Classification of Forklift Trucks
Forklift trucks have been working its magic for approximately 100 years now. Even today, this particular piece of machinery is found in each and every warehouse operation throughout the globe.
Because of WWI, there were shortages of manpower which ed to the creation of the very first forklifts. Businesses like Yale & Town and Clark introduced the material handling machine which used powered lift tractors inside their plants. 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 WWII. The forklift played an important role during this time in the handling of materials for various armies throughout the globe. It was also during this time that the introduction of the wooden pallet proved the need for the lift truck in the material handling industry.
Forklifts gained momentum and continued to develop when WWII ended. During the 1950s, forklifts which utilize batteries made an appearance. There were other more specialized forklift models introduced like the Narrow Aisle Reach truck. This particular kind was made by the Raymond Corporation. In the 1960s and 1970s, improvements were made in the electronic controls area. This made forklifts much more versatile and companies were able to look at warehouse efficiency.
Nowadays, the forklift could be powered by numerous fuel options such as diesel, electrical battery, gasoline, CNG or compressed natural gas, liquid propane gas or LPG. The first hybrid forklift was developed by Mitsubishi. It presently runs on lithium ion and diesel battery. This model consumes 39% less fuel compared to existing models. Statistics show that its carbon dioxide emissions are around 14.6 tons less than those forklift models which are powered by internal combustion or IC engines.