Placing this load vertically on the tines (48 inches across) means the load center is 24 inches and safe to transport. Now, instead of a heavier child, imagine a counterbalanced forklift attempting to pick up a rectangular object that measures 48 inches by 60 inches and weighs 4,000 pounds. However, if the 50-pound child sways side to side or leans back, they gain leverage by shifting their center of gravity (their load center) and throwing the balance off. Usually, the bigger child controls the seesaw. One child weighs 50 pounds (the load), and the other weighs 100 pounds (the forklift). To better understand the combined center of gravity, picture two children playing on a seesaw (which is really just a lever with the fulcrum in the center). The combined center of gravity is variable and changes due to various factors, such as the object rising, the truck moving, the object shifting, etc. When a forklift picks up a load, it creates what’s known as a combined center of gravity. Why? Because as the load center on the forklift increases, the forklift’s lifting capacity decreases. Generally, lift trucks with high load centers can lift less than those with low ones.
However, this can vary from machine to machine and by different types of cargo. Most forklifts have a 24-inch load center. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) defines the load center as “the distance from the face of the forks to the load’s center of gravity.” To calculate a load center, measure horizontally from the front of the forks and vertically from the top of the forks. See, the load center of a forklift isn’t really part of the forklift it’s part of the load. That’s because a pallet or any other cargo has a center of gravity all its own, which is known as the load center. However, once a forklift picks up a load, its center of gravity moves forward. When not carrying a load, the forklift’s center of gravity (or, as our friends across the pond would put it, forklift centre of gravity) is safely in the middle of the stability triangle. The imaginary lines “connecting” these three points create an area known as the stability triangle. The third point, known as the pivot point, is located between the rear wheels on the back axle. Two of these three points are the front tires, which are connected to the front axle (i.e., the fulcrum). However, because a forklift is much more complex than a basic lever, ensuring the machine remains balanced relies on much more than just the forklift fulcrum.Ĭounterbalanced lift trucks have a three-point suspension system that helps distribute the vehicle’s weight. The fulcrum point of a forklift is the front axle. Forklift fulcrum pointĪlthough a forklift does not look like a basic lever, the principles of how it operates are similar: there’s a heavy load, pressure applied to lift the load, and a fulcrum to help transfer the energy. When a fulcrum is far from the load, more effort is required, but the load rises higher. Less effort is required when the fulcrum is close to the load, but the load will only move a short distance. The amount of force needed depends on the weight of the load and the position of the fulcrum. When a weighted load is set on one end of a lever and pressure is applied to the other end, the energy travels the length of the beam to raise the load. To better understand how counterbalanced lift trucks work, we’ll focus on one of those simple tools: the lever.Ī basic lever consists of a plank and a fulcrum. If you break down a counterbalance forklift, you’ll see that it is really just several simple tools (such as a lever, pulley, or wheel) thoughtfully united to create an elaborate and effective heavy machine. A forklift’s weight helps to keep the truck level while lifting and moving heavy loads. Most forklifts weigh twice as much as their weight capacity, which is how much a forklift can safely carry according to its data plate. That term refers to the heavy battery that powers the machine and other weights in the vehicle’s rear, which helps ensure that the forklift remains balanced. The most common lift truck used in warehouses is a counterbalance forklift (or counterbalanced forklift).
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