Forklift Attachments Moreno Valley - Without forklift attachments, many jobs would be difficult, if not impossible. There are numerous forklift attachments that make jobs faster and safer to complete. Forklift operators require training for each attachment they will be using as well as their general forklift training.
Many hydraulic and non-hydraulic forklift attachments are available. They offer numerous benefits by decreasing man-power, employee accidents, fuel consumption, damage to stock and time.
Equipment Considerations
Forklift attachments can be switched out to replace existing attachments or may be used on machines that don’t currently have one. Several equipment-related factors must be considered before any forklift attachment is replaced or added. These considerations include:
1. The forklift type;
2. The forklift’s capacity;
3. The carriage type; and
4. The number of hydraulic functions.
Failure to properly consider these factors will increase the safety risk associated with operation of a forklift and its attachments and increase the risk for damage to the forklift, the attachment and surrounding area, including stock. There are further safety issues to take into consideration which can be discussed in more detail below.
Forklift Rating and Re-Rating
These machines are provided with lift capacity ratings from the manufacturer that need adjusting when changing or adding any forklift attachments. Online calculators are available from manufacturers of forklift attachment’s to provide estimates on every attachments’ lifting capacity. It is important to note that only the forklift manufacturer can provide accurate lifting capacities.
The first step before installing any attachment is to get in touch with the authorized local forklift dealer to request that that forklift brand is re-rated accordingly with the attachment. After the manufacturer of the forklift has re-rated the forklift, it should have a new factory authorized specification plate. This new specification plate will replace the original plate and should be installed showing the new rating for the forklift.
Equipment Upgrades
Forklift attachments rely on the machine’s hydraulic function and are made up of a forklift valve that has a lever situated close to the operator. This creates two passages of pressurized hydraulic oil for powering the attachment features. Hydraulic forklift attachments typically offer numerous features compared to the number of valves on the forklift. Not ever forklift attachment is hydraulic. When this happens, the forklift needs to have one or more valves added. There are numerous ways a valve can be added. There are many ways to add a forklift valve.Equipment manufacturers make forklift accessories for hose routing and valve placement. Due to the cost of labor and parts required, this process may not be practical. Another possibility is to install a cable reel, solenoid valve and hose to divert oil from an alternate location. However, the operators’ view may be compromised due to the cable reels and hose installation. These parts also may be easily damaged by their location. Special hoses and a solenoid valve kit an be used to create an electrical conduit out of the reinforced braid. Because these hoses replace the existing hoses housed in the forklift, the hoses are safe from damage while keeping the operator’s field of vision clear.
Safety Considerations
Proper training must be obtained prior to fitting any forklift attachment. The operator needs to be able to remove, fit and operate the attachment.
There are 2 vital safety factors to think about before operating any type of forklift attachment.
The nominal load rating will be reduced on the forklift once any attachment is applied. The nominal load rating is determined with forks and a stock fork carriage. It is important to note that the real load rating may be significantly lower.
Using any type of forklift attachment will affect the center of gravity on the machine. The forklift’s stability will be reduced and this needs to be computed for safety. Because the weight of the attachment will be placed in front of the forklift’s fulcrum point, it is necessary to drive the forklift as though it is partially loaded, even prior to picking up a load. Thus, when using any attachment, an operator should travel at a slow speed and make turns slowly and gently. As noted above, each attachment should be listed on the data plate of the forklift’s capacity.
To maintain safety, special checks need to be completed before using any forklift attachment. The forklift attachment needs to be the right one for the type of forklift being used, appropriate for the load at hand, correctly attached, locked in place and permitted on the data plate of the forklift.
List of Common Forklift Attachments
Below is a list of popular forklift attachments and their general uses. This is just a sample list of some of the most popular forklift attachments. As you will see, the large variety of attachments available have the capacity to greatly increase the efficiency of many jobs.
SIDESHIFTER:
The operator can manipulate the forks laterally with a sideshifter. This allows for easier load placement without having to move the entire forklift.
FORK POSITIONERS:
The fork positioners adjust for different loads by moving the forks together or apart in relation to each other.
DIMENSIONING DEVICES:
Provide dimensions for the cargo allowing for more efficient use of warehouse and truck trailer space and often used in conjunction with billing systems based on volume.
ROTATOR:
Assists in righting skids that have tilted, handling custom load requirements and quick unloading. Numerous attachments have a rotator feature.
ROLL AND BARREL CLAMP:
Allows for grasping of load with a rounded shape, such as rolled material and barrels, often with various pressure setting to avoid damage to more fragile materials. These attachments sometimes also have a rotate function to assist with, for example, rotating an item from a horizontal to a vertical position.
CARTON AND MULTIPURPOSE CLAMP:
Allows for grasping a load with a more squared shape, often with pressure settings. Products like cartons, boxes and bales can be moved with this type of attachment.
POLE ATTACHMENTS:
Long, metal pole used in place of forks to lift rolled items such as carpet or linoleum.
SLIP SHEETER OR PUSH-PULL:
Slip sheeter or push-pull attachment lets the operator move slip sheets with a clamping option instead of pallets. It can pull the slip sheet onto thin and wide metal forks to facilitate pushing or loading. The attachment variations include “Save,” where the slip sheet is removed to be used again or “Standard.”
DRUM HANDLER:
The drum handler is built for holding drums. It may have arms that encompass the drum for transporting or it may feature a spring-loaded jaw to grip the drum’s top lip.
DRUM AND STORAGE BIN TIPPER:
The drum and storage bin tipper is designed for easier transport of liquid items or loose materials into bigger containers.
MAN BASKET:
Lift platform meant for lifting workers and complete with railings and brackets for safety harnesses.
TELESCOPIC FORKS:
Allows operation in a warehouse using two pallet stacking where one shelf is placed directly behind another with no aisle between the two.
SCALES:
Scales are helpful for allowing operators to transport pallets while weighing them. This stops the need for interrupting work with regular travel to the scales. It can be used in legal-for-trade weights for operations that bill by how much items weigh.
SINGLE-DOUBLE FORKS:
Single-double forks facilitate movement of a single platform or pallet or two side-by-side pallets. This is useful for transporting specialty items with the right attachments employed. It can be used with normal lifting tasks and stops the need for owning two separate machines. This greatly reduces the cost of maintenance and operation that is used with multiple forklifts.
SNOW PLOW:
Snow plows are used to remove snow and redistribute it; however, this attachment can be used with other loose kinds of material.
SKIPS:
Skips facilitate fast and safe removal of waste to the proper waste or skip compactor. Skips are either a bottom-emptying model or a roll-forward type.
BOOMS AND JIBS:
Booms and jibs allow forklifts extended reach. They are available to transport deep or highly stacked loads, suspended loads and more. These attachments can be low profile, precision lifting or reach over models to facilitate extended lengths.
Forklift Attachment PDF
