Forklift Truck Classification
For less than a century, the forklift truck has been working its magic. Even now, this particular kind of machinery is found in every warehouse operation all over the globe.
Because of World War I, there were shortages of manpower that ed to the construction of the first forklifts. Companies like Yale & Town and Clark introduced the material handling machine which utilized powered lift tractors inside their plants. During the year 1918, Clark saw the potential for these equipment and began selling them.
From a basic tractor with an attachment, the design of forklifts evolved during the 1920s, to a dedicated equipment equipped with a vertical lifting mast. The forklift developed and became more advanced with World War II. The forklift played an important part during this time in the handling of materials for various armies throughout the globe. It was also at this time that the introduction of the wooden pallet proved the need for the lift truck in the material handling business.
Forklifts gained momentum and continued to develop when World War II ended. In the 1950s, forklifts that use batteries made an appearance. There were other more specialized forklift models introduced such as the Narrow Aisle Reach truck. This particular model 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.
There are many options you could utilize to power a forklift today. These comprise diesel, electrical battery, gasoline, compressed natural gas or CNG, LPG or liquid propane gas. The very first hybrid forklift was developed by Mitsubishi. It now operates on diesel battery and lithium ion. This particular model utilizes 39 percent less fuel than existing models. Statistics show that its carbon dioxide emissions are roughly 14.6 tons less than those types of forklifts which are powered by internal combustion or IC engines.