Forklift News - TESTS REVEAL HEALTH GAINS FROM NEW FORKLIFT SEAT DESIGN

CARY, USA -- An advanced seat suspension damping system, developed for commercial, industrial, agricultural and construction vehicles, has been found to reduce shock levels and health problems, including lower back pain, displacement of invertebral discs and osteoarthritis.

Lord Corporation's Steven McManus presented a paper on the Motion Master ride management system at the 2nd International Conference on Whole-Body Vibration Injuries, held on November 7-9 in Siena, Italy.

Lord Corporation, based in Cary, North Carolina, is a private company which designs and manufactures devices and systems to reduce mechanical motion and control noise. The company employs more than 2300 people in 10 countries worldwide, including Africa, Australia, Japan and Latin America.

Mr McManus unveiled results of a series of tests developed and conducted with vibration experts Dr Subhash Rakheja and Dr Paul-Emile Boileau, of Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

The tests were designed to compare the shock and vibration protection of a popular suspended truck seat, with a standard passive damper, and the same seat, with the Motion Master system installed.

These tests showed the system reduced overall shock transmissions to the driver by reducing impacts with the suspension's end-stops, without sacrificing overall vibration isolation.

Drivers who used the new system reported feeling less tired and physically strained after prolonged use.

The system uses controllable magnetic fluid, providing varying levels of softness that automatically adapt to changing levels of shock and motion 500 times per second.

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