Many material handling operation scenarios, including building material storage yards, grain processing warehouses, and mineral product transfer sites, feature high concentrations of floating dust and hard granular impurities in the air. These dust-heavy conditions have a non-negligible impact on the long-term operation state and component durability of electric pallet jacks, which are widely used for short-distance cargo transportation.

The first set of vulnerable parts affected by heavy dust are the drive motor and transmission assembly. Tiny dust particles will gradually penetrate the gap of the original seal structure after long-term operation, and mix with the internal lubricating grease of gears and bearings. This mixture will increase the friction resistance of relative moving parts during daily operation, lead to abnormal rise of running current, generate extra heat, and accelerate the wear of gear tooth surfaces and bearing rollers. If the dust accumulation is not cleaned for a long time, the wear gap will continue to expand, resulting in increased operating noise, unstable power output, and greatly shortened service life of the transmission assembly.

The second category of affected components is the electrical control system and power battery. Fine conductive or insulating dust will accumulate on the surface of the control circuit board, wiring terminals and battery heat dissipation holes after long-term exposure to high-dust air. Excessive dust covering the heat dissipation area will reduce the natural heat dissipation efficiency of the electrical components, leading to a continuous rise in the operating temperature of the control module, which will damage the stability of internal electronic components in the long run. Dust deposited on the connection points may also cause poor contact or partial circuit short circuit in humid weather, affecting the normal start and stop response of the electric pallet jack. For the power battery pack, blocked heat dissipation channels will increase the temperature difference between individual cells during charging and discharging, reducing the overall cycle life of the battery pack.

The third type of easily damaged parts are the load wheels and drive wheels. Hard granular impurities mixed in the dust will enter the matching gap between the wheel body and the wheel shaft, and will be compacted and ground during the frequent moving process of the equipment, resulting in uneven wear of the wheel axle surface and accelerated damage of the built-in bearing. In addition, sharp hard dust particles may leave scratches or pits on the surface of the wheel body, leading to unsmooth rolling process and increased steering resistance, which will reduce the operation convenience for on-site operators.

To mitigate the adverse effects of dust-heavy working conditions, operation teams can arrange targeted daily maintenance work. After each shift, wipe the dust on the surface of the equipment, and use a soft brush to remove the accumulated dust from the heat dissipation holes of the electrical parts. Regularly check the integrity of the sealing gaskets of the transmission and electrical cabins, replace aging sealing parts in time, and appropriately shorten the regular maintenance cycle for equipment running in high-dust sites. Scientific and reasonable daily management can effectively reduce the loss of key components, extend the overall service life of the equipment, and control the long-term operation cost of material handling.