The lift truck has been around since the early 1920's. Since its inception, the lift truck has become an indispensable machinery for the materials handling business.
The lift truck is also called a forklift and was initially used to carry and transport baggage at train stations and airports. Throughout WWII the use of these equipment exploded and the warehousing business expanded greatly. The traditional machine was adapted to deal with the requirements of stacking inventory on higher shelves and they were designed to lift heavier cargo and move faster.
Most commonly, lift truck trucks are used for stacking inventory inside warehouses. In most cases, objects are packed onto pallets that make it ideal for the blades to move in between the open spaces of the pallets. The forklift can then securely carry the cargo without it falling into the ground or wobbling. When the pallets are in place, they could be transported easily to another location. Forklifts are also used much in the mining, agricultural, docking and shipping business.
The lift truck is also seen on constructions sites, as numerous units have been designed to lift large heavy boxes and concrete slabs, heavy pipes, other equipment and ceramics. As it is fairly a compact unit, this machine can move from one place to another at a moderately good speed.
Depending upon the specific unit and its intended application, the lift trucks dimensions can differ. There are narrow aisle models particularly for warehouse applications. These are quite a bit smaller in size and require the floor to be very flat. Usually, they are designed with rear wheel steering. There has been a significant increase in these machines within the manufacturing and mining machine businesses. Since forklifts normally handle flammable materials, pharmaceuticals and petrochemicals, the machines have become tougher and more durable.
Lift trucks have a load capacity ranging from 1 to 5 tons. There are heavy-duty models that can handle up to 50 tons. These models are often used to load shipping equipment off of and into ships. Lift trucks and their required training to operate are specially regulated to ensure the safety of the people utilizing this particular equipment. No body is able to legally operate them without completing the proper documents and training.