Lift truck trucks have been around for many years. Ever since its inception, the lift truck has become an indispensable machine for the materials handling industry.
Sometimes called forklifts, among their initial uses was carrying and moving baggage at train stations and airports. Throughout WWII the use of these equipment exploded and the warehousing industry expanded significantly. The traditional equipment was adapted to deal with the requirement to stack inventory on higher shelves and they were designed to carry heavier loads and move faster.
Normally, forklift trucks are utilized for stacking inventory within warehouses. In most cases, items are packed onto pallets which make it ideal for the forks to move in between the open spaces of the pallets. The forklift can then lift the cargo securely without it falling into the ground or wobbling. When the pallets are in place, they could be transported easily to another place. Forklifts are also used a lot within the mining, agricultural, shipping and docking industry.
The lift truck is also seen on constructions locations, as numerous units have been designed to pick up large heavy boxes and heavy pipes, concrete slabs, ceramics and other equipment. Because it is fairly a compact unit, this equipment is able to move from one location to a different location at a moderately good speed.
Depending upon the particular model and its intended application, the forklifts dimensions can vary. There are narrow aisle units specially for warehouse use. These need the floor to be really flat and are quite a bit smaller in size. Typically, they are made with rear wheel steering. There has been a significant increase in these equipment in the manufacturing and mining equipment businesses. As forklifts normally deal with flammable materials, petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals, the equipment 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 made to deal with as many as 50 tons. These models are normally 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 people using this specific equipment. No body can operate them legally without finishing the correct documents and training.