The lift truck has been around since the early part of the 1920's. Since its inception, the forklift has become an indispensable machine for the materials handling industry.
The lift truck is also referred to as a lift truck and was first used to lift and move luggage at airports and train stations. Throughout the Second World War utilizing these equipment exploded and the warehousing industry expanded significantly. The traditional machinery was adapted to deal with the need to stack inventory on higher shelves and they were designed to move faster and carry heavier loads.
The lift truck is most commonly utilized for stacking inventory inside warehouses. Objects for the most part are packed onto pallets which are designed particularly to enable the forks to move under the openings of the pallets. The lift truck can then securely carry the cargo without it falling into the ground or wobbling. When the pallets are in position, they can be transported easily to a different location. Lift trucks are also used a lot within the mining, agricultural, shipping and docking industry.
Lift trucks are often seen on construction locations. The manufacturers of these machinery make them to lift big heavy boxes and heavy pipes, concrete slabs, other equipment and ceramics. As it is quite a compact unit, this machine can move from one location to a different location at a moderately good speed.
The dimensions of the forklift differ depending on the unit and its specific 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 equipment in the mining and manufacturing machine industries. Because lift trucks usually handle flammable supplies, petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals, the machines have become tougher and more durable.
The forklifts may have load capacities from 1 to as many as 5 tons. Some heavy duty units have been designed to deal with as many as 50 tons. These models are often 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 utilizing this particular machinery. No body is able to use them legally without finishing the correct training and documents.