Forks, Inc. Forks, Inc.
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Upside-down forks

Upside-down forks are used everywhere where additional lift height is required. They are attached with the fork blade facing upwards by means of fork hooks that are slid onto the fork carriage. Due to the resulting forces, it is necessary to reinforce the fork hooks. In addition, they can be stiffened by a gusset plate. The VETTER engineering team would be happy to calculate the version that best suits your application.

ATTENTION: StandardForks must NEVER be used as upside-down forks! Rotator forks and forks for grabs and clamps also need to be designed specifically for the application in question. We would be happy to advise you!

Product benefits / Quality features

Standard QualityForks by VETTER are delivered with the OptimaForkHeel with its additional wear zone to provide up to three times the service life, a low level of deflection and an optimum stress distribution.

The mounting of the fork to the fork carriage is exceedingly important. After all, part of the load hangs directly on this, making it crucial for the operating reliability. No matter which type of attachment you require: All VETTER mountings have been optimised with regard to their load-bearing capacity and weld design and thus guarantee the highest degree of safety.

VETTER forks stand out due to a high degree of dimensional accuracy and narrow tolerances. During the manufacturing process the flanks are pressed in a separate step to guarantee that they are ideal for the application and facilitate the use of accessories (e.g. fork extensions).

Every fork is individually straightened out to the same angle, generally 90°. The fork tip height is thus identical, guaranteeing low wear rates and making the use of matched fork pairs unnecessary.

It isn’t visible, but heat treatment plays a major role for the application, safety and the service life. The heat treatment is performed under strictly controlled temperature conditions during the entire manufacturing process and is always selected to perfectly suit the material, the load-bearing capacity, the dimensions and the application.

Only the best steel ensures that the fork is able to withstand the highest loading. And to guarantee this, VETTER has constantly developed new steel qualities over the decades.
The steel used has been optimised especially for VETTER quality forks and precisely tailored to meet the requirements of the specific applications. This guarantees the necessary toughness, purity, hardness, workability and ability to withstand severe long-term stress. Without compromises!

And to ensure that this remains the case, the VETTER materials laboratory constantly examines and improves the materials used and carries out research into new materials.

The welding of the suspensions is an important, safety-relevant process when manufacturing forks. The strict quality requirements at VETTER are thus fully certified according to ISO 3834-2. Every single welder is trained extensively and checked regularly on the basis of welding samples.

QualityForks by VETTER are manufactured exclusively in Germany. Due to the high degree of vertical integration you can rest assured that all production stages are subject to the highest quality and safety requirements. Short paths guarantee a high degree of flexibility and direct communication.

The international standard ISO 2330 governs the quality standards which need to be strictly observed when manufacturing forks:

  • No permanent deformation when subjected to the three times the static loading
  • At least 1,000,000 load cycles with 25% overload

VETTER stringently checks that this standard is observed and even surpassed during the entire engineering process, from the technical design of the forks by means of calculations and finite element analysis to regular product tests on the in-house test rigs.

VETTER QualityForks are used on industrial trucks, construction and agricultural machinery by leading OEMs, who subject them to thorough testing and then certify them.

Applications

  • Increased lift height