NEW TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS FOR INCREASING FORKLIFT STABILITY

Abstract

The forklift is one of the most frequently used work machines in internal transport. It has a whole range
of advantages compared to similar machines used in cargo handling, first of all, great maneuverability and easy
adaptability to changes in the technological process. When talking about disadvantages, there seems to be only one,
and that is working at the limit of stability. The concept of stability in a forklift is defined as its ability to avoid
tipping over. In most cases, accidents with forklifts are the result of poor handling by the operator, that is, it is a
subjective factor. However, large manufacturers of forklifts, such as Kalmar, Toyota, Caterpillar, Linde and others.
with new technological solutions on forklifts, they are trying to reduce the possibility of endangering the stability
and overturning of the forklift. Although there are many such solutions, some of which are still in the realm of
theoretical research, in this work four solutions have been selected and analyzed, which have their own commercial
application. It should be acknowledged that although there is no research to show the success of these solutions in
the field, through the reduced number of accidents, the stability of the forklift is undoubtedly increased. Although in
the paper, the analyzed solutions are not ranked in order of importance, the opinion of the author of this paper is that
Toyota's active stability system is the pinnacle of a technical solution that ensures safe and secure operation. It is a
technology that ensures both static and dynamic stability, that is, it provides assistance both during driving and when
working with loads at height. Another solution is the use of automatically guided forklifts in internal transport. It is a
driverless forklift that autonomously follows a series of pre-determined programmed instructions to perform
activities given by a central automatic controller. Moving along the programmed paths, there is no possibility that
the stability of the forklift is compromised. Although the active stability system and driverless forklifts have
undoubted qualities, the number of such forklifts in Serbia is at the level of a statistical error, probably due to the
high price compared to classic forklifts. The solution with increasing the dimensions of the forklift is good, but
applicable only for forklifts with a large capacity, which make up 1% of the total number of forklifts. In the end,
although the use of special gripping devices is probably the weakest solution, in a technical sense, it is probably also
the most acceptable because it is not excessively financially demanding.