Forklifts fall under the category of the most potent vehicles for builders. These equipment are very purposeful for lifting heavy loads in a warehouse or construction field. The advanced forklifts can efficiently and safely lift objects that humans cannot—making them an indispensable need for any job site.
Since there is a range of choices of styles and models, it can be difficult to choose a forklift for your facility. Whether you are looking for your next project or next purchase, this article can guide you to choose the right forklift as a Material handling equipment in Malawi for your needs.
Read on to know more!
- Warehouse Forklift
A warehouse is a place where a forklift is the most recognizably needed. It is a lift truck that resembles a yellow cart with twin forks extending from the front. In a facility with many items in inventory, forklift as a material handling equipment holds great importance. This lift truck is often great for loading and unloading pallets and balanced materials to remove and items from delivery vehicles. If we talk about the most powerful forklift models, then it includes Hyster 36-38T, Toyota3-Wheel Electric Forklift, Komatsu 20 Bx50 Hyster. Most industrial forklifts can lift 5,000 lbs of weight, but some heavy-duty models can elevate up to 25,000 lbs.
Warehouse electric forklift equipment has a few subtypes that include the side loader and counterbalance forklift.
- Side Loader
Side loaders are typically found in steel services centers and manufacturing facilities with heavy and bulky items. As the name suggests, the operator stands in a sideways compartment, and the other side loader unloads the material or object on its side. Sideload forklifts can easily drive through alongside racks and load/unload without having to turn— all because of its sideways operation. Not to mention, this sideways functioning makes them suitable for navigating narrow aisles and handling long loads like timber and pipes. If you wish to buy or a forklift, then Toyota, Raymond Corporation, Yale, and Hyundai are few of the top brand manufacturers of side loaders.
- Counterbalance Forklift
The counterbalance forklifts feature forks in the front. It is a popular lift that can lift weight in the back of the vehicle to counterbalance the load’s weight. These lift trucks come with no extending arms—making them enabled to move directly to the load. They are also subcategorized into a few types: 3 wheel variant that is ideal for situations where operators are required and maneuver in circles. Another type is the stand-up counterbalance forklift that allows the operator to hop on and off between the loads. You can find the best forklifts under the big brand banner of Mitsubishi, Toyota, and Crown.
- Telehandler
Telehandler or telescopic forklift or reach forklift comes with a boom and extendable arms, making it a crane and forklift combination. However, it features a twin fork that is attached to the arm and is used to move pallets off the ground. If we talk weight lifting numbers, then it can lift 5,500 lbs of materials to the height of 19 ft. in the air. For reaching down the tight spaces, telehandlers are great. These are also best-suited for the sites with odd angles. You can buy telehandlers from manufacturers like JCB, Genie, Bobcat, Haulotte, and Caterpillar.
- Industrial Forklift
Also known as a large capacity forklift, it features a warehouse forklift’s functionalities with that of a telehandler. Though it can’t reach the heights like a telehandler, it is highly capable of lifting payloads much higher off the ground than a warehouse forklift. This type of forklift starts with a maximum of 30,000 lbs. However, the utility of industrial forklift is narrow in scope compared to the warehouse forklift and telehandler. The famous industrial forklift manufactures on the market include NACCO Industries and Mitsubishi, etc.
- Rough Terrain Forklift
These forklifts are also termed as straight mast forklift; the rough terrain forklift is specially designed for outdoor projects, especially on uneven surfaces. With sturdy pneumatic tires, these trucks can smoothly navigate the rocky ground. The tires are the specialty of this type of forklift. They are oversized and threaded, making them better in terms of balance stability and safety transport material.
If you deal with indoor projects, then there are fewer chances that you will need them. But for rough terrains in the outdoor projects, these forklifts are a must. They can lift big models with a capacity of 6,000 lbs.
- Pallet Jack
Pallet jacks are also pumped trucks and are specialized in nature. These are generally used for small loads because of their small size. Nonetheless, if it doesn’t offer you power, it offers you a benefit to fit even in the tightest possible space and does the lifting in a tight quarter with small loads. So, it can be concluded that if you are not offered with maneuverability, then you have the upper hand in cost terms. The renting and buying is much lower for this pallet jack. You can choose a manual or electric jack; it comes in both forms.
- Walkie Stacker
Unlike other forklifts, these have strange appearances and don’t feature a cab. In this material handling equipment, the worker walks behind the stacker and steers it through its attached handle. Just like a pallet jack, walkie stacker also lacks power, speed, and maneuverability. On the positive side, they are ideal for situations where you require a taller pallet jack. These are perfect for reaching places with higher heights. The popular manufacturers for walkie stackers include Hyster, Toyota, Jungheinrich.
- Order Picker
An order picker falls under the category of walkie stacker used to pick and deliver materials from storage. They are known for reaching the height up to 32 ft. Unlike other lifting equipment, these are designed particularly to pick operators up to warehouse racks and carry individual units. These order pickers are for storage facilities and customer order warehouses as they can pick two units instead of bringing down full pallets and loads. The versatile design of these devices means that they can handle items of various sizes.
- Reach Fork Truck
For many indoor works, reach a fork truck is ideal. It is mainly recognized for its fork extension beyond the compartment enabling it to reach into the warehouse racks beating all other forklifts. Reach fork truck comes with an open compartment that allows the operator to have better visibility; while it is an ideal for lifting objects indoors, it is not suited for outside conditions because of their under-carriage clearance. The popular manufacturers of this indoor electric forklift equipment are UniCarriers, Clark Materials, and Yale.
- Forklift Classifications
Forklifts are classified into seven classes describing their fuel and option and use. Forklift operators should be aware of all the necessary safety practices for each classification and certified on each forklift class for operating it.
Class I – Electric Motor Ride Truck
Fuel Type: Electric
Use: Indoor settings where air quality is a concern
Class II – Electric Motor Narrow Aisle Truck
Fuel Type: Battery
Use: Moving inventory in narrow or tight spaces
Class III – Electric Motor Hand Truck
Fuel Type: Battery
Use: Quickly uploading delivery trucks across short distances
Class IV – Internal Combustion Engine with Cushion Tires
Fuel Type: Gas or Diesel
Use: Low-clearance situations
Class V – Internal Combustion Engine Trucks with Pneumatic Tires
Fuel Type: Gas or Diesel
Use: Indoor and outdoor with rough surfaces
Class VI – Electric and Internal Combustion Engine Tractors
Fuel Type: Battery, Gas, or Diesel
Use: Hauling or towing loads
Class VII – Rough Terrain Forklift Truck
Fuel Type: Gas or Diesel
Use: Construction sites, uneven ground, high elevation lifting
Choose a Forklift for Your Facility
If you wish to choose electric forklifts like Kion baoli forklift Malawi or manual one from all the above types, you have to think about many factors like how you are going to use the machinery. The following is a general criterion to use as a reference when you decide to choose a forklift to be on the safer side that your equipment is working fine:
- You need to determine the capacity—how much weight you require to lift?
- Calculating the weight of the site— will that ground be able to sustain the weight of forklift?
- Height of then Space— Will that forklift that you are thinking to buy will be able to pass through the narrow opening in your space?
- Terrain Analysis— You need to be aware of the terrain type, will it be smooth or uneven?
Conclusion:
There is no denying the fact that forklifts, with their ability to lift and transport things of various sizes; they are a must-have on any job site. Today, forklifts can be used in various aspects ranging from their fuel type and composition of their tire to their lift capacity to height. So, while you think of employing the service of a forklift or buying one, you need to consider the deciding factors that we have mentioned above.
