Forklifts are utilized in manufacturing, warehousing, construction, mining and material handling applications to raise, engage and transfer palletized loads. Lift trucks have 3 basic kinds: a manual drive, motorized drive and fork truck. The travel or load movement is powered manually or by walking at the back of the equipment with manual-drive lift trucks.
Motorized-drive model forklifts are complete with a motorized drive. In numerous instances, a seat or protected cab is part of the design to keep the operator comfortable and safe. Fork trucks are a different type which are motorized and consist of features like backup alarms and cabs. In order to prevent the machine from overturning, several lift trucks are counterbalanced. Other kinds of forklifts comprise safety rails, a rotating element like for example a turntable or other kinds of hand rails.
Essential specifications to take into account when choosing lift trucks comprise lift capacity and stroke. Stroke is defined as the difference between the fully-raised and the fully-lowered lift positions. Lift capacity is the supportable, maximum load or forcforce or load. Other specifications for lift trucks include their fuel type and tire.
Forklifts include different fuel options such as: liquid propane or LPG, compressed natural gas or CNG, propane, diesel fuel, natural gas and gasoline. There are 2 major kinds of tires for operating forklifts and fork trucks: solid and pneumatic. Solid or cushion tires need less maintenance compared to pneumatic tires and do not puncture. The solid or cushion tires do provide less shock absorption overall. Air-inflated or pneumatic tires on the other hand offer great load-cushioning and drive traction.
For forklifts, there are 7 classes. Class 1 forklifts include electric-motor rider trucks, stand-up or seated 3 wheeled units. Usually, rider units are counterbalanced and may have either pneumatic or cushion wheels. Class II forklifts are electric motor units that are utilized for order picking or stock applications in narrow aisle environments. These kinds of forklifts provide extra swing mast or reach functions.
Class III lift trucks are either walk-behind or standing-rider operated electric-motor trucks. High lift models and automated pallet lift trucks are normally counterbalanced units. Class IV lift trucks have cabs and seated controls. These kinds of forklifts are rider fork trucks with IC or internal combustion engines. Additionally, this class uses solid or cushion tires.
Rider fork Trucks are included in Class V. These machines will have seated controls and cabs, pneumatic tires and IC or internal combustion engines. Similar to Class IV lift trucks, they are normally counterbalanced. Class VI forklifts are tow tractor lifts that are designed for a sit-down rider. This class is supplied with internal combustion or IC or electric engines.
Class VII lift trucks are the last classification and include rough terrain lift trucks, which are commonly utilized in construction, logging and agricultural applications. Class VII lift trucks include all personnel carriers and burden carriers.