Fork Positioners and Forklift Efficiency

Fork positioner.
(Courtesy: Wagger Attachments at flickr.com)

There are plenty of attachments available to turn your forklift into a more specific machine. For example, there are sweepers that attach to the machine making it a super vehicle for cleaning debris from the warehouse floor. There are plows so that a regular forklift can be used to move snow off the warehouse parking lot. There are work platforms that allow forklifts to raise workers to various heights so that they can fetch products, and on and on.

One of the most important enhancements you can have to integrate with a forklift is a fork positioner. These appliances offer a number of benefits to a forklift operator including assist in storing inventory, moving products coming into the warehouse for storage, and settling logistic and shipping issues.

Simply put a fork positioner allows the forklift operator to position the forks in accordance to the size and shape of the item or items to be carried.

Obviously, the first benefit it provides is allowing the lift operator to position the forks without leaving his seat. This simple act allows the operator to forego doing the adjustment manually, which could be a dangerous undertaking.

Such a simple action also helps to conserve fuel if you happen to be using a propane, gasoline or diesel lift. That’s because the forklift isn’t stopped and still consuming fuel when the operator is manually adjusting the forks.

A positioner also assists in load handling times and helps to limit truck wear and damage to pallets and products. Moreover, being sure to place the forks of the lift in the optimum position results in fewer accidents.

Fork positioners are easy to install. In fact, the process can be done without welding or retrofitting. Instead, the positioners are designed to hook or bolted on to the lift. There are also positioners that weigh forks to determine the load it is carrying.

Finally, these appliances can make an already very versatile machine even more so. Positioners are available for just about any environment including narrow aisles, zero closing units and extra wide opening units that extend far beyond the width of the truck.

The message in this story is that fork positioners enhance productivity and efficiency and that results in a better bottom line for the warehouse owner.