Professional Forklift Engineering Services LLC (PFES) began providing mechanical engineering services and load capacity maps to heavy-duty attachment equipment manufacturer Star Industries in July.

Andy Shipp, owner and president of PFES, in Mount Pleasant, near Charleston, says the company conducts mechanical engineering for forklift attachments using three-dimensional solid modelling and finite element analysis software.

PFES's proprietary software powers its LiftTruckCapacityCalculator.com web portal, which incorporates extensive experience in forklift and accessory capacity ratings.

"Adding attachments to a forklift carriage brings on a whole new dynamic to the stability of the lift and will change the carrying capacity. There is actually a very complex interrelationship going on with a multitude of forklift parameters," Shipp says.

Star Industries, in Haltom City, Texas, near Fort Worth, manufactures attachments, including forklift buckets, fork extensions and replacements, fork frame attachments, forklift grapple buckets, forklift trash hoppers and safety work platforms.

PFES started in November 2008 and serves North American and some European customers.