As special electromechanical equipment, the forklift is widely used in production and transportation. Although compared with other special equipment, the forklift has lower risk factors in operation. It also has a certain probability of collision, ineffective braking, and other problems.

To ensure the stability and safety of the forklift when it is put into use, we shall inspect the forklift regularly and solve the problems found in the inspection.

During the forklift operation, the braking system’s primary function is to restrict the movement of the forklift, reduce the speed of the forklift or stop the process in a short time.

The reliability of the forklift braking system will directly affect the safety of the forklift. Good braking performance can ensure the stable operation of the forklift.

1 forklift braking method and function

1.1 braking method

Standard forklift braking methods are as follows:

(1) Manual braking produces binding braking force from the direction by eliminating the brake. If you want to slow down or stop the forklift, the staff can brake by pressing the pedal, which is connected with the main brake pump, to realize the braking function from the direction

(2) Vacuum-assisted braking. The braking system adds additional energy braking assistance equipment to the ordinary braking system. The primary output voltage is provided by atmospheric pressure to realize the assisted braking function. Of course, it also has the function of manual braking

1.2 braking function

If the forklift is driving on the road and mountain, it must have a large braking performance to quickly slow down the forklift within the specified distance or time to complete the transition from motion to a static state.
When the forklift goes down a long slope, the braking system shall be used to control the forklift at a certain speed to prevent safety accidents caused by too fast. When the vehicle stops on the slope, it shall rely on the braking system to park stably without sliding. According to GB / t18849-2011, the parking brake shall park the passenger forklift on a 15% slope without the driver’s assistance.

2 causes and treatment measures of asynchronous braking of forklift

2.1 Oil leakage

In using forklift braking devices, many braking asynchronies are caused by oil leakage. If the oil return pipe of the forklift lift cylinder leaks, most of them are due to the damage of the piston rod and oil seal of the landing cylinder. The oil seal can be replaced to avoid continuous oil leakage of the rabbit control system for such problems. Operators shall fully master the forklift operation requirements and improve operation accuracy. For improving the tightness of the oil seal, the flexible hard iron sheet can be used to strengthen the oil seal, which can be connected with steel.

2.2 insensitive steering wheel operation

The insensitive operation of the steering wheel will also lead to the asynchronous braking of the forklift, which is mainly caused by the damage of the spring plate. In case of such problems, stop the forklift equipment, detect the steering wheel’s sensitivity by rotating the direction, determine the fault condition and type, and replace the spring plate. The steering wheel is not sensitive, and the steering cylinder may leak. During the test, the steering wheel can be rotated in both directions. If it is not flexible, it indicates a problem with the oil seal of the cylinder piston. Therefore, the oil seal can be replaced.

2.3 common component failures

There is an oil stain on the surface of the brake shoe on one side of the forklift, the gap between the brake shoe on the left and right wheels and the brake drum is different, the piston of the brake wheel cylinder on one side is stuck, and the air pressure of the left and right tires is different. The forklift operator should pay attention to daily maintenance and find and solve problems in time to ensure safety.

2.4 lifting direction control operation failure

This problem is mainly caused by the failure of hydraulic oil to maintain the regular operation of the forklift braking system. If the hydraulic oil contains impurities, the hydraulic oil filter screen will be damaged. If there is a problem with the hydraulic oil, the staff can solve the problem by lubricating the new hydraulic oil and filling the new hydraulic oil on the marking line. If the filter screen has been damaged, replace the filter screen to avoid blocking during the operation of the forklift brake hydraulic system. If the failure of lifting direction control operation cannot be solved by replacing the filter screen and hydraulic oil, the disassembly of the hydraulic system shall be further strengthened to clean and dredge the interior.

3. Inspection method for the forklift discordant braking

3.1 improve the inspection scheme

Because of the asynchronous braking of the forklift, the inspection and detection work must be carried out strictly according to the operating standards. The corresponding inspection and detection scheme must be further improved. The forklift braking system architecture shall be deeply analyzed to find out the existing fault points. In the inspection of forklift discordant braking, the nondestructive testing method can be used to analyze and determine the internal situation.
According to the nondestructive testing results, the forklift braking system determines which part has a fault problem, fault type, and severity to take targeted solutions. During the regular inspection and detection, different components of the forklift braking system shall be tested separately to check whether there is a fault in a specific component. If the forklift braking is not synchronized due to a subsystem failure, the inspection and detection frequency of the subsystem shall be increased. The inspection and detection information shall be recorded and archived in the inspection and detection scheme to provide information support for subsequent progress, improvement, and maintenance. In short, the formulation of inspection and detection schemes for forklift braking systems should be comprehensive, targeted, and effective.

3.2 strengthen the inspection and detection technology system

Different from the inspection and detection of standard equipment, for other detection of forklift braking, we should focus on improving the efficiency and accuracy of inspection and detection and restoring the regular operation of forklift braking systems as far as possible. Therefore, we should constantly strengthen the inspection and detection technology system. Actively introduce new inspection and detection technical means at home and abroad, realize scientific work arrangement and system optimization, and give more reference and guidance to technical departments to achieve better results in the treatment of internal and external problems. For example, in the inspection of a single axle reaction drum, it is necessary to conduct targeted and practical design in combination with the braking system’s fault performance and internal structural characteristics, review the scheme, and put it into use after passing the review. The single axle reaction drum mainly includes one set of left and right wheels. If two sets of control systems are adopted, the braking synchronization may be affected by external factors. We can integrate the reducer, chain drive, and electromechanical system into a set of driving devices. The unified control method can be adopted to strengthen the mutual restriction of all links to create better inspection and detection conditions. Reasonably set the reducer and adopt the two-stage deceleration scheme to improve the effectiveness of drum drive. By continuously strengthening the inspection and detection system, we can better make up for the deficiencies in the forklift braking system and improve the work efficiency.

3.3 conduct an internal inspection

For the inspection and detection of asynchronous braking of forklift, the internal inspection shall be continuously improved. The quality of internal inspection determines the inspection and detection level. With the continuous development of production technology, the internal structure of forklifts is constantly optimized, and the models of forklifts are gradually increasing. For different forklift models, there should be particular internal inspection strategies to carry out targeted inspection and detection to improve the inspection efficiency and quality of a braking system to create higher value. The latest force measuring sensor is adopted and connected with one side of the force measuring arm. Once wheel braking is detected in the inspection and detection work, the outer protective shell of the reducer and the force measuring arm swing around the drum axis. The sensor can collect the data parameters of the brake. The detection personnel can deeply analyze the detection signals of the sensor and process them through different data modules. More accurately analyze the specific causes of asynchronous braking of a forklift. By improving the internal inspection and monitoring the operating parameters of the forklift braking system, we can master the forklift braking system’s operation efficiency and gradually improve the safety and stability of the forklift braking system’s internal situation the forklift braking system. Moreover, the internal inspection of forklifts in many units should be further improved, and all work should be arranged as a whole to improve the coordination of forklift operation.

4 The forklift, a kind of special equipment with extensive investment and wide use, plays a vital role in industry and logistics. Once the forklift braking is not synchronized, it will affect everyday work, increase the waste of resources, and cause safety accidents. Therefore, we should recognize the seriousness of forklift braking asynchrony and thoroughly analyze the specific causes.
Formulate perfect and scientific solutions, and monitor the operating parameters of the forklift braking system in real-time with the help of a sensor system, to effectively solve the problem of forklift braking asynchrony and provide a reference for industry Lay the foundation for logistics safety production.