Industrial lifts have traditionally been used in manufacturing and production environments to help raise and lower materials, workers, and goods. The scissor lift, also referred to as a table lift, is an industrial lift which has been modified for wholesale and retail environments.
Nearly all consumers who have been shopping in a store late at night have almost certainly seen a scissor lift, even if they do not realize they have. Basically, the scissor lift is a platform with wheels which performs like a lift truck. In a non-industrial setting, the scissor lift is great for completing tasks that need the mobility or speed and transporting of people and materials above ground level.
The scissor lift is a unique machine in that it does not use a straight support in order to raise employees into the air. Instead, the scissor lift platform rises when the linked and folding supports beneath it draw together, making the machinery stretch upward. Once the machine is extended, the scissor lift reaches about from 6.4 to 18.8 meters or 21 to 62 feet above ground. This depends on the size of the unit and the purpose.
Rough terrain scissor lifts are normally powered by electric motors or hydraulics. It can be a bumpy ride for workers inside the lift going to the top. The design of the scissor lift keeps it from traveling with a constant velocity, rather than traveling faster during the middle of its journey or traveling slower with more extension.
An extremely common class of scissor lift is the RT or Rough Terrain class. Standard features of the RT models consist of increased power because of the internal combustion or IC engine. The variations come in gas, petrol, combinations or diesel. This is needed to handle the increased weights and steeper grades of 18 to 22 degrees that are normally associated with this particular class of scissor lift.