Lift truck trucks have been around for many years. Since its inception, the forklift has become an indispensable machine for the materials handling industry.
Sometimes referred to as forklifts, one of their initial uses was carrying and transporting baggage at airports and train stations. During the Second World War the use of these machines exploded and the warehousing industry expanded significantly. The conventional equipment was adapted to deal with the requirement to stack inventory on higher shelves and they were made to move faster and lift heavier cargo.
The lift truck is normally used for stacking inventory in warehouses. Items for the most part are packed onto pallets which are designed specifically to allow the forks to move underneath the openings of the pallets. The lift truck can then lift the goods securely without it falling into the ground or wobbling. When the pallets are in position, they could be transported easily to a different location. Forklifts are also utilized much in the agriculture, mining, docking and shipping industry.
The lift truck is also seen on constructions locations, as numerous units have been made to lift huge heavy boxes and concrete slabs, heavy pipes, ceramics and other equipment. As it is quite a compact unit, this machine could move from one location to a different location at a moderately good speed.
The dimensions of the lift truck differ depending on the model and its particular use. For warehousing applications, there are the narrow aisle truck units. These require the floor to be extremely flat and are quite a bit smaller in size. Normally, they are made with rear wheel steering. There has been a significant increase in these machines within the mining and manufacturing machine businesses. Because forklifts often handle petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals and flammable materials, the machines have become more robust and tougher.
The forklifts may have load capacities from 1 to as many as 5 tons. Some heavy duty models have been made to handle as many as 50 tons. These units are usually used to load shipping equipment onto and off of ships. Forklifts and their required training to operate are specially regulated to ensure the safety of the people using this particular machine. No one is able to legally use them without finishing the correct documents and training.