Fact or Fiction: Forklifts

The Tructractor, although technically not a forklift, paved the way for forklifts by introducing a new way to move heavy materials around a plant.

The first forklift was invented by Yale Materials Handling Corporation in 1923. It had forks on the end to pick up loads and could raise them up using an elevated mast.

The development of standardized wood pallets in 1930 (and later, World War II) actually helped increase the production of forklifts.

An electric forklift's battery had to last as long as a normal shift, so they were designed for eight-hour capacity.

Warehouses were being built up instead of built out in the 1950s, so forklifts were made that could reach up to 50 feet (15.2 meters).

Forklifts were equipped with operator safety restraints in the 1980s.

A forklift is an industrial truck and fits into seven classifications of that term.

Many of the forklift classifications are determined by things like the types of forklift wheels, power sources and the terrain they drive on.

Forklifts can use both pneumatic tires and solid tires. Solid tires are made of solid rubber and are ideal for indoor use on hard, flat surfaces.

The power source is an important part of the forklift and can consist of a battery pack or an internal combustion engine that burns liquid propane, gasoline or diesel fuel.

Forklifts can be dangerous, so all operators must pass an official safety certification program to receive a forklift license.

Rough-terrain forklifts can lift construction equipment, roofing supplies, bricks and lumber. They can lift the weight equivalent of a pickup truck to the top of a four-story building!

Battery-powered forklifts typically last about 20 to 30 percent longer than internal combustion forklifts.

The orders for electric forklifts made up more than 60 percent of all forklift orders in 2010.

Some Yale forklifts incorporate regenerative braking to capture energy during braking. Some of their models even use similar technology when lowering a load.

Hydrogen fuel cells, as well as liquid propane and clean diesel, are being used as alternative energy sources in newer forklifts.

The Sidewinder forklift can move in any direction using a series of rollers as wheels. Its ability to move loads while driving sideways makes it especially unique.

Automated forklifts eliminate the need for a human driver and are programmed to pick up and drop off materials in different locations.

Automated forklifts are showing up in all kinds of industries, including automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, printing, newspaper and warehouses.

Automated forklifts use laser, inertial, wire and optical guidance systems to make their way through warehouses and factories. These systems incorporate laser beams, magnets, sensors and antenna to determine the exact location of the forklift at any given time.