Necessary Components of Every Forklift in the Philippines
What are the most crucial elements of a forklift?
- Forklift truck frame
- Operator cab
- Power source
- Forklift mast
- Carriage
- Forklift tires
In the Philippines, forklifts are found in fleets. Different businesses and industries have a large number of them in warehouses where they are utilized to handle many materials. In a fundamental sense, a forklift is just like any other machine. It’s made of many parts, with each having an important role in creating a unified system.
A forklift is only a sum of its parts. When one of its major components is missing or malfunctioning, the whole machine can be rendered useless. With the growing variety of material handling equipment, however, more and more add-ons are being invented to improve the functionalities of forklifts. Most of it is found with the advanced operating systems, diverse fork attachments, or simply just better mechanical parts overall.
But of course, you shouldn’t forget about the basics of forklifts—the most essential parts that allow the forklift to perform its primary functions. With that being said, below is a list of the most vital pieces of a forklift:
Forklift Truck Frame
Likened to the chassis of a car, the frame is what gives shape to the forklift. It is where most, if not all, of the components are attached to. This includes the wheels and axels, the engine, mast counterweight, and overhead guard. There are also forklifts that have tanks for their fuel or hydraulic fluid built directly onto the truck frame.
Operator Cab
This area of the forklift is where the driver sits to maneuver the entire machine. Just like in a car, it’s where you’ll find the steering wheel, brakes, and acceleration pads. This is also the area where most of the control devices are found. The tilt, lift, and side shift levers, mast, and the dashboard with gauges are all situated within the area.
Some cabs have a seat for the operator, while others are designed for standing applications. Most of the time, the steering system within a forklift uses a power steering cylinder and it turns the rear axle while pivoting on the front tires. Most operator cabs have an extension called the overhead guard that supports a metal roof over the head of the operator. There are also forklifts that have their operator cabs enclosed and include heating or cooling.
Power Source
There are two main primary sources of power for forklifts: there are the internal combustion engine and the electric motor powered by batteries. They function similarly with other vehicle engines.
Combustion engines work through the injection of liquid fuel and air into a cylinder with a piston that is powered by a crankshaft. A spark plug then initiates an explosion that pushes the piston down in the cylinder. And thus, the downward engine is converted into mechanical energy for the forklift.
Forklift Mast
The part that makes a forklift, a forklift—the mast is responsible for all the primary lifting functions. It is essentially the vertical assembly located in the front of the forklift that is made up of interlocking rails. These are the different types that lift the fork and carriage with the load. Finally, it is important to note that there will usually be at least one hydraulic cylinder that basically powers the rails.
Carriage
Most notably serving as an integral part of the mast, the carriage is used to lift and stabilize the load. It is known to have two parts:
Forks: These are the pieces of metal at the bottom of the carriage. They are used to lift the load from the bottom. They come in a range of sizes and designs, depending on its main purpose.
Load Backrest: Located at the back section of the carriage, and usually in front of the operator cab is the load backrest. Its main function is to help support the load as it goes higher. It acts as a supportive structure for the load and a protective barrier for the operator.
Forklift Tires
The forklift, with all of its material handling capabilities and duties, needs to be stable at all costs. That means that its tires need to provide enough traction to move the forklift safely and efficiently.
There are several types of forklift tires available, as well as a number of different tire layouts. But for the most part, there are only two types of tires:
Cushion tires are used indoors on smooth, flat surfaces. They are relatively inexpensive and ideal for working environments that require a small turning radius.
Pneumatic tires are the type that is used for outdoor environments because they have the traction to work in even the roughest of terrains.
Key Takeaway
Even with how advanced forklifts in the Philippines have come to be, there will never be too much change that the foundational structure will ever become drastically different. The amazing advancements in the latest versions of Clark forklifts are fantastic examples of innovation, ingenuity, and impeccable performance.
