Electric-powered materials handling equipment has enabled customers to benefit from greater energy efficiency and lower CO? emissions and given customers the power to manage their fleet.
New-generation lead-acid and lithium batteries feature intelligent energy management systems and advanced data tracking capabilities, allowing customers to monitor their equipment in real time. Downloadable data, accessible on-site or online, helps fleet managers optimise battery performance and reduce waste.
So how does this new technology work and how will it benefit customer operations?
A battery management unit (BMU) is fitted to the top of a battery and continuously collects data while it is in operation and during the charge cycle. This data will highlight any maintenance issues and helps customers to identify how assets are utilised to ensure their fleet is used efficiently for the application – maximising the lifetime of batteries and chargers and protecting product warranties. Customers can access data via an online portal or alternatively, Midac can provide regular data reports that are tailored to meet customer requirements.
New generation battery systems also include a built-in wireless ‘best battery choice’ (BBC) management system – ready to go with no external hardware or controllers. If you have a fleet of batteries on charge, operators often select batteries that are convenient and easily accessible. With a battery management system, such as BBC, operators will know which battery to select. The charger will display a green light to identify which battery is fully charged and should be used next. This will optimise battery fleets and ensure that no battery is worn out prematurely or not used enough.
An exciting new development is dynamic power limitation (DPL), which enables customers to charge batteries at off-peak times to avoid expensive electricity bills and manage their power supplies if they are limited. DPL works through ensuring a defined group of battery chargers never exceed the allocated power, which gives customers full power when available and shared power when needed without any operator input. Power is delivered through a smart algorithm and eliminates the risk of high-power peaks caused by simultaneous fast and opportunity charging. The DLP function makes power allocation possible, eliminating the risk of expensive electric bills.
Gary Penfold, Sales Director of Midac UK & Ireland, comments, “Midac’s new generation battery and charger systems are revolutionising the industry, enabling customers to manage their fleets like never before.” For more information, contact salesuk@midacbatteries.com.
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