It can move using different types of motors:

Diesel-type engines are significantly more polluting, especially when they do not have particle purification elements and are practically relegated to outdoor use.

However, a compressed natural gas forklift produces much cleaner combustion, less noise pollution and has a greater autonomy than electric ones; The tank is refilled in three minutes, always depending on the engine displacement, the working speed and the volume of the compressed natural gas tank.

Generally, these vehicles cannot be used in closed locations (such as warehouses and distribution centers, where emissions must be taken into account).

Those with an electric motor are the most appropriate for working in closed spaces given their zero emission of pollutants and their low noise pollution; As previously stated, the requirements for working in these spaces have been decisive in making forklifts a pioneering vehicle in the use of electricity for mobility, since we have never stopped betting on this source of energy and it has always been in continuous development and research. They are equipped with a large battery that provides enough autonomy to work for a few hours and once it is exhausted we must recharge it again with an external charger or replace it with another one that is previously charged (in continuous operation).

They have an electric motor to drive the vehicle and generally another motor to drive the pump that provides the pressure of the hydraulic system with which the lifting functions, fork adjustments and power steering are performed.

With recent developments and innovations in power electronics, agile vehicles have been achieved, highly efficient in terms of performance and energy savings, and at the same time with great comfort and simplicity of handling and with very proportional and precise controls when making maneuvers and approaches.[11]​.

Maintenance costs, as a general rule, are much cheaper in an electric vehicle, since there are fewer wear elements such as filters, oils and belts, to name a few. The useful life of the battery is given as a general rule of 1500 work cycles. In addition, the latest technologies in propulsion from drive motors based on three-phase alternating currents further minimize costs compared to traditional DC motors.[12]​.

Usually, forklifts always have forks that slide along the mast as the most common means of picking up loads by inserting the forks under the pallet, but there are other more specific versions for handling loads - which due to their shape - are difficult to palletize or to avoid this process.

It is possible to find models that, instead of forks, have two sides (straight or curved) incorporated into the mast that embrace the object to be transported, making a small compression effort on the right and left sides of the same, causing the object to rise together with the sides; Devices like this are used to handle stacks of medium-sized tires or appliances or other objects properly packaged and protected without the need for them to be palletized, with the consequent savings in materials and processes.[13]​.

In small models there are a multitude of designs and configurations - always adapted to work in small spaces - and some turn out to be a hybrid between a pallet truck and a forklift; for example, the one called in Spain as an electric stacker"), designed to work in the narrow space that usually exists in the aisles between shelves given that its design is very compact and its configuration is a tricycle, to gain maneuverability in turns.[14]​.

In large manufacturing or logistics centers with great activity and many movements of forklifts and pallets, they are equipped with a touch terminal connected via Wi-Fi with the central server of the facilities. Through the terminal, the system communicates to the driver what merchandise he has to load, in what position, on what shelf it is located and to what dock or at what destination he has to deposit it; Once completed, the operator marks it on the terminal and checks which is the next task assigned.

With these highly automated systems, great efficiency and performance of the fleet of forklifts is achieved as all movements are calculated by the computer system through mathematical algorithms and thus downtime, empty runs, assembly line stoppages due to lack of supply, etc. are avoided.[15]​.

For repetitive movements of pallets between several specific sites in an industry, there are manipulators similar to forklifts that operate without a driver, guided electronically by marks on the floor, through sensors housed in the pavement or other systems.

There are also driverless forklifts that carry out the loading operation from the back of the trucks (using a dock), which are linked and synchronized with the rest of the pallet handlers in an automated warehouse to move all loads from the truck to the shelf (and vice versa) without human intervention.[16]​.

In automated warehouses, stacker cranes are used, which are devices based on forklifts - also operating without a driver - that move longitudinally along rails between two rows of high-height shelves and pick up a pallet from a specific position on the shelf and transport it to deliver it to the head of the shelf or vice versa.[17]​.

Contenido

En el mercado, existen soluciones para reducir riesgos laborales producidos por atropellos con carretillas elevadoras.

speed limitation

There are companies that, due to internal safety regulations, electronically limit the speed of movement of forklifts in order to minimize accidents and collisions or the consequences of these.[18]​.

Pedestrian detection systems

They are proximity sensors that detect objects and pedestrians from a few centimeters to several meters. The sensor makes the difference between a person and an object and alerts the driver without unnecessary alarms. Based on stereovision, an algorithm analyzes in real time whether a person is in a blind zone of the forklift.

Ultrasonic radars

Ultrasonic sensors are proximity detectors that detect objects at distances ranging from a few centimeters to several meters. The sensor emits a sound and measures the time it takes for the signal to return. It does not discriminate between people and objects. Any obstacle behind the forklift will be detected. Typically, this type of sensor is only used for rear detection.

Radio frequency systems

They are solutions that warn forklift drivers when people are detected near the forklift. Pedestrians must carry a radio frequency device (electronic key tags) that emit when a forklift detects them, alerting the driver of the risk of being hit. The detection is both front and rear and discriminates people from common obstacles in warehouses. For this reason, the driver only receives an alert when there is a pedestrian near the forklift. There are different solutions on the market:

Center of gravity (center of load)

To avoid overturning or safety problems with a forklift[20]​ or forklift, it is important to know its center of gravity[21]​ or load center. The truck has a three-point suspension system. The points are located over the two load wheels (front) and halfway between the rear wheels.

When imaginary lines are drawn to connect them, what is known as the “stability triangle” is formed. The operator must ensure that the center of gravity of the combined forklift and load remains within the stability triangle to prevent tipping.

In Argentina, Law 19587 on Hygiene and Safety at Work (decree 351/79, chapter 15, article 137) establishes the minimum safety requirements required by forklifts.

In Spain, it was legislated by Royal Decree 1215/1997 which requires being in possession of a forklift driver's license, which is obtained after passing a course on driving notions, regulations and ORP knowledge. There is also a Spanish standard, UNE 58451 for the "Training of operators of handling trucks up to 10,000 kg" [22]​[23]​.

In Mexico, the legislation on forklifts and other loading devices and manual loads are included in the Official Mexican Standard NOM-006-STPS-2000 "Handling and storage of materials. Safety conditions and procedures".[24]​.

There are several types of maintenance that can be implemented to maintain and prolong the operation of forklifts:.

To prepare a maintenance plan, it is important to consider the type of forklifts used and a series of stages for their correct execution, such as: selection of machines that are part of the maintenance, assessment of the state of deterioration, hours of operation, technical study of the forklifts, coding of the machines, definition of operating parameters, division of the machines into parts, among others.

Existen diferentes modos de hacer la carga y descarga de un camión mediante carretillas. La más común debido al tipo de infraestructuras es la carga trasera, Pero también existe otros métodos como la carga lateral.

Side loading system

See a video [1].

It has two flat parallel bars on its front, which are inserted into the pallet (under the load), called "forks" (sometimes also colloquially "nails"), mounted on a support that slides vertically along a mast, thereby achieving the lifting and lowering movement of the load. The separation between forks is variable to adapt to different pallet sizes or loads; The fork support has a small lateral displacement (to the right and left) to perform pallet approach maneuvers or centering the nails with the load. The rear wheels are steerable (steering) with a large turning angle to facilitate maneuverability in narrow spaces. Usually the front wheels are the driving or propelling wheels; There are also 4x4 versions for use outdoors or on construction sites.[8]​.

The lifting of the forks, as well as the inclination of the mast and other movements are carried out through hydraulic pistons that are part of an oil-hydraulic system activated by a pump to which energy is supplied by the same motor used for movement in thermal motors and generally by a separate motor in the case of electric ones.

It is for rough and industrial use, and is used in warehouses, manufacturing complexes, logistics centers and self-service stores to transport and support pallets or pallets with merchandise and arrange them on shelves or racks and carry out loading and unloading activities of trucks or containers. It supports heavy loads that no group of people could bear alone, and saves hours of work as a considerable weight is moved at once instead of dividing the contents of the pallets into parts or sections. Its use requires certain training and the governments of different countries require businesses that their employees apply for special licenses to operate it. They also require special puncture-proof tires.

Due to the configuration of this type of vehicle, which keeps the weight of the pallet outside the plane formed by its wheels (not like a truck that supports the load within said plane), at the rear they are equipped with a large counterweight to maintain balance. Since the conventional four-wheeled forklift has an oscillating rear axle, for stability purposes, it also uses the counterweight to maintain the balance of the forklift-load assembly, which changes depending on the height of the load or the inclination of the mast.[3][9]​.

It can move using different types of motors:

Diesel-type engines are significantly more polluting, especially when they do not have particle purification elements and are practically relegated to outdoor use.

However, a compressed natural gas forklift produces much cleaner combustion, less noise pollution and has a greater autonomy than electric ones; The tank is refilled in three minutes, always depending on the engine displacement, the working speed and the volume of the compressed natural gas tank.

Generally, these vehicles cannot be used in closed locations (such as warehouses and distribution centers, where emissions must be taken into account).

Those with an electric motor are the most appropriate for working in closed spaces given their zero emission of pollutants and their low noise pollution; As previously stated, the requirements for working in these spaces have been decisive in making forklifts a pioneering vehicle in the use of electricity for mobility, since we have never stopped betting on this source of energy and it has always been in continuous development and research. They are equipped with a large battery that provides enough autonomy to work for a few hours and once it is exhausted we must recharge it again with an external charger or replace it with another one that is previously charged (in continuous operation).

They have an electric motor to drive the vehicle and generally another motor to drive the pump that provides the pressure of the hydraulic system with which the lifting functions, fork adjustments and power steering are performed.

With recent developments and innovations in power electronics, agile vehicles have been achieved, highly efficient in terms of performance and energy savings, and at the same time with great comfort and simplicity of handling and with very proportional and precise controls when making maneuvers and approaches.[11]​.

Maintenance costs, as a general rule, are much cheaper in an electric vehicle, since there are fewer wear elements such as filters, oils and belts, to name a few. The useful life of the battery is given as a general rule of 1500 work cycles. In addition, the latest technologies in propulsion from drive motors based on three-phase alternating currents further minimize costs compared to traditional DC motors.[12]​.

Usually, forklifts always have forks that slide along the mast as the most common means of picking up loads by inserting the forks under the pallet, but there are other more specific versions for handling loads - which due to their shape - are difficult to palletize or to avoid this process.

It is possible to find models that, instead of forks, have two sides (straight or curved) incorporated into the mast that embrace the object to be transported, making a small compression effort on the right and left sides of the same, causing the object to rise together with the sides; Devices like this are used to handle stacks of medium-sized tires or appliances or other objects properly packaged and protected without the need for them to be palletized, with the consequent savings in materials and processes.[13]​.

In small models there are a multitude of designs and configurations - always adapted to work in small spaces - and some turn out to be a hybrid between a pallet truck and a forklift; for example, the one called in Spain as an electric stacker"), designed to work in the narrow space that usually exists in the aisles between shelves given that its design is very compact and its configuration is a tricycle, to gain maneuverability in turns.[14]​.

In large manufacturing or logistics centers with great activity and many movements of forklifts and pallets, they are equipped with a touch terminal connected via Wi-Fi with the central server of the facilities. Through the terminal, the system communicates to the driver what merchandise he has to load, in what position, on what shelf it is located and to what dock or at what destination he has to deposit it; Once completed, the operator marks it on the terminal and checks which is the next task assigned.

With these highly automated systems, great efficiency and performance of the fleet of forklifts is achieved as all movements are calculated by the computer system through mathematical algorithms and thus downtime, empty runs, assembly line stoppages due to lack of supply, etc. are avoided.[15]​.

For repetitive movements of pallets between several specific sites in an industry, there are manipulators similar to forklifts that operate without a driver, guided electronically by marks on the floor, through sensors housed in the pavement or other systems.

There are also driverless forklifts that carry out the loading operation from the back of the trucks (using a dock), which are linked and synchronized with the rest of the pallet handlers in an automated warehouse to move all loads from the truck to the shelf (and vice versa) without human intervention.[16]​.

In automated warehouses, stacker cranes are used, which are devices based on forklifts - also operating without a driver - that move longitudinally along rails between two rows of high-height shelves and pick up a pallet from a specific position on the shelf and transport it to deliver it to the head of the shelf or vice versa.[17]​.

Contenido

En el mercado, existen soluciones para reducir riesgos laborales producidos por atropellos con carretillas elevadoras.

speed limitation

There are companies that, due to internal safety regulations, electronically limit the speed of movement of forklifts in order to minimize accidents and collisions or the consequences of these.[18]​.

Pedestrian detection systems

They are proximity sensors that detect objects and pedestrians from a few centimeters to several meters. The sensor makes the difference between a person and an object and alerts the driver without unnecessary alarms. Based on stereovision, an algorithm analyzes in real time whether a person is in a blind zone of the forklift.

Ultrasonic radars

Ultrasonic sensors are proximity detectors that detect objects at distances ranging from a few centimeters to several meters. The sensor emits a sound and measures the time it takes for the signal to return. It does not discriminate between people and objects. Any obstacle behind the forklift will be detected. Typically, this type of sensor is only used for rear detection.

Radio frequency systems

They are solutions that warn forklift drivers when people are detected near the forklift. Pedestrians must carry a radio frequency device (electronic key tags) that emit when a forklift detects them, alerting the driver of the risk of being hit. The detection is both front and rear and discriminates people from common obstacles in warehouses. For this reason, the driver only receives an alert when there is a pedestrian near the forklift. There are different solutions on the market:

Center of gravity (center of load)

To avoid overturning or safety problems with a forklift[20]​ or forklift, it is important to know its center of gravity[21]​ or load center. The truck has a three-point suspension system. The points are located over the two load wheels (front) and halfway between the rear wheels.

When imaginary lines are drawn to connect them, what is known as the “stability triangle” is formed. The operator must ensure that the center of gravity of the combined forklift and load remains within the stability triangle to prevent tipping.

In Argentina, Law 19587 on Hygiene and Safety at Work (decree 351/79, chapter 15, article 137) establishes the minimum safety requirements required by forklifts.

In Spain, it was legislated by Royal Decree 1215/1997 which requires being in possession of a forklift driver's license, which is obtained after passing a course on driving notions, regulations and ORP knowledge. There is also a Spanish standard, UNE 58451 for the "Training of operators of handling trucks up to 10,000 kg" [22]​[23]​.

In Mexico, the legislation on forklifts and other loading devices and manual loads are included in the Official Mexican Standard NOM-006-STPS-2000 "Handling and storage of materials. Safety conditions and procedures".[24]​.

There are several types of maintenance that can be implemented to maintain and prolong the operation of forklifts:.

To prepare a maintenance plan, it is important to consider the type of forklifts used and a series of stages for their correct execution, such as: selection of machines that are part of the maintenance, assessment of the state of deterioration, hours of operation, technical study of the forklifts, coding of the machines, definition of operating parameters, division of the machines into parts, among others.

Existen diferentes modos de hacer la carga y descarga de un camión mediante carretillas. La más común debido al tipo de infraestructuras es la carga trasera, Pero también existe otros métodos como la carga lateral.

Side loading system

See a video [1].