The most
powerful version
of STILL's latest
RX60 forklift
is powered by
lithium-ion
developments of lithium-ion batteries mean
repair and maintenance efforts are considerably
reduced, and in most cases not necessary at all,”
explains Nikos Tsiouvaras, Lithium R&D Director
at industrial battery manufacturer, Sunlight. “This
equates to an important reduction in annual total
cost of ownership compared to other technologies.
Unlike flooded lead acid batteries, lithium ion
batteries are almost maintenance free, drastically
saving on labour costs of any maintenance staff.”
With increased reliability comes more accurate
workload planning and a reduction in delivery
time issues.
“Warehouses are reliant on operating with
increased levels of predictability,” continues
Tsiouvaras. “Lithium-ion batteries help achieve
and maintain this across various applications.
Their use in electrical industrial vehicles, like
forklifts, ensures reduced downtime of equipment,
meaning getting more hours of operation and
increased reliability.”
Longer life
Lead acid batteries require regular changing
or recharging, seeing operatives fiddling with a
truck when they could be providing value to the
business elsewhere. Lithium-ion reduces this
need. A Sunlight battery, for instance, charges
fully in 90 minutes – something Tsiouvaras says
brings advantages in other ways: “A 90-minute
charge enables three shift operations while
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 FORKLIFTS
avoiding the need to change
the battery in the middle of the
working day. Our technology
uses lithium-iron-phosphate
and can last for approximately
4,500 charging cycles,
depending on the user profile.”
Users obviously don’t need
to fully charge and discharge the
battery each time, says Hyster’s
Ireland. “Lithium-ion allows
for opportunity charging during
planned breaks and lunch time.
This ‘top up’ approach can
simplify operations as you only
need one battery, not two.”
This flexibility of charging
means no complicated charging
areas are required, something
that Ireland says will particularly
appeal to companies in new sites
who want to maximise every
square foot of usable floor space.
However, older sites may be
put off. “Older sites may need
wiring changes to accommodate
the power needs and charging
locations,” warns Ireland.
“Draw on the electric supply is
another consideration. Lead acid
batteries charge slowly over a
long period while lithium-ion
options charge quickly and need
more power. Infrastructure
needs to accommodate these
requirements.”
Purchasing forklifts can be
expensive and getting the most
value from them is imperative to
long-term cost considerations.
Limiting the number of forklifts
out of action during operating
hours is an important part of
this cost reduction and lithiumion
batteries help achieve this.
The technology is maturing
rapidly, and is already beginning
to knock more traditional power
solutions off their perch.
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