Fork Lift Research Articles

Fork lift trucks: the great forward leap

Most people think the fork lift truck hasn't changed much in the last twenty years. They could be wrong. In fact, our contributor thinks that the “re‐shaping” of the truck has now generated a large family of specialised trucks, each designed for a narrower purpose, but each more versatile. The fork lift truck can now do almost the same job as a computer‐controlled stacker crane — but at much less cost. With the rapid spread of EPOS techniques this is happening at the right time.

How to streamline the flow of materials

WE NEED to get “materials handling” into the right perspective. In most people's minds it conjures up a picture of a fork lift truck. Many industrial organisations believe that if they have developed their methods to a stage where they are able to use fork lift trucks then they have solved their materials handling problems.

Equipment Replacement in an Unsteady Economy

The decision problem concerning the replacement of members of a fleet of fork lift trucks during a period of inflation and economic uncertainty is considered. Based upon the analysis of data collected over a 2 year period of considerable inflation, a model of the expected operating costs for a truck is developed. The usual replacement criteria are not applicable here and an alternative criterion function based upon relatively short term estimates of costs and discount rate is presented. Using this function, the replacement decision is determined for both constant and variable discount rate situations.

Mobile robots for industrial use

The free roving robot in the form of a computer controlled industrial truck is now technically possible. The use of small on‐board computers and navigation aids frees the robot from dependence on fixed route marking. Conventional vehicles such as fork lift trucks may be modified for autonomous or semi‐autonomous control.

Opening moves in participation

The National Ports Council has been developing a concept of progress meetings based on working groups, over a period of ten years. The original ideas were refined from experience with a Fred Olsen Lines cargo handling subsidiary in the London Millwall Docks and extended to the local Port Authority as well as a number of other British ports. In Olsens the project began in 1967 when the NPC was called in to assist with problems encountered in operating a new labour agreement. The new mechanised system of loading and unloading ships with palletised cargo handled by fork lift trucks was a complete contrast to traditional methods of handling the Canary fruit trade. In particular the management of the new system put great strains on the cargo superintendents and supervisory group who were coping with the new technology. The approach used was essentially to create an atmosphere of mutual trust and support between individuals and between related levels of management. People were encouraged to discuss: • What their job objectives were and how these related to their concept of overall efficiency for the organisation. • What problems existed and possible means of overcoming them. The role that we played was to listen, to summarise and to help the various levels of management and managed to diagnose the work problems they encountered. As we had no axe to grind we could put a point of view to people and at the same time show them how they might be perceived by others.

Behavior of Steel-Deck-Reinforced Slabs

Results and behavioral characteristics are presented for five full-scale two-way slabs tested to ultimate. The concrete slabs were reinforced with composite corrugated cold-formed steel decking. Three slabs contained supplementary reinforcing in the form of welded wire fabric. Nominal out-to-out plan dimensions of the slabs were 16 ft by 12 ft (4.88 m by 3.66 m). Four slabs had a nominal thickness of 4.5/8 in. (118 mm) and one a thickness of 5-1/2 in. (140 mm). All slabs were subjected to four summetrically placed concentrated loads (simulating a fork lift). Ultimate failure was a shear-bond action initiated by slippage between the steel deck and the concrete with the concrete moving outward parallel to the deck corrugations, resulting a end slip in the central regions of the slabs. The addition of the welded wire fabric influenced the behavioral characteristcis and the ultimate load-carrying capacity. Near ultimate, the load-carrying action of the slabs was characteristics of a one-way slab.

THE DEMOCRATIC DICTATOR

One of Carl Duerr's first moves on taking over at Bonser Engineering — the Nottingham‐based fork lift truck makers — was to put a shop‐floor worker on the board. But although American‐born Duerr — who specialises in reviving ailing companies — believes in management by acceptance, he reserves the right to make the decisions. “The minute you put things out for votes, then you've got anarchy,” he tells Ken Gooding.

Automatic Steering of Rear-Wheel-Steered Fork Lift

An investigation was made into optimal control for automatic steering of a fork lift which is hard to maneuver on account of its rear-wheel steering. First, the vehicle motion was examined, and an optimal control law of the vehicle motion was studied as a linear regulator problem of modern control theory. Then, vehicle travel experiment and analogue simulation were performed. This experiment and simulation proved that an automatic steering mechanism designed after a simple manually operated model can hardly feed back all state variables in accord with optimal control law, but a favourable result was gained at travel velocities up to 3 m/sec. In a rear-wheel-steered fork lift, forward travel requires more severe specification for servo system than reverse travel does, which corresponds to front wheel steering.

A review of “Ergonomic Aspects of Fork Lift Truck Design; Part II—Data for Control Layout”. By R. W. ASTLEY and J. G. Fox. (Cranfield Institute of Technology, National Materials Handling Centre, 1973.) [Pp. 209.) £8·00.

A review of “<i>Ergonomic Aspects of Fork Lift Truck Design; Part II—Data for Control Layout</i>”. By R. W. ASTLEY and J. G. Fox. (Cranfield Institute of Technology, National Materials Handling Centre, 1973.) [Pp. 209.) £8·00.

Ambulatory 200 kg capacity fork lift

Ambulatory 200 kg capacity fork lift

Handling problems resolved

Two paint factories have recently solved their handling problems by using Lansing Bagnall fork lift trucks. However the two schemes are completely different: in one the trucks are on rental and work outdoors, in the other a range of trucks are used throughout the factory to reduce manpower and handling times.

WIRE ROPE LUBRICATION and CORROSION PROTECTION

WIRE ropes are found in almost every industry. Short lengths are used on many fork lift trucks, cranes, and other hoisting machinery, long lengths, up to several miles, are used for aerial ropeways, in collieries, and on many kinds of hoisting and transporting equipment. In many cases long aerial ropeways provide the only means of transport across water, deserts, bogs and even mountains. They are costly to buy and replace and their breakdown can cause serious loss of production in addition to possible injury to personnel.

125. 4000-lb-capacity rough-terrain fork lift truck: Pittsburgh University Staff. (December 1967)

125. 4000-lb-capacity rough-terrain fork lift truck: Pittsburgh University Staff. (December 1967)

Effects of Mechanical Pruning of Apple Hedgerows with a Slotting Saw on Light Penetration and Fruiting1

Abstract Annual cutterbar and slotting saw hedging were compared after 3 years. Fruiting was measured as the number of spurs per twig on 3 year old growth, number of spurs flowering and fruiting, and bushels per tree. Integrated light energy quantities were measured for 6- to 14-day periods for various positions within the tree and correlated with fruiting. A hydraulic “slotting saw” mounted on a boom on a fork lift hedged a slot in the side of the tree. By cycling the slots any one position was cut only once every 4 years, permitting the regeneration of fruiting wood and the penetration of light. ‘McIntosh’ apples pruned as 10 ft high hedges with (a) cutterbar and (b) with a slotting saw, show that annual cutterbar hedging reduces the generation of new fruiting spurs, produces a dense outer periphery shading interior spurs and reduces bearing. The slotting saw mechanical pruning technique increases light penetration into the tree, produces nearly 3 times as many new spurs and about a 4-fold increase in the percentage of spurs flowering. Light measurements within the tree indicate that spur leaves require about 50% of available light for suitable flowering. Light values in trees hedged 3 years with the cutterbar were reduced to less than this value within the outer 2 ft of tree canopy where few spurs exist.

Case study: Determining the range of standard sizes of capital goods to be manufactured

This paper describes a project that was performed to maximize profit from the manufacture of a particular type of fork lift truck, with consideration given to manufacturing quantity, range of sizes and sales price. Sales revenue and manufacturing costs were evaluated for each size of truck at different sales levels. The optimal range of sizes was thon determined using a dynamic programming approach. The results of the study together with an outline of how the work may be extended in the future are discussed.

Use of Expired Air-Carbon Monoxide for Carboxyhemoglobin Determinations in Evaluating Carbon Monoxide Exposures Resulting from the Operation of Gasoline Fork Lift Trucks in Holds of Ships

Use of Expired Air-Carbon Monoxide for Carboxyhemoglobin Determinations in Evaluating Carbon Monoxide Exposures Resulting from the Operation of Gasoline Fork Lift Trucks in Holds of Ships

Studies on Lubricating Oil for Fork Lift Engines

Studies on Lubricating Oil for Fork Lift Engines

KAY v. I.T.W. LTD.

April 24, 1967 Master and Servant — Vicarious liability — Scope of employment — Customer's five ton vehicle blocking access to warehouse — Driver of fork lift truck's inability to gain access — Attempted removal of five ton lorry by driver of truck — Accident to fellow employee — Whether in course of employment — Liability of employers.

Some user comments on reach fork lift industrial trucks obtainable in the UK

Some user comments on reach fork lift industrial trucks obtainable in the UK

A Study in Equipment Replacement

A Study in optimum replacement of fork lift trucks is described, using two models. The first is related to minimum average costs per truck per year, the second uses the approach of discounted cash flow. The parameters used in these models include the purchase price, the resale value and the maintenance costs of the equipment. The effect of capital allowances for tax purposes is included.