Traditionally, industrial lifts have been utilized in production and manufacturing environments to lower and raise work items, individuals and materials. The scissor lift, also referred to as a table lift, is an industrial lift that has been modified for retail and wholesale environments.
Most customers who have been shopping in a store late at night have probably seen a scissor lift, even if they do not realize they have. Essentially, the scissor lift is a platform with wheels that performs similar to a forklift. In a non-industrial setting, the scissor lift is ideal for completing jobs which require the speed or mobility and transporting of people and materials above ground level.
The scissor lift is a unique machine in that it does not utilize a straight support in order to raise employees into the air. Instead, the scissor lift platform rises when the linked and folding supports under it draw together, making the machine stretch upward. Once the machinery is extended, the scissor lift reaches roughly from 21 to 62 feet or 6.4 to 18.8 meters above ground. This depends on the size of the unit and the purpose.
The rough terrain scissor lifts can either be powered by an electric motor or by hydraulics, although, it could be a bumpy ride for the employee in 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.
A really popular style of scissor lift is the RT or Rough Terrain class. Typical features of the RT units consist of increased power due to the IC or internal combustion engine. The variations come in gas, petrol, combinations or diesel. This is considered necessary to deal with the increased weights and steeper grades of 18 to 22 degrees which are usually connected with this style of scissor lift.