Feature Lift trucks The link between chain and load
Peter Church, managing director FB Chain the supplier of chain to the materials handling industry, offers five tips to help lift truck users and dealers ensure the chain they use on the masts of their forklift trucks is appropriate for the work the truck is undertaking
eaf chain – used on the masts of forklift trucks –withstands the full load exerted on it via the forks and carriage arrangement and is a safety critical component. But, with anecdotal evidence point- ing to a big rise in sub-standard chain entering the market in recent years, how can you ensure that the chain on your forklift is appropriate?
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Expert guidance Your chain supplier should be able to discuss the various chain options available to you and highlight any ben- efits or pitfalls you might expect with any given product. While it is hard to tell one make of leaf chain apart from another by simply looking at it, the material, the quality of press tooling, heat treatment processes as well as ancillaries such as corrosion resistant coatings and lubrication will all influ- ence a chain’s product quality and per- formance. It is the responsibility of every chain supplier to educate lift truck dealers and repairers.
Is the chain tested and traceable? Historically all leaf chain manufactur- ers supplied chain with a unique batch traceability code clearly shown. These days very few do which means that, in the event of a failure, they are unable to identify an individual batch, trace and recall the products. We see more examples of chain entering the UK without any form of
FB Chain’s MD Peter Church
helps forklift users make sure they are using the right leaf chain on their forklift trucks
batch marking whatsoever. It is virtu- ally impossible to recall a batch of potentially faulty and, therefore, highly dangerous leaf chain once it has entered the market if the chain cannot be matched with a batch number. Unless clear reference to each batch test is identified frequently on the chain, future traceability is all but impossible. Some manufacturers even identify a chain with simply the generic part number which provides no batch traceability whatsoever. Even worse, some have no markings at all. It is also worth considering that the Machinery Directive states: “Each length of lifting chain, rope or webbing not forming part of an assembly must bear a mark or, where this is not possi- ble, a plate or irremovable ring bearing the name and address of the manufac- turer or his authorised representative and the identifying reference of the relevant certificate.”
FB Chain T: 01462 670844
www.fbchain.com Enter 382
Is your supplier a specialist? Users should look to source chain from organisations that have the infrastruc- ture and stock in place to be able to guarantee the highest levels of service. There is little point in any manufac- turer pretending that chain cannot malfunction because, from time to time, it does. The things that differen- tiate a good supplier from the others are, firstly, the frequency between technical problems and then the abil- ity of the supplier to have an engineer on site in the shortest possible time to put faults right when they do occur.
Fatigue endurance
Under European regulations, manufac- turers are required to test leaf chain and issue a test certificate. But pro- posed changes to ISO 4347 - the inter- national standard governing the manufacture of the type of leaf chain used by forklift truck manufacturers - will require chain manufacturers to demonstrate that their products offer high levels of ‘fatigue’ resistance. At present, chain suppliers are only required to demonstrate that their products comply with ‘breaking load’ guidelines. A chain’s ‘breaking load’ (ultimate tensile strength) indicates the stress or force that can be applied to a chain before it breaks or ruptures.
By introducing an element of fatigue resistance (dynamic strength) testing to ISO 4347, the International Standards committee hopes to enable chain users to ensure that the chain used on their materials handling equipment and other products and machinery is fit for purpose and will provide the longest life and – therefore – the lowest operational costs.
Trade association membership Ensure that you buy any product - especially a safety critical one such as leaf chain – from a member of your trade association. You will then have peace of mind knowing that your prospective supplier has passed the stringent tests required and can be relied on as a committed supporter of the industry they serve.
Sneak preview of electric-powered forklift at IMHX T
oyota Material Handling UK will be giving a sneak preview of the new Toyota Traigo 80-volt electric-powered forklift at the IMHX from the 18th – 22nd March 2013 at the NEC, Birmingham. Hitting the market later this year, the Toyota
Traigo80 boasts a series of features to help customers work productively and safely. The new Toyota Traigo80 is a robust, compact and versatile forklift with capacities from 2.0 – 3.5 tonne, including compact models. In line with Toyota's well-known principle of continuous improvement (Kaizen), the Toyota Traigo 80 takes leaps forward in many key areas: it provides improved productivity for users, maximum speed – paired with better energy efficiency – and superb all-around visibility. In addition, drivers can take advantage of clearer through-mast visibility in operations with a choice of masts to suit different application needs. Tony Wallis, sales and marketing director, Toyota Material Handling UK says: “Our new Traigo 80 electric range will support customers' operational objectives in a more sustainable way." Toyota Material Handling
T: 0870 850 1409 Materials Handling & Logistics MARCH/APRIL 2013
toyota-forklifts.co.uk
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