NEW TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS FOR INCREASING FORKLIFT STABILITY

Abstract

The forklift is one of the most frequently used work machines in internal transport. It has a whole rangeof advantages compared to similar machines used in cargo handling, first of all, great maneuverability and easyadaptability to changes in the technological process. When talking about disadvantages, there seems to be only one,and that is working at the limit of stability. The concept of stability in a forklift is defined as its ability to avoidtipping over. In most cases, accidents with forklifts are the result of poor handling by the operator, that is, it is asubjective factor. However, large manufacturers of forklifts, such as Kalmar, Toyota, Caterpillar, Linde and others.with new technological solutions on forklifts, they are trying to reduce the possibility of endangering the stabilityand overturning of the forklift. Although there are many such solutions, some of which are still in the realm oftheoretical research, in this work four solutions have been selected and analyzed, which have their own commercialapplication. It should be acknowledged that although there is no research to show the success of these solutions inthe field, through the reduced number of accidents, the stability of the forklift is undoubtedly increased. Although inthe paper, the analyzed solutions are not ranked in order of importance, the opinion of the author of this paper is thatToyota's active stability system is the pinnacle of a technical solution that ensures safe and secure operation. It is atechnology that ensures both static and dynamic stability, that is, it provides assistance both during driving and whenworking with loads at height. Another solution is the use of automatically guided forklifts in internal transport. It is adriverless forklift that autonomously follows a series of pre-determined programmed instructions to performactivities given by a central automatic controller. Moving along the programmed paths, there is no possibility thatthe stability of the forklift is compromised. Although the active stability system and driverless forklifts haveundoubted qualities, the number of such forklifts in Serbia is at the level of a statistical error, probably due to thehigh price compared to classic forklifts. The solution with increasing the dimensions of the forklift is good, butapplicable only for forklifts with a large capacity, which make up 1% of the total number of forklifts. In the end,although the use of special gripping devices is probably the weakest solution, in a technical sense, it is probably alsothe most acceptable because it is not excessively financially demanding.