This diploma thesis deals with design features of a customs swivel cabin fork-lift truck. Concept is adapted to the technical and ergonomic requirements and the main goal of this concept is to provide original design with a view to the future. The complex concept meets the operational, technical and ergonomic demands of such engines. The project is focused on the design concept and complex contour-composition of the swivel cabin fork-lift truck. Designed of the fork-lift truck stems from the modern technological methods and the construction is ready for production and everyday operating usage, hence the production of this project would be rather expensive for the local market. However, it might be possible to start the production of this fork-lift truck, equipped by various functional components, sometime in the future and such extra functional components will be included as basic accessories of any fork-lift truck.

Today’s demand on forklift trucks performance and efficiency is high. The productivity is important but also the experience while handling the forklift. The handling has to be simple and genuine to make the driver feel confident and safe. To achieve high performance steering in articulated trucks, a hydraulic power system is often used.Simulation software are a powerful tool in development processes. The program gives the industry a possibility to develop, analyze and evaluate constructions and models more efficient.The purpose of this master thesis is to identify and increase the knowledge about the main challenges in the hydraulic steering system in an articulated forklift. The hydraulic system has been modelled in the simulation software Hopsan and validated against data from measurements performed on the forklift. The different challenges have been identified based on tests and the simulation results. For a deeper understanding of the system a literature study, mainly about the key components, has been done during the master thesis. A number of suggestions for improvement have been developed with focus on increasing the steering performance. The concepts and ideas have been evaluated and tested in the simulation model.The project resulted in a validated simulation model of the articulation and a number of suggested improvements on the hydraulic steering system.