One of the latest advancements in forklifts is the hydrostatic transmission. This type of transmission, while not suitable for all types of vehicles or machines, is well suited to typical forklift tasks, environments, and operators that are part of material handling operations. Although hydrostatic transmission is a relatively new advancement in forklifts, it has a proven track record in larger construction and mining machines such as wheel loaders, bulldozers, and excavators with similar high-cycle/heavy-load applications.
What is a hydrostatic transmission?

When you think about how a typical vehicle transmission works, you probably focus on the transmission - whether it is manual or automatic. With a hydrostatic transmission, there is no need to change gears, which means there is no clutch. In this way, it is more similar to an automatic transmission, although the design and operation of a hydrostatic transmission are very different.

The biggest difference from a conventional transmission is the introduction of a pump, which is based on the basic engineering concept of using a fluid under pressure to convert to mechanical energy. With a hydrostatic transmission, power is generated and transmitted by a pump pressurizing and releasing fluid, rather than through a drive belt or gears. The movement of the fluid through the hydraulic pump drives the vehicle's transmission. In simple terms, the pump converts mechanical energy into pressure. The motor then converts the pressure energy into mechanical energy.

This transmission design delivers a lot of power quickly, making it ideal for vehicles and machines in the mining, construction and material handling industries that require impressive on-demand power.

Hydrostatic transmissions also change the way operators drive vehicles, providing greater control and precision. For example, without a clutch, operators must get used to a different, but in many ways advantageous, way of driving and operating a vehicle like a forklift.

For example, the accelerator controls the flow of oil through the transmission, so releasing the throttle automatically slows the vehicle, and the brake pedal is used for inching. It's a subtle but intuitive way to drive a vehicle. However, once operators get used to the unique nature of how acceleration works in a variable-speed hydrostatic transmission, the overall experience is better. This is just one of the benefits that material handling operators will appreciate.