Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2025-03-27 Origin: Site
Forklifts play a vital role in logistics, warehousing and industrial production. According to their design and application scenarios, they can be divided into the following main types:
Counterbalanced forklift
This is the most common type of forklift. It is characterized by a counterweight installed at the rear of the forklift to balance the weight of the front fork and the cargo. This type of forklift has a large lifting capacity, generally 1-5 tons, and some large counterbalanced forklifts can lift up to dozens of tons. It is suitable for carrying heavier goods on flat and solid ground, such as carrying large palletized goods in warehouses and carrying building materials on construction sites. It is flexible in operation and can turn in narrow passages, but its turning radius is relatively large and requires a certain amount of working space.
Reach forklift
The mast or fork of the reach forklift can move forward and backward. When picking up goods, the fork can be extended under the goods, and then the mast moves back with the fork and the goods, so that the center of gravity of the goods is located in the wheel support plane. This type of forklift has a small body and light weight, and is suitable for use in indoor warehouses with limited space. Especially when the shelf aisles are narrow, it can work closer to the shelves and improve the utilization rate of warehouse space. It is often used in logistics centers with high storage density. The lifting capacity is generally between 1 and 2.5 tons.
Side forklift
The forks and mast of the side forklift are located on one side of the body. This unique design gives it a great advantage in loading and unloading long strips of goods (such as wood and pipes). It can load and unload along the length of the goods, without the need to insert the goods from the front like ordinary forklifts, and can operate in narrow aisles. At the same time, it has good adaptability to the length and weight of the goods, and the lifting capacity is generally around 3 tons.
Pallet forklift
A pallet forklift, also known as a pallet truck, is a small forklift with a simple structure. It is mainly used to carry pallet goods over a short distance on a plane. The operator can drive it manually or electrically, and the operation is flexible. This type of forklift generally does not have a lifting mast, and the goods are placed at a lower position. It is suitable for cargo transfer inside the warehouse and in the loading and unloading area between the vehicle and the warehouse. The lifting capacity is usually less than 2 tons.
Generally speaking, different types of forklifts have their unique functions and applicable scopes. Enterprises can choose suitable forklifts according to their own operating needs and environmental conditions, thereby improving the efficiency and safety of material handling.
