The lift truck has been around ever since the early 1920's. This type of machinery was developed in the 1920s and since its creation, has become amongst the most of the indispensable pieces of manufacturing and warehousing machines in the world.
Sometimes called lift trucks, amongst their initial uses was lifting and moving luggage at airports and train stations. During the Second World War using these machines exploded and the warehousing industry expanded greatly. The conventional machine was adapted to handle the requirement to stack inventory on higher shelves and they were made to carry heavier cargo and move faster.
Normally, lift truck trucks are used for stacking inventory within warehouses. In most cases, things are packed onto pallets that make it ideal for the forks to move in between the open spaces of the pallets. The lift truck can then lift the goods securely without it wobbling or falling onto the ground. When the pallets are in position, they could be easily transported to a different place. Forklifts are also used much in the agriculture, mining, docking and shipping business.
The forklift is also seen on constructions sites, as numerous models have been designed to lift huge heavy boxes and heavy pipes, concrete slabs, other equipment and ceramics. As it is quite a compact unit, this specific machine is able to move from one place to a different location at a fairly good speed.
The dimensions of the forklift differ depending on the model and its specific use. For warehousing applications, there are the narrow aisle truck models. These are quite a bit smaller in size and require the floor to be really flat. Usually, they are designed with rear wheel steering. There has been a significant increase in these machines in the mining and manufacturing equipment businesses. Because lift trucks often handle petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals and flammable materials, the equipment have become more durable and stronger.
Forklifts have a load capacity varying from 1 to 5 tons. There are heavy-duty models which could handle up to 50 tons. These units are usually used to load shipping equipment onto and off of ships. Lift trucks and their required training to operate are particularly regulated to ensure the safety of the individuals using this particular equipment. No one can utilize them legally without completing the proper training and documents.