The forklift has been around since the early part of the 1920's. This type of equipment was developed in the 1920s and ever since its invention, has become among the most of the indispensable pieces of manufacturing and warehousing machinery in the world.
Sometimes referred to as lift trucks, amongst their initial uses was carrying and transporting luggage at train stations and airports. During WWII using these machinery exploded and the warehousing industry expanded significantly. The conventional machine was adapted to handle the requirements of stacking inventory on higher shelves and they were designed to move faster and carry heavier loads.
Normally, forklift trucks are utilized for stacking inventory in warehouses. In most cases, things are packed onto pallets that make it ideal for the forks to move in between the open spaces of the pallets. The lift truck can then carry the load securely without it falling into the ground or wobbling. When the pallets are in place, they can be transported easily to another location. Lift trucks are also utilized much within the docking, shipping, agriculture and mining business.
The lift truck is also seen on constructions locations, since numerous units have been made to pick up large heavy boxes and concrete slabs, heavy pipes, ceramics and other equipment. Because it is quite a compact unit, this machine could move from one location to another at a moderately good speed.
Depending upon the specific model and its intended use, the lift trucks dimensions can vary. There are narrow aisle models specially for warehouse applications. These require the floor to be very flat and are quite a bit smaller in size. Usually, they are designed with rear wheel steering. There has been a significant increase in these equipment within the manufacturing and mining machine industries. As lift trucks usually deal with pharmaceuticals and petrochemicals and flammable supplies, the equipment have become stronger and more robust.
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 units are usually 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 machine. No one can legally operate them without finishing the proper training and documents.