At the 2011 CeMat show in Hannover, RAVAS received the MM-Logistik award for its latest development: MForks. According to the jury, MForks is the most innovative product in the forklift safety category. MForks is the first load moment monitoring system integrated into the forks of counterbalanced trucks and reach trucks. MForks measures both the weight of the load and the position of its load centre. A patent is pending.
Lifting loads safely
MForks is designed to signal overloading of counterbalanced trucks and reach trucks, in order to prevent trucks from tipping over and forks from breaking. Every forklift truck has a load diagram which shows the maximum lifting capacity in relation to the position of the load centre. In practice it's left to the forklift driver to interpret the load diagram and to decide whether a load can be lifted safely. Until today no tool existed that indicates the actual load moment on the forks. MForks changes this: from now on every lift truck driver can have a clear indication of whether a load is being lifted safely.
How does MForks work?
Before use, MForks are calibrated on the lift truck, according to the load diagram. The system then continuously monitors the moment forces from the load: both the weight of the load and the position of its load centre are taken into account. The result is transmitted to an indicator in the truck cabin via Bluetooth connection. The indicator calculates whether the load, in its current position on the forks, may be lifted safely. In its display, the indicator shows which percentage of the maximum lifting capacity, at the current load centre, is being used. If the load moment exceeds the 100% limit, a warning buzzer sounds. The driver can then offload the forks and pick up the load in a different way, or leave it for a truck with a higher lifting capacity. This way, the driver can always accurately judge whether the situation is safe.
MForks is a radically innovative product that increases user safety on counterbalanced trucks and reach trucks. In the near future RAVAS will offer MForks in combination with a lifting height sensor or data logging equipment. RAVAS has applied for a patent on MForks. More information on MForks will follow soon.
In 2010 iForks, another RAVAS product, was awarded the Innovation Prize of the British Forklift Truck Association.
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