Classification of Forklift Trucks
Forklift trucks have been working its magic for about 100 years now. Even today, this type of machine is found in every warehouse operation all over the globe.
The very first forklifts were made because of manpower shortages which were caused by World War I. Companies such as Yale & Town and Clark introduced the material handling equipment which used powered lift tractors in their factories. During the year 1918, Clark saw the potential for these machines and began selling them.
From a simple tractor with an attachment, the design of forklifts changed during the 1920s, to a dedicated machinery equipped with a vertical lifting mast. The forklift developed and became more sophisticated with World War II. The forklift played a key part during this time in the handling of supplies for different armies all around the globe. It was also at this time that wooden pallets were introduced that proved the need for the forklift within the material handling business.
Once WWII ended, the forklift gained momentum and continued to develop. During the 1950s, forklifts that use batteries made an appearance. There were other more specialized kinds of forklifts introduced like the Narrow Aisle Reach truck. This particular kind was made by the Raymond Corporation. During the 1960s and 1970s, improvements were made within the electronic controls area. This made forklifts much more versatile and companies were able to look at warehouse efficiency.
There are numerous options you can utilize to power a forklift nowadays. These include electric battery, diesel, gasoline, compressed natural gas or CNG, LPG or liquid propane gas. The very first hybrid forklift was developed by Mitsubishi. It currently runs on lithium ion and diesel battery. This kind uses thirty nine percent less fuel than existing models. Statistics prove that its carbon dioxide emissions are about 14.6 tons less compared to those types of forklifts which are powered by IC or internal combustion engines.