The forklifts are described as incredibly versatile and flexible machines which can be used for a variety of tasks. Their versatility comes from the different forklift attachments that are available on the market. With a simple change of the original attachment, the forklift can be transformed into another machine for completing different tasks quickly and efficiently.
There are various forklift attachments on the market today and they allow the forklifts to be used for a variety of purposes. Usually, different forklift attachments are used when the traditional forks cannot be used or cannot deliver the desired results. In some situations, the forks are not suitable for picking, moving and transporting specific materials. With so many attachments available, the forklift becomes extremely versatile piece of equipment that can be used in various industry sectors, like: construction, warehouse facilities, landscaping etc. Some forklift attachments can be quite simple, for example the extensions that are used for lifting different products or materials. Other forklift attachments may come with complex configuration and design, requiring special control mechanism to be incorporated into the forklift.
The blade extensions are considered to be the cheapest and the most commonly utilized forklift attachments which are used for moving pallets that come with longer length than the standard pallets. These forklift attachments are mounted on top of the blades and can be extended further depending on the length of the pallet that needs to be moved from one location to another. The carpet pole is another efficient attachment that is used for holding and moving carpet rolls with different sizes. These forklift attachments may be mounted either directly on the lift blades, or can be mounted on the mast of the forklift. When attached on the mast of the forklift, the standard blade needs to be removed.
Some forklift attachments are specifically designed for holding and moving different kinds of drums. These forklift attachments come with special component that wraps the drum and provides the necessary support for moving the drum around the working site. Other similar forklift attachments are designed to be capable even to tilt or rotate the drum so that the liquids in the drum can be poured quickly and precisely where they are needed. These attachments however need special control mechanism and power source.
For some lifting and moving tasks, loading cargo or fright directly on a special transportation unit or moving the item to specific place may not be feasible. For example, some working situations may require the forklift to lift and move the fright over a barrier or over a wall. Luckily, there are forklift attachments which are designed to solve such problems. These attachments are known as booms. The boom hooks a piece of freight or cargo and moves it over the barrier or over the wall.
There are other forklift attachments, like the hoppers, brooms and sweepers that can be mounted on the forklift and used for cleaning the working environment from dirt and debris. Another popular forklift attachment is the scale. The scale gives the operators the ability to weigh a particular item merely by picking it up. This attachment requires power source and it is heavily used in the transportation sector where different products can be weighed and verified.
Other useful forklift attachments include side shifters and rotators. The side shifters give the operators the ability to laterally move the forks and to facilitate load placement. The rotators on the other hand, allow the operators to rotate the forks of the forklift.