Forklift trucks have been around for many years. Since its inception, the forklift has become an indispensable equipment for the materials handling industry.
Sometimes called lift trucks, one of their initial uses was lifting and transporting baggage at airports and train stations. During WWII utilizing these machines exploded and the warehousing industry expanded greatly. The traditional machine was adapted to handle the requirements of stacking inventory on higher shelves and they were made to move faster and lift heavier loads.
Usually, lift truck trucks are used for stacking inventory inside warehouses. In the majority of cases, things are packed onto pallets that make it ideal for the tines to move in between the open spaces of the pallets. The forklift could then lift the load securely without it falling into the ground or wobbling. Once the pallets are in place, they could be transported easily to another location. Forklifts are also used much in the mining, agricultural, shipping and docking business.
Lift trucks are usually seen on construction locations. The manufacturers of these machines make them to lift large heavy boxes and heavy pipes, concrete slabs, ceramics and other equipment. Since it is quite a compact unit, this particular machinery can move from one place to another at a fairly good speed.
The dimensions of the forklift vary depending on the model and its specific application. For warehousing applications, there are the narrow aisle truck models. These require the floor to be really flat and are quite a bit smaller in size. Normally, they are designed with rear wheel steering. There has been a significant increase in these machines within the mining and manufacturing machinery industries. As forklifts normally handle petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals and flammable materials, the machines have become more durable and tougher.
The forklifts may have load capacities from 1 to as many as 5 tons. Some heavy duty units have been designed to deal with 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 particular machinery. No one can legally utilize them without finishing the correct training and documents.