Lift truck trucks have been around for many years. This type of equipment was developed during the 1920s and since its creation, has become one of the most of the indispensable pieces of manufacturing and warehousing equipment in the world.
Sometimes referred to as forklifts, amongst their initial uses was carrying and moving baggage at airports and train stations. During the Second World War using these machines exploded and the warehousing business expanded significantly. The conventional machine was adapted to handle the requirements of stacking inventory on higher shelves and they were designed to carry heavier cargo and move faster.
Most commonly, lift truck trucks are utilized for stacking inventory in warehouses. In most cases, items are packed onto pallets which 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 wobbling or falling onto the ground. When the pallets are in position, they could be transported easily to another location. Lift trucks are also utilized much within the mining, agricultural, shipping and docking business.
The lift truck is also seen on constructions locations, because many models have been designed to lift huge heavy boxes and heavy pipes, concrete slabs, other equipment and ceramics. As it is fairly a compact unit, this specific machine is able to move from one location to a different location at a fairly good speed.
The dimensions of the lift truck vary depending on the model and its specific use. For warehousing applications, there are the narrow aisle truck units. These are quite a bit smaller in size and require the floor to be extremely flat. Typically, they are designed with rear wheel steering. There has been a dramatic increase in these machinery within the manufacturing and mining machinery industries. Since lift trucks normally handle flammable materials, pharmaceuticals and petrochemicals, the machinery have become tougher 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 handle as many as 50 tons. These models 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 machinery. No one can legally operate them without completing the correct documents and training.