If the data plate on your forklift says its rated capacity is 10,000 lbs, that doesn’t necessarily mean you can lift any load weighing less than 10,000 lbs. The load dimensions, placement, weight distribution of the load and any forklift attachments affect your lift truck’s true maximum capacity.
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Today’s blog post will answer the questions:
– What is rated capacity vs. net/payload capacity
– How much can a forklift actually lift?
– What is load center?
– How to choose a forklift with the right capacity
Understanding Forklift Load Capacity
Load capacity, rated capacity and net capacity all describe the maximum weight a lift truck can safely raise at a specified load center. If the load is not centered, the forklift cannot lift to its maximum capacity.
What is a load center?
A load center is the horizontal distance from the vertical face of the forks to the center of gravity of the load. As a general rule, load center is 24″ from the face of the forks (the center point of standard 48” x 48” pallet).
Understanding a forklift’s rated capacity
Forklift capacities range from about 3,000 lbs up to more than 70,000+ lbs. You can find the rated capacity of a forklift on its data plate.
OSHA requires “only loads within the rated capacity of a truck shall be handled.” It’s easy to think the rated capacity is the same as maximum capacity, but it’s not that simple.
The basic capacity of a forklift is based on the model. According to the sample data plate this machine will have a true rated capacity of 4,950 lbs at a 24” load center (48” overall), or 4,400 lbs at a 30” load center (60” overall) at fully raised height. The down-rated capacity takes into consideration the maximum fork height, the sideshifter, and any attachment that the forklift is using. In addition the length of the load dictates where the center of the load is. When a forklift is used with multiple attachments they must have multiple data plates as well to note the rating with each attachment.
Another factor affecting capacity is the distribution on the pallet. If the load is oddly shaped and is heavier on one end then the load center is altered towards the heavy end. This altered load center must be taken into consideration as well.
Read more about forklift capacity and load safety from OSHA.
Forklift attachments and capacity
Adding a forklift attachment reduces the lifting capacity of the truck due to the additional weight of the attachment itself and because an attachment typically moves the truck’s load center farther forward. As the center of gravity moves forward, the maximum load weight must decrease to prevent tipovers.
Our friends at Cascade made an online capacity calculator to determine the approximate capacity of a forklift with attachments. To be on the safe side, it’s always good to speak with a knowledgeable product expert before adding an attachment to your forklift.
Forklift Rated Capacity Versus Net Capacity
The net capacity of a forklift reflects the true capability of the forklift and accounts for any attachments, the forklift’s mast type and any other modifications. Net capacity is also referred to as payload capacity.
What Forklift Capacity Do You Need?
Here are a few questions to ask:
– How heavy is my typical load?
– How high do I need to lift my loads?
– What length is my largest load?
– What type of attachments will the lift truck utilize?
At TMH we sell forklifts with capacities ranging from 3,000 lbs for the stand-up rider or 3-wheel electric, up to 40,000 lbs (high-capacity electric) and 72,000 (high-capacity ICE). Our product experts are available to answer any questions you may have. Contact us online, or by phone:
San Francisco Bay Area (510) 473-8151
Fresno (559) 834-9500
Sacramento (916) 376-0500
Salinas (831) 757-1091
Further Reading
Guide to Common Forklift Attachments
Anatomy of a Forklift
How to Understand a Forklift Data Plate
EP Equipment offers a large variety of electric pallet stackers for sale, for every application. Starting with entry level stacker for light duty application over heavy duty stacker with lead acid or Lithium-ion Battery to special application trucks like counterbalance stacker trucks or end rider solutions .
If you would like an electric pallet stacker with…
EP is your go-to provider. Our electric pallet stacker provides all the above features for guaranteed safety and optimal performance in various settings, as shown in the featured video below.
Keep reading to discover more of EP’s electric pallet stackers collection.
Electric pallet stackers are the ultimate entry level material handling equipment for transporting, lifting, and loading pallets.
While an electric pallet truck can transport pallets through a warehouse, the electric stacker provides a next stage for warehouse operations. As it not only allows for transportation, but also the stacking and racking of pallets. An electric stacker has powered lifting and driving and can transport goods at ground level, it can also lift vertically to allow for maximised storage space on warehouse racking.
As the E-commerce industries grow, the demand for larger warehouses and storage facilities is increasing and the optimisation of these spaces is critical to successful operation.
In order to meet the growing demand for goods from the consumer, warehouses are growing bigger but also taller to accommodate increased volume. This means that the stacking of goods onto warehouse racking is a must for most businesses, and this is where the electric stacker comes in to play.
The changes and developments in warehouses have meant that material handling requirements have exceeded what can be provided by a pallet truck. An electric stacker is the perfect machine for businesses with demands that cannot be met by a pallet truck but also do not require all the features of forklift trucks at a higher cost.
Pallet stackers are perfect for warehouses, construction environments and storerooms. They can be used to move heavy goods and boxes and can be utilised to store pallets on high racking for convenient and efficient storage. Stackers have the advantage of still being a compact tool, meaning that they can operate well on the shop floor if required to move goods from the warehouse to a customer. They can also provide additional advantages such as creating a workstation platform for packing and shipping good in the warehouse.
Choosing an electric powered stacker is a better choice than a hydraulic stacker for several reasons. Manual pallet stackers may be initially cheaper than electric models, but when considering the additional benefits of electric stackers going electric seems like the obvious choice.
An electric powered stacker has the following advantages:
In addition, lithium-ion stackers from EP provide additional benefits including:
A semi electric stacker means that one out of 2 functions are electric: lifting, or driving.
When you consider the ergonomics of using an electric stacker compared to a manual or semi electric pallet truck, the biggest consideration is operator safety and comfort. Most strain for the operator comes from the action of pulling a heavy load. To build the initial momentum, the most force is required and is the highest risk of workplace injury and long-term operator issues. Electric lifting is not as essential, therefore semi electric pallet trucks are often electric drive and manual lift.
A semi electric stacker starts at around 2,000 euros, but for just a small increase in price you can get an electric stacker with the full benefits of electric lifting and driving. Therefore, at EP Equipment, we only provide fully electric stacker models.
When looking for an electric stacker there are a few questions to consider, to ensure the model can meet the handling requirements of your business:
When looking at the drive type of an electric stacker, it is important to consider the The two industry drive types are centralised and decentralised.
Certain powered stacker models feature a centrally located drive wheel on the truck. Four additional points of ground contact are created by including support wheels at each corner. This type of drive is effective, however, the traction on the drive wheel is also increased. This means the truck can perform well on uneven ground and ramps, however, more reliance on the support wheels creates a less stable drive. As a result, the stability of the truck can be compromised.
Centralized drive types work well for electric pallet trucks where traction is key and lifting heights are low. However, stability of the stackers is more important than traction – so to ensure the safety of the machine.
With EP Equipment stackers, the drive wheel is located to the left-hand side of the truck with only 3 additional points of contact added via support wheels. This means that EP powered stackers have maximised stability as when support wheels are used, the force is focused towards the drive wheel side, ensuring a more balanced and stable chassis, as opposed to the four-point support in centralized systems.
The biggest benefits of having a decentralised drive type are increased stability and increased safety.
The mast is what increases the capabilities of a stacker beyond that of a pallet truck, allowing it to assist with transporting and storing goods on racks, that cannot be reached by a pallet truck.
There are 4 main mast types to consider:
A simplex mast is composed of a fixed outer mast with a mobile lifting carriage.
Advantages
Disadvantages
A mono mast stacker such as EP’s MM Series is a single-column fixed mast with a lifting carriage and compact design.
Advantages
Disadvantages
A duplex mast has 2 mast profiles, one is a moveable inner mast, and one acts as a fixed outer lifting frame.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Triplex mast stackers are made up of two mobile inner driving masts with a fixed outer lifting frame. Models from EP with triplex masts include:
ES WA Series
RS Series
RSI Series
Advantages
Disadvantages
Initial lift is an additional lift, which is operated independently of the mast lift and raises the wheel arms to increase the level of ground clearance.
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All Stackers (excluding counterbalance stackers) have fork arms on the ground supporting the forks for stability. The forks are what is pulled up from resting on the fork arms to lift goods. Because the fork arms are always on the ground to support the lowered forks, this means that they always have very low ground clearance.
By operating with the function of initial lift, the mechanism raises the wheels and allows the stacker to gain higher ground clearance and be used on ramps and un-even grounds.
Inconclusion, the feature of initial lift increase the ground clearance, meaning the stacker has increased usability.
This feature increases operational efficiency by enabling the handling of multiple pallets in a single lift, thereby maximizing storage space and reducing the number of lifting cycles required. Additionally, it can lead to time savings and improved productivity in material handling processes.
The lifting mast allows the stacker to move its pallet or goods vertically. To choose the right stacker, you must consider if the mast has the parameters to operate and stack goods in the storage environment.
When deciding on an electric stacker model, you should determine the maximum lift height you require and factor this into your decision.
The mast height, maximum lift height and free lift height for EP Electric stackers can be found on the data sheets in our resource hub.
This feature enhances safety and efficiency by providing operators with more control over the lifting process, making it easier to accurately place or retrieve loads, particularly in tight or sensitive environments.
By CE norm, stackers must be able to lift the rated capacity up to a lifting height of 2.5m. While many competitors do not reach this, EP stackers are guaranteed to meet CE certification.
If you need to stack in heavy duty application with longer travel distance, your application might be best suited to an electric ride-on pallet stacker. These machines are built for single or multi shift application, equipped with changeable Lead acid or Li-ion battery, and come with a foldable operator platform.
If the platform is raised, the truck can be used as a standard walkie stacker with low speed. When the operator is using the platform and sidearms, the speed of the stacker is increased, and they can drive through the warehouse at a comfortable and efficient speed to cover long distances and improve your experience.
Ride on stacker models available from EP:
ES16-RS
RSB141
ESR151
ES-CA/CS Series
At EP, our innovative power stackers are equipped with one of the following 3 battery types:
Gel rechargeable batteries are robust and powerful and a very cheap option when looking for an affordable electric stacker truck.
Statistics
Advantages
Disadvantages
Lead acid batteries are a well-known power solution for material handling equipment. The battery display allows you to always keep an eye on the battery charge level and the number of operating hours.
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Disadvantages
Lithium-ion is possibly the most efficient solution when looking for a powered pallet stacker. The zero-maintenance battery allows for opportunity charging. Furthermore, the Plug&Play technology from EP means that you can run with zero down time.
Statistics
Advantages
Disadvantages
If you need help to find the right stacker for your business, or if you have other specific requirements, please contact the EP support team to find out more about the different specifications of our machines. We will support you to find the perfect solution for your business.
Q. How many types of stackers are there?Simplex mast
Mono mast
Duplex mast
Triplex mast
Ride-on
Counterbalance
Q. What is a walkie stacker?
A walkie stacker is an alternative name for a stacker that has the operator walk behind the truck during operation. A walkie stacker can be manual or assisted by electric power and walkie stackers from EP include:
EST122
ESL
ESES
ESWA
Q. How high can a walkie stacker reach?
When buying a stacker, it is important to consider lift height and free lift height. The lift height of a walkie stacker can vary depending on model. To find out the exact specifications of any EP model you can refer to the data sheets available in our resource hub.
Q. How heavy is a walkie stacker?
A walkie stacker from EP can range in service weight from 540kg with the ES10-10ES 1t truck to 1170kg for the ES20WA 2t model. How heavy a walkie stacker is can depend on several features of the truck and the requirements for its operations including battery side and capacity.
Q. How do you use a stacker?
A stacker is a simple piece of material handling equipment and can be operated without a licence. An electric stacker has fully supported driving and lifting and can be operated in a similar way to an electric pallet truck.
Q. What Are the Benefits of an electric stacker?
An electric powered stacker has many benefits that cannot be had from a manual stacker. A lithium-ion stacker from EP has benefits that include:
Increased load weight
Reduced operator strain and increased satisfaction from using electric stackers
E-stackers are versatile and are used for transport, storage and retrieval, and order picking.
Increased efficiency with the addition of electric drive
Zero harmful emissions f
Maintenance free technology
Opportunity charging and Battery swapping is possible to reduce down-time
A licence is not required to drive an electric stacker
The company is the world’s best 1.6ton 2ton 4-directional electric forklift supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.