Forklift Attachments Antioch - Forklift attachments make a variety of jobs possible. The wide range of forklift attachments make most jobs not only possible but also safer and quicker. Forklift operators require training for each attachment they will be using as well as their general forklift training.
Many hydraulic and non-hydraulic forklift attachments are available. They offer numerous benefits by decreasing man-power, employee accidents, fuel consumption, damage to stock and time.
Equipment Considerations
A forklift attachment can replace an existing forklift attachment or can be added to a forklift that does not already have one. Several equipment-related factors must be considered before any forklift attachment is replaced or added. These considerations include:
1. The forklift type;
2. The forklift’s capacity;
3. The carriage type; and
4. The number of hydraulic functions.
Failure to properly consider these factors will increase the safety risk associated with operation of a forklift and its attachments and increase the risk for damage to the forklift, the attachment and surrounding area, including stock. Further safety factors must also be taken into consideration, which will be discussed in greater detail below.
Forklift Rating and Re-Rating
Manufacturers give forklifts a lift capacity rating that needs to be considered and adjusted when adding or changing forklift attachments. Online calculators are available from manufacturers of forklift attachment’s to provide estimates on every attachments’ lifting capacity. It is important to note that only the forklift manufacturer can provide accurate lifting capacities.
The first step before installing any attachment is to get in touch with the authorized local forklift dealer to request that that forklift brand is re-rated accordingly with the attachment. There will be a new specification plate that is factory authorized once the forklift manufacturer has re-rated the machine. The newly upgraded specification plate will replace the original plate and needs to be installed showing the new forklift rating.
Equipment Upgrades
Forklift attachments rely on the machine’s hydraulic function and are made up of a forklift valve that has a lever situated close to the operator. This creates two passages of pressurized hydraulic oil for powering the attachment features. While not all forklift attachments are hydraulic, hydraulic attachments often include more features than the forklift has valves. When this happens, the forklift needs to have one or more valves added. There are numerous ways a valve can be added. The manufacturers of forklifts create accessories to simplify hose and valve routing. Due to the cost of labor and parts required, this process may not be practical. Alternative methods include adding a solenoid valve in conjunction with a hose or cable reel that diverts oil flow from an existing function. Unfortunately, hose and cable reels can sometimes block the operator's view and can be easily damaged. Special hoses and a solenoid valve kit an be used to create an electrical conduit out of the reinforced braid. Because these hoses replace the existing hoses housed in the forklift, the hoses are safe from damage while keeping the operator’s field of vision clear.
Safety Considerations
Prior to fitting any type of forklift attachment, proper training must be obtained. The operator needs to be able to remove, fit and operate the attachment.
Before using any forklift attachment, two safety issues need consideration.
The nominal load rating will be reduced on the forklift once any attachment is applied. The nominal load rating is computed with a stock fork carriage and forks. However, the actual load rating may be substantially lower.
Second, the center of gravity will be affected by the use of any forklift attachment. Obviously, the stability of the forklift is reduced. Due to the attachment weight being situated in front of the fulcrum point, the forklift needs to be driven as though it is partially loaded even when it is empty. Operators need to travel gently and slowly every time they use an attachment and take extra care while turning. As noted above, each attachment should be listed on the data plate of the forklift’s capacity.
Certain safety checks need to be done before using any kind of attachment. The forklift attachment must be permitted on the forklift’s data plate, locked properly, correctly attached, appropriate for the particular load and appropriate for the type of forklift being used.
List of Common Forklift Attachments
Below is a list of popular forklift attachments and their general uses. This is just a sample list of some of the most popular forklift attachments. As you will see, the large variety of attachments available have the capacity to greatly increase the efficiency of many jobs.
SIDESHIFTER:
The sideshifter enables the forklift to move laterally for easier load placement without having to reposition the entire machine.
FORK POSITIONERS:
The fork positioners adjust for different loads by moving the forks together or apart in relation to each other.
DIMENSIONING DEVICES:
Dimensioning devices offer cargo dimensions to create more warehouse efficiency and better truck and trailer space. This is commonly used with billing systems that record volume.
ROTATOR:
A rotator helps to straighten tilted skids and handle custom load requirements and fast unloading. Numerous attachments have a rotator feature.
ROLL AND BARREL CLAMP:
Allows for grasping of load with a rounded shape, such as rolled material and barrels, often with various pressure setting to avoid damage to more fragile materials. These attachments sometimes also have a rotate function to assist with, for example, rotating an item from a horizontal to a vertical position.
CARTON AND MULTIPURPOSE CLAMP:
The carton and multipurpose clamp is for grasping loads with a squared shape. It also features pressure settings to handle bales, boxes and cartons.
POLE ATTACHMENTS:
Pole attachments are long metal poles in place of the forks. They are useful for picking up linoleum and rolled up carpet or similar items.
SLIP SHEETER OR PUSH-PULL:
Allows operator to transport slip sheets by clamping onto slip sheets, as opposed to pallets, and either pulling the slip sheet onto wide and thin metal forks for loading or pushing the slip sheet to unload. Some variations of the attachment are Save, where the slip sheet is removed for reuse, or Standard.
DRUM HANDLER:
The drum handler is specifically designed to transport drums. It might feature arms to hold the drum or be a spring-loaded model to grip the top lid.
DRUM AND STORAGE BIN TIPPER:
The drum and storage bin tipper helps to transfer loose or liquid items into other containers.
MAN BASKET:
The lift platform known as a man basket is designed to transport workers vertically. It is outfitted with brackets and railings to anchor safety harnesses.
TELESCOPIC FORKS:
The telescopic forks are used in locations with a two pallet stacking design were one shelf is placed right behind another with no aisle between them.
SCALES:
Scales are helpful for allowing operators to transport pallets while weighing them. This stops the need for interrupting work with regular travel to the scales. It can be used in legal-for-trade weights for operations that bill by how much items weigh.
SINGLE-DOUBLE FORKS:
Single-double forks facilitate movement of a single platform or pallet or two side-by-side pallets. This is useful for transporting specialty items with the right attachments employed. It can be used with normal lifting tasks and stops the need for owning two separate machines. This greatly reduces the cost of maintenance and operation that is used with multiple forklifts.
SNOW PLOW:
Snow plows are used to remove snow and redistribute it; however, this attachment can be used with other loose kinds of material.
SKIPS:
Skips facilitate fast and safe removal of waste to the proper waste or skip compactor. Skips are either a bottom-emptying model or a roll-forward type.
BOOMS AND JIBS:
Booms and jibs allow forklifts extended reach. They are available to transport deep or highly stacked loads, suspended loads and more. These attachments can be low profile, precision lifting or reach over models to facilitate extended lengths.
Forklift Attachment PDF
