Materials handling operations often require forklift attachments to be customised to suit specific operational challenges
Forklift attachments – a long list of devices, including fork extensions, paper roll clamps, fork positioners, multiple pallet handlers, load backrests, clamps, rotators, barrel lifters, telescopic forks, side shifters, and more – all have specific tasks to perform.
The problem is that sometimes, despite the breadth of options on this list, standard devices of this type simply aren’t suitable for the job at hand. Despite the design and engineering excellence that they display, and despite their suitability for many similar tasks, they are not suitable for this specific task.
The good news, for materials handling operations that find themselves in this position, is that most forklift attachments can be customised, and in this way, most materials handling dilemmas can be solved.
Lateral clamp for tyre manufacturer
Carlo Fallarini, marketing director at Bolzoni Group, says it becomes clear, when approaching end users in specific industries like home appliances, that there is a solid market for customised forklift attachments.
“Increasingly, customers require dedicated products that perfectly fit handling needs in terms of size, movement and performance,” says Fallarini.
Customised by Bolzoni, this lateral clamp features "arm-forks" and a 360-degree rotation device to handle empty steel cable reels
For Bolzoni, conducting a site survey is the first and most important step when undertaking such customisations.
“We visit the customers’ facilities, look at the application and listen to the operators’ needs,” says Fallarini. “Our sales personnel are highly specialised and able to collect all the information necessary to develop the right solution.”
In the most critical cases – where it is necessary to undertake deeper analysis of the specific handling requirements involved – Bolzoni Group engineers are also present at this stage of the process.
Once the site survey is complete and all stakeholders are satisfied, a proposal is agreed to on paper.
Once that is done, the next steps are manufacturing, final testing, and commissioning on site.
“If necessary, for the most critical operations, we can also support operators with dedicated training,” says Fallarini.
Asked for an example of this process in action, Fallarini points to a project the Bolzoni Group completed for an international automotive tyre manufacturer.
The client needed to be able to handle various tyre stacks, as well as specialised steel containers, used to hold rubber and steel cable rolls. Its operators needed equipment with the capacity to load/unload these items onto/off trucks, move them as required around the warehouse, have them on hand for inspections, and so on.
Featuring two set of forks, this Bolzoni attachment allows drivers to effectively see "through" the load to the front of the forklift
As per the above-mentioned customisation process, Bolzoni designed and delivered two custom-made solutions.
The first was a special lateral clamp featuring “arm-forks” and a 360-degree rotation device to handle empty steel cable reels. As shown in the above image, the finished attachment is quite unlike standard products, which tend to be equipped only with arms or forks, rather than both together.
Meanwhile, the second customised attachment (pictured right) was designed to ensure safety while driving with high loads on the forklifts.
“It is a special attachment with two set of forks and a lifting device that is able to lift only the upper container,” says Fallarini.
“Creating a visibility window between the two loads, it allows the driver to effectively see ‘through’ the load to the front of the forklift.”
Asked what “off-the-shelf” products could handle these tasks, Fallarini requires little time to think.
“I would say none,” he says. “As tailor-made products, they are 100% made-to-order. Standard products are designed to solve standard and conventional handling problems.
“When we come across a special handling need, most of the time we need to think out of the box and create a dedicated solution fit-for-purpose.”
It is worth noting that, while customisation is on the rise, it usually involves single (or a few) units per project.
“I’m not saying we start from zero every time, but we need to use some standard components and many custom ones to build up the required unit,” says Fallarini.
Facilitating curtain-sided trailer loading
Asked about his approach to customisation, Neal Fowler, sales director at B&B Attachments points to a project his organisation completed at the Concrete Products Division of Aggregate Industries in the UK.
According to Fowler, the client wanted to improve the safety and efficiency of its curtain-sided trailer loading operation.
The BlockMaster TK45-TEL by B&B Attachments enables the safe placement of concrete block onto curtain-sided vehicles
“At the time, loading curtain-sided vehicles involved placing concrete block packs onto pallets and then loading them using a conventional forklift truck,” explains Fowler. “This process was time-consuming and introduced additional handling stages.”
The objective of the exercise, in other words, was to identify a safer, more efficient method of loading that would reduce the handling steps involved.
Typically, for these types of applications, a forklift fitted with a pivot-style overhead block clamp attachment is used. However, while well proven for concrete handling in open or unrestricted loading environments, these overhead block clamps are not designed to operate within the restricted internal height of curtain-sided trailers.
“They do not provide sufficient clearance for safe load placement and clamp withdrawal when loading curtain-sided vehicles,” says Fowler.
Faced with this dilemma, Aggregate Industries concluded that the safest approach would be to eliminate the use of pallets altogether.
“By removing pallets from the process, storage capacity could be improved, double handling eliminated, and loads transferred directly from yard storage to the curtain-sided vehicle,” says Fowler.
The solution that B&B Attachments came up with, the BlockMaster TK45-TEL, is a first-of-its-kind innovation.
Featuring an additional leg retraction selection, it allows block packs to be placed down, and the clamp to be withdrawn safely within the limited height of a curtain-sided trailer. This capability, which is not possible with standard overhead block clamps, enables direct loading onto curtain-sided vehicles.
Asked how B&B approached the customisation, Fowler says effective communication was key.
The BlockMaster TK45-TEL allows block packs to be placed down, and the clamp to be withdrawn safely within the limited height of a curtain-sided trailer
“The process was highly collaborative and technically focused,” says Fowler. “Following multiple meetings between B&B Attachments and Aggregate Industries, a prototype clamp was manufactured and subjected to extensive development.”
The attachment was engineered with an advanced hydraulic system, which allows each clamp leg to operate independently and enables the operator to clamp, load, and withdraw safely and smoothly.
Given that a key objective was to eliminate the possibility of incorrect function selection by forklift operators, considerable time had to also be devoted to refining the hydraulic controls and developing instinctive, automated selection protocols.
“Due to the complexity of the hydraulics and the importance of safe, intuitive operation, the prototype took time to perfect, ensuring the final attachment met the customer’s exact requirements and was fully fit for purpose in the operating environment,” explains Fowler.
According to Fowler, the client’s reaction to the finished attachment was “extremely positive”.
“The BlockMaster TK45-TEL has successfully enabled concrete block products to be loaded safely onto curtain-sided vehicles, while also performing all the other duties expected of a twin consolidating clamp in a demanding block-handling environment,” says Fowler.
“The attachment was shortlisted for Aggregate Industries’ own ‘Safety Product of the Year’ award and has received widespread recognition and accolades within the industry.”
Fork positioner for the beverage industry
Well-known for its multi-fork positioner range, Durwen Maschinenbau GmbH offers products with the capacity to handle up to eight pallets at a time. These units have proven popular in the beverage industry, for tasks such as the handling of bottles.
Durwen customised a double fork positioner type DPK, similar to this device pictured, for a glass bottle manufacturer
In addition, as Ralf Taubenheim director export at Durwen explains, the company also supplies the beverage industry with KEG clamps, load stabilisers, rotators, and more.
Noting that almost half of all the forklift attachments Durwen sells include some degree of customisation, Taubenheim explains that having this capability ensures the company is confident enough to handle virtually any forklift-related challenge.
“Custom attachments are very important to our customers,” says Taubenheim. “And that is why they are very important to us.”
Asked for an example, he highlights a 2006 project in which the company customised a double fork positioner type DPK for a glass bottle manufacturer.
Having the option to customise attachments ensures Durwen is confident enough to handle virtually any forklift-related challenge
“The client invited us to help with a problem for which its current attachment supplier and others in the market had no suitable solution,” says Taubenheim.
Essentially, the issue centred around contact between the bottles being moved and the back of the forklift attachment. The resulting breakages were unacceptably costly.
Following multiple visits to the site, and having analysed the problem, Durwen was able to design an effective solution. Essentially, increased pallet support was required. An additional stop was added to the forks and a customised cushion was included to create a backrest.
“A trial unit was produced. Then, together with the client, we agreed on necessary changes and the results satisfied all involved,” says Taubenheim.
Asked about the client’s reaction to the project, Taubenheim says they were so pleased that they decided to use Durwen products for their forklift fleets across all their sites.
Like the other case studies mentioned above, this example illustrates the fact that materials handling operations often require forklift attachments to be customised to suit specific workplace needs and operational challenges.
It illustrates the simple fact that standard forklift attachments, while versatile, sometimes may not adequately address unique requirements such as unusual load shapes, weights, or sizes encountered in certain industries.
Part Two of our series on customised forklift attachments will be published on March 19.
Discover more about the customisation options offered by our special contributors by visiting this dedicated Virtual Showroom.
For this report we interviewed the following industry specialists: