The lift truck has been around ever since the early 1920's. This type of equipment was created in the 1920s and ever since its invention, has become amongst the most of the indispensable pieces of manufacturing and warehousing machines within the globe.
Sometimes called forklifts, amongst their initial uses was carrying and moving luggage at train stations and airports. During the Second World War the use of these equipment exploded and the warehousing business expanded significantly. The conventional equipment was adapted to deal with the need to stack inventory on higher shelves and they were designed to move faster and lift heavier loads.
The lift truck is most commonly utilized for stacking inventory within warehouses. Items for the most part are packed onto pallets that are made particularly to allow the forks to move underneath the openings of the pallets. The forklift can then securely lift the cargo without it wobbling or falling onto the ground. When the pallets are in position, they can be easily transported to another location. Forklifts are also used a lot in the agriculture, mining, docking and shipping industry.
The forklift is also seen on constructions sites, as many models have been made to lift large heavy boxes and heavy pipes, concrete slabs, other equipment and ceramics. Because it is fairly a compact unit, this particular machine is able to move from one location to another at a fairly good speed.
Depending upon the particular model and its intended use, the lift trucks dimensions could differ. There are narrow aisle models specially for warehouse use. These need the floor to be very flat and are quite a bit smaller in size. Typically, they are made with rear wheel steering. There has been a dramatic increase in these machines in the manufacturing and mining machinery industries. Because forklifts normally deal with petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals and flammable materials, the machines have become tougher and more durable.
Forklifts have a load capacity ranging from 1 to 5 tons. There are heavy-duty models which could handle up to 50 tons. These models are normally used to load shipping equipment off of and into ships. Lift trucks and their required training to operate are specifically regulated to ensure the safety of the people using this specific equipment. No body is able to operate them legally without finishing the proper documents and training.