Rapid and Accurate Stability Evaluation of Counterweight Forklift with Masts Based on Modular Dismantling Method

As one of the most common equipment for material transportation, counterbalanced trucks with mast have remarkable mobility and high flexibility, which are applied in various scenarios with expanding developmental prospects. However, with the inadequate stability, the forklifts are prone to accidents, even more posing significant risks to both goods and individuals. It is urgent to reasonably evaluate the stability of forklifts under various operating conditions to provide theoretical support for forklift accident liability identification and safe use. Based on the modular disassembly method, the multiple effects of cargo characteristics and road running modes on the stability of counterbalanced forklifts through the theoretical calculations of resultant moments in the transversal directions or the longitudinal directions have been systematically investigated in the present work. The results revealed that the longitudinal resultant moment was decreased gradually with the increase in cargo weight when forklifts were stopped or running in a constant velocity on the horizontally surfaces. As the distance between the cargo's center of gravity and the center line of pallet fork was increased, the transverse resultant moment was also decreased. The transverse resultant moment was significantly decreased as the turning speeds grew or the turning radii were reduced during a forklift’s turning process, but the longitudinal resultant moment remained relatively stable. Furthermore, the longitudinal resultant moment was decreased notably with the increase in slope gradient during uphill or downhill processes. The above results could provide basic theoretical data for the rapid identification and safe use of forklift truck accidents related to stability, and contribute to the technical support for the improvement of forklift truck structure and safe use.