Fifteen years of experience in Material Handling Equipment at different levels – from equipment sales to Business head for Rental of MHE – here’s my first blog about the basic criteria for first time buyers of Forklift.
Before we go the selection of forklift it is important to understand the basics of forklift, its basic types and key technical parameters. Below figure gives Basic Idea about the Forklift’s Major Parts / attributes.
Forklift Basic Types and its Recommended Use:
Best Suited:
Outdoor application of Palletized Material movement in dusty environment, open yards or plants needing robust strength and continuous movement (e.g. Chemical plants, Metal foundry Fabrication / Forging Units etc.)
Advantages:
Best Suited:
Indoor Applications for movement of palletized cargo in Warehouse, plants or plant premises with very good quality of internal roads free of debris / path holes and minimum dust in the environment. Industries requiring minimal carbon emission in their plant to keep their products safe (e.g. Food & Beverage Industries, Pharma, Warehouses / Process Plants etc.)
Advantages:
Forklift is a capital Investment, and a wrong selection can end up being extremely costly for an organization. So here’ are some key questions to be asked while taking a decision on Buying a new forklift.
While selecting on which type of forklift plus make model to be considered, it is very critical to understand the application of forklift & area where the forklift is to be used (Barring exceptions – not more than 5-10%).
Any gradients? (gradient shouldn’t exceed 10% as per OSHAS) & entry-exit doors / shutters if any to ensure the forklift dimensions do not foul with any of it.
As per safe working practices OSHAS and as followed globally, the forklift should be used at 80-85% of its load capacity for longer durability and keeping the maintenance & running cost at minimal.
Find out the Load size (L x w x h) and its weight to be handled most of the time (90%), plus the load to be handled at what maximum height to determine the Basic Capacity of forklift. Be it any forklift / MHE there is derating of the capacity based on vertical & horizontal shift of load center.(See Fig. 1)
Thumb rule for Derating: Every 1M Lift after free lift the capacity reduces by 1 Ton
It is important to know the average use of forklift on daily basis to understand the running cost and also in selecting the right make & model. In case of Battery power this also determines requirement of extra battery set or not.
The forklifts come with varieties of Mast types (e.g., Duplex, Duplex with free lift, Triplex with Free lift etc.) and it is important to select the right combination based on nature of operation / application. E.g., For container stuffing operation it is critical to have full free lift and for warehouse stacking last loading level of rack determines the max lifting height required for forklift.
forklifts can be used with various types of Attachments (e.g., Side Shifter / PRC / Push-Pull / Bale etc.) and while you may not require the attachment right away it is always wise to have a provision by having additional spool in the forklift.
Turning radius is critical for forklift selections for warehouse / plant applications with eye on space optimization, forklift with compact turning radius can be maneuvered easily and in areas with less Aisle. Determine aisle require for a forklifts by below formula
Aisle space calculation: Turning radius + Load Length + 200 mm (Clearance)
While conventional practice is to have solid tyre for all forklift, lot of users have benefited by using quality pneumatic tyre – especially with roads / surfaces free of debris or sharp objects, with minimum to no possibility of punctures – as it offers better cushion to the moving parts and reduced friction means better efficiency.
