Forklift Body Material

For some of the cosmetic outer panels, control housings, etc.; yes.

Of course non metallic material can be used to make body panels.

Corvettes have plastic bodies.

I do not know if anybody's doing it, but it can be done.

Hi Lyn!

Oh yeah, it's almost universal now, especially for the battery covers and hatch covers.

A bunch of the newer forklifts and stock pickers are covered in fiberglass panels or some other molded plastic or resin panels.

Sure they can but why plastics are generally lighter the steel. The weight of the body is used to counter balance the weight of the load. So these body panels would have to be thick to make up the weight lost. Or an large counter weight on the tail end. Both would increase the size reducing some maneuverability.

Generally the steel body parts are thicker then they need to be. Most to add weight some to add durability. The body of a forklift takes a lot of punishment. For one the suspension is rigid no shocks and little cushioning from solid rubber tires. So the body is welded together.

I don't think any assembly system would handle this punishment with out a great increase in cost.

"Non-metallic materials such as nylon plastic blocks are sometimes used as guides in the boom assembly."

Read more: http://www.madehow.com/Volume-2/Rough-Terrain-Forklift.html#b#ixzz1z6skhvDo

There was a TV show on the other night which showed how they build forklift trucks. They were Raymond forklifts and they used plastic for the control panels

Cost.

The primary reason is they need to have the counterbalance weight anyway. Almost every lift that I know of gets a lot of abuse and plastic panels cant be painted very easy. It takes a lot of prep to refinish plastic's or composites and once broke they are not very strong after repair. Just a little bit of the life with forklifts that I have lived and the steel usually will take more abuse then my body will.

What type of metal can be used for a forklift body, what should be the material used to improve the quality and life of the metal used for a forklift body. Such as I have seen Epoxy coated mild steel, but do not know whether it is used commonly.

Please mention such type of metal body commonly used and its reason....

thank you...