The basic operating functions of forklifts are effectively divided into horizontal handling, stacking/picking, loading/unloading, and picking. The operating functions that the company wants to achieve can be preliminarily determined from the models introduced above. In addition, special operating functions will affect the specific configuration of the forklift. For example, if the forklift is carrying paper rolls, molten iron, etc., it is necessary to install accessories on the forklift to complete the special functions.
Operating requirements of forklifts
During the operation of forklifts, the requirements include the specifications of pallets or goods, effective lifting height, width of operating channels, climbing grade and other general requirements. At the same time, it is also necessary to consider the requirements of operating efficiency (different models have different efficiencies) and operating habits (such as whether to sit or stand).
Operating environment of forklifts
If the goods that the company needs to transport or the warehouse environment have environmental requirements such as noise or exhaust emissions, they should be considered when choosing the model and configuration. If it is in a cold storage or in an environment with explosion-proof requirements, the configuration of the forklift should also be cold storage type or explosion-proof type. Carefully examine the places that the forklift needs to pass through when operating, and imagine possible problems, such as whether the door height affects the forklift when entering and leaving the warehouse, the impact of the elevator height and load on the forklift when entering and exiting the elevator, and whether the floor load meets the corresponding requirements when operating upstairs.
When selecting and determining the configuration of the forklift, it is necessary to describe the working conditions in detail to the forklift supplier and conduct on-site inspections to ensure that the purchased forklift fully meets the needs of the enterprise. Even if the analysis of the above steps is completed, there may still be several models that can meet the above requirements at the same time. At this time, the following aspects need to be paid attention to:
① Different models have different working efficiency, so the number of forklifts and drivers required is also different, which will lead to a series of cost changes.
② If the forklift is operating in the warehouse, different models require different channel widths and lifting capacities, which will bring changes in the warehouse layout, such as changes in cargo storage volume.
③Different models have different market ownership and their after-sales guarantee capabilities are also different. For example, low-position driving three-way stacking forklifts and high-position driving three-way stacking forklifts belong to the same narrow channel forklift series and can complete stacking and picking up goods in very narrow channels (1.5 to 2.0 meters).
