Defining the Forklift and Its Origins
In many ways, the roots of modern-day forklifts reach back thousands of years, spanning an interesting mix of countries and cultural influences. While a forklift today is widely known as an industrial vehicle that lifts and maneuvers heavy loads to varying elevations, its historical genesis lies in separate technologies previously developed in isolation of each other. Over multiple iterations, these technologies slowly merged into a singular solution, each time redefining what mechanized material handling equipment could be. In this article, we’ll take a stroll through the history of forklift technology, ending with modern tech developments that are redefining what a forklift is and what it means to the material handling industry.
In plain English, all of the most rudimentary or advanced technologies that forklift platforms are built upon serve one of three functions:
- Capacity – contacting, manipulating, and positioning heavy loads.
- Drivability – maneuvering the lift and its load between locations.
- Operation – providing for safe, productive human or machine use of the forklift.
The origination of forklifts began with just one of these functions in mind – capacity. Whether it was a matter of size, stability, height, or risk, humans needed a way to elevate materials beyond the capacity of physical human strength. For most of its history, the development of the forklift focused on just this one piece, to find a way to lift loads vertically. Over time, the function of driving this mechanized lifting device around was added, and most recently so was the prospect of doing so safely.
Technology Leaps that Elevated Forklifts to New Heights
The very notion of a forklift can be traced all the way back to the concept of the Archimedes Screw, circa the third century BCE. The Archimedes Screw is the first known mechanical device that could elevate a mass continuously against gravity, used to lift water uphill in the same way that a modern human elevator raises people up building floors. Notwithstanding any prior inventions since lost to time, the continuous motion concept of the Archimedes Screw can be credited as the root concept behind elevators, vertical platform hoists, and of course, forklifts.
Once this concept saw the light of day, the path to modern-day forklift technologies was a sure thing, spanning key milestones such as these below.
- Between ancient times and the Industrial Revolution, various mechanized lifting devices came into being, from horse-drawn rope lifts to waterwheel lifts, wooden ship gyn lifts to luffing cranes, and many more.
- As the Industrial Revolution unfolded, multiple individual technologies developed in parallel that would eventually combine into the image of a forklift. Mechanized, fixed vertical elevators were used to hoist materials between factory floors. Hand-driven sack trucks and motorized platform loaders were used to move larger loads around short distances. And the engineering of levers and geared pulleys improved so much that lifting decks could be increasingly hand operated.
- Though others may have had the thought, the Clark Equipment company of Buchanan, Michigan was the first to combine all of the above individual technology concepts into a single equipment piece, creating the first mobile lifting truck ever in 1917: the Tructractor. This vehicle was a fully mobile, internal combustion, small form factor truck designed to move heavy loads in an industrial setting with the added feature of a mechanically geared lifting deck.
- In 1923, the first lift truck that would be identifiable as a forklift was produced, with a vertical mast and two load-carrying forks. Lift trucks of this period rapidly adopted hydraulic lift mechanisms in place of electric drives due to their increased load capacities.
- Many wartime developments propelled forklift technologies forward through the course of the 20th century, including varying fuel types to increase capacities, speeds, four- wheel drive capabilities, and accessory attachments.
- In the late 20th century, distribution warehouses and environmentally controlled manufacturing operations bloomed. To suit these closed, indoor environments, forklift fuel preferences began to transition from internal combustion engines over to electric battery power, addressing pollution, indoor emissions, and safety risks.
- As the 21st century opened, forklift technologies advanced on three functional fronts, bolstering capacity, drivability, and operation, altogether fueled by the safety, efficiency, productivity, and reliability factors that today dominate industrial manufacturing and material handling sectors.
Modern Forklift Technologies and Beyond
With hundreds of years of development behind us, forklift technology may seem like it’s reached its peak, but landmark forklift manufacturers continue to redefine what a fork truck is. Referring back to our three functional categories from above, let’s conclude our review of forklift history by describing key technological advancements found in modern forklifts. To do this, we’ll largely draw from Bobcat’s newly launching line of forklifts and its features as a perfect showcase of industry-leading technologies that buyers can seek out in their next lift upgrade, rental or purchase.
- Capacity
- Advanced Multi-Stage Hydraulic Systems, which are the secret behind forklifts being able to lift extreme loads to towering heights and include many surge-suppressing components that make load motions completely smooth.
- High impact rated Transaxles, consisting of a full floating drive axle that can take load shock in stride.
- Guardian Stability Systems (GSS), an onboard load-stabilizing system that makes traveling with extreme loads much safer by decreasing travel speed, limiting tilt angle, automatically reducing speed during sharp turns, and sounding warning alarms.
- Drivability
- Oil-Cooled Disc Brakes (OCDB) rated for 10,000 hour, 5-year lifespans, offering unmatched stopping power and smooth inching motion.
- Multiple Engine and Motor Types including diesel, electric battery, and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) fuel types, each designed for a specific use-case, operating environment, capacity, and total operating cost target.
- Increasing Dexterity and Maneuverability, serving narrow aisle and extra-tight quarters demanded by high-density warehouses today.
- Operation
- Operator Sensing Systems (OSS), an onboard control system that automatically reacts should the operator leave their seat, bringing the lift to a stop, locking the lifts functions, and sounding warning alarms until the operator is safely buckled back in.
- Integrated Forklift Fleet Management and Telematics Systems, which are computerized vehicle intelligence systems that put enterprise-level asset management features down into each forklift operator’s hands as they go about their day. Task communication, hazard warnings, route optimization, vehicle health, and in-situ training are all achieved in the lift via integrated telematic systems.
- Automated and Autonomous Vehicle Guidance systems, being one of the most advanced and future-looking frontiers of forklift technology. Automated forklifts are computer controlled to run pre-programmed routes, while autonomous forklifts utilize machine-learning systems to establish their own ideal routes and missions, neither of which need a human operator on the lift.
We hope that this discussion on material handling techniques and technologies proves useful to your manufacturing, construction, and distribution interests.
Atlantic Forklift Services is your premiere material handling equipment resource, serving customers in the North and South Carolina with professional equipment sales, rentals, service, repair, parts, training, and solution consulting. As a Platinum award-winning dealership, Atlantic Forklift Services partners with world-class equipment manufacturers including Bobcat Material Handling (formerly Doosan). To learn more, please contact us by phone at (866) 243-0991, or use our contact form, or on the web at https://www.atlanticforkliftservices.com/.