Forklift trucks have been around for many years. Ever since its inception, the lift truck has become an indispensable machine for the materials handling business.
Sometimes called forklifts, amongst their initial uses was lifting and transporting baggage at train stations and airports. Throughout WWII the use of these machines exploded and the warehousing business expanded greatly. The conventional machine was adapted to handle the requirement to stack inventory on higher shelves and they were designed to lift heavier cargo and move faster.
Usually, forklift trucks are utilized for stacking inventory within warehouses. In the majority of cases, objects are packed onto pallets that make it ideal for the tines to move in between the open spaces of the pallets. The lift truck could then lift the goods securely without it falling into the ground or wobbling. When the pallets are in place, they could be transported easily to another place. Lift trucks are also used much in the docking, shipping, mining and agricultural industry.
The lift truck is also seen on constructions locations, as numerous units have been made to pick up large heavy boxes and concrete slabs, heavy pipes, ceramics and other equipment. As it is fairly a compact unit, this machinery can move from one location to another at a moderately good speed.
Depending on the particular model and its intended use, the forklifts dimensions may differ. There are narrow aisle models specially for warehouse applications. 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 machinery in the manufacturing and mining equipment industries. As lift trucks often handle pharmaceuticals and petrochemicals and flammable materials, the machinery have become stronger and more durable.
The forklifts may have load capacities from 1 to as many as 5 tons. Several heavy duty models have been made to deal with as many as 50 tons. These models are often used 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 utilizing this specific machinery. No one is able to utilize them legally without completing the proper training and documents.