On a forklift, you'll find a variety of different means which lower and raise the lifts, including: rack and pinion lifts, scissor lifts, screw lifts, telescoping lifts and articulated lifts. The scissor lift utilizes crisscrossed folding supports with a screw mechanism which draws the members together. Rack and pinion lifts use a pinion, which is a small drive gear, to drive a straight-toothed rack to raise the cargo. The telescoping lift mechanism is designed with multiple sections which extend and retract out of and into each other to achieve lifting action. Screw lifts utilize threads to raise the lift. Articulated lifts utilize a mechanism involving multiple sections that articulate or unfold. An example of an articulated lift is the "cherry picker."
Lift truck Material Handling
There are a lot of reasons to keep up with changes in material handling methods. Material handling machinery and the processes can be used to deal with increased geographical coverage, more SKUs, and the requirement to lower inventories. Tools that are well ahead of the technological curve can help productivity maximization and increase effectiveness.
Forklift Battery & Charging Technology
The latest innovations on electric lift trucks have yielded higher capacities and longer run-times than ever before, that makes the decision to convert from the traditional IC lift truck over to the improved electric units. Charger and battery combinations are providing more power for longer periods than older systems were capable of achieving. Enhancements in both battery and charger technologies are not just making electric forklifts more beneficial but they are making it possible to have more environmentally friendly warehouse operations.
These new batteries are known as Li-ion batteries or Lithium-Ion batteries. This technology is still quite new, but Li-ion batteries show incredible promise. They are not only smaller but can hold up to six times the charge of standard lead acid batteries. Li-ion batteries have really low maintenance requirements and could maximize opportunity charging through zero memory technology.