipment. No one could use them legally without finishing the proper training and documents.