Forklifts are utilized to raise, engage and transport palletized loads in manufacturing, warehousing, material handling, mining and construction applications. There are 3 main types of forklifts: a manual drive, motorized drive and fork truck. The travel or load movement is powered manually or by walking behind the machinery with manual-drive lift trucks.
The motorized forklift models come equipped with a motorized drive and in lots of cases have a seat or protected cab in their design to keep the operator comfortable and safe. Fork trucks are another type which are motorized and comprise features like for example backup alarms and cabs. In order to prevent the machinery from overturning, several forklifts are counterbalanced. Other kinds of forklifts include safety rails, a rotating element such as a turntable or different types of hand rails.
Important specifications to take into account when choosing lift trucks include lift capacity and stroke. Stroke is defined as the difference between the fully-raised and the fully-lowered lift positions. Lift capacity is the supportable, maximum load or forcforce or load. Other specifications for forklifts comprise their fuel type and tire.
Forklifts include different fuel options such as: LP or liquid propane, CNG or compressed natural gas, propane, diesel fuel, gasoline and natural gas. There are 2 major kinds of tires for operating forklifts and fork trucks: solid and pneumatic. Solid or cushion tires require less maintenance than pneumatic tires and do not puncture. The solid or cushion tires do provide less shock absorption overall. Pneumatic or air-inflated tires on the other hand offer great load-cushioning and drive traction.
For lift trucks, there are 7 classes. Class 1 forklifts include electric-motor rider trucks, seated or stand-up 3 wheeled units. Typically, rider units can have either cushion or pneumatic wheels and are counterbalanced. Class II lift trucks are electric motor units which are used for stock applications or order picking in narrow aisle environments. These kinds of forklifts offer extra swing mast or reach functions.
Class III forklifts are either walk-behind or standing-rider operated electric-motor trucks. High lift models and automated pallet lift trucks are normally counterbalanced units. Class IV forklifts have cabs and seated controls. These models are rider fork trucks with internal combustion or IC engines. Moreover, this class utilizes solid or cushion tires.
Class V lift trucks are rider fork trucks. They have cabs and seated controls, pneumatic tires and internal combustion or IC engines. Similar to Class IV forklifts, they are typically counterbalanced. Class VI forklifts are tow tractor lifts which are designed for a sit-down rider. This class is supplied with IC or internal combustion or electric engines.
Class VII forklifts are the last classification and include rough terrain forklifts, that are normally used in construction, logging and agricultural applications. Class VII lift trucks consist of all personnel carriers and burden carriers.