FEATURE Automated Warehousing
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Four key hardware trends enabling the growth of warehouse automation
Hardware will play an important role in the next generation of technological advancements for warehouse automation, writes Ricardo Hernandez, Industry Sales Manager at TE Connectivity
W
arehouse automation is seeing a rush of innovations, with new technologies making automation easier,
more effi cient and more attainable for even small operations. There are several important but lesser known innovations driving the evolution of warehouse automation:
Battery management systems Lithium-ion technology makes it possible to pack more energy into a smaller battery. Then, there’s the eff ort to make energy storage and use more effi cient, both helped by the battery management system (BMS). BMS determines how the battery supplies power, the way it recharges and the most effi cient manner of distributing power from the cells. Typically, the BMS is embedded within the battery pack of a vehicle – an electric forklift, an automated mobile robot (AMR) or an autonomous guided vehicle (AGV). A smart BMS requires smart connectors for power, signal and data. Hence, having connectors that allow for a smooth, seamless fl ow of communication between the devices is critical.
Advanced connectors and cables As lithium-ion batteries overtake the old-fashioned lead-acid type, there will no longer be a need for warehouses to reserve space for forklifts and empty batteries to be parked for several hours to recharge. Instead, opportunistic charging will be the norm, where a forklift, AMR or AGV can simply be plugged into the nearest charging station to get its full charge in under 30 minutes. This trend also needs resilient cables and connectors. Since opportunistic charging enables warehouse vehicles to be charged fi ve to six times a day, connectors and cables will experience many more mating cycles per day than traditional charging methods. Unfortunately, the solution is not as simple
36 July/August 2022 | Automation
Figure 1: Warehouse automation graphic
as making a tougher connector and cable that can handle more mating cycles. Not only does the connector have to withstand more mating cycles, it also has to transmit more current and guarantee signal integrity for data communication between charging stations and battery packs. Thus, engineers are working on heavy-duty hybrid connector technologies that off er high mating cycle counts, without loss of data signal integrity or increased power consumption, all the while tolerating harsh industrial environments.
Smart docking While there are challenges to simplifying manual charging, the logistics behind autonomous charging are daunting. An autonomous vehicle docks itself when it needs a charge – this is an automated process that requires sensors, motors, drives, connectors and more to ensure precise connection. Also, warehouses typically do not have neat, smooth fl oors, so the vehicle might not be going in a straight line or perfectly mate with the charging dock. To overcome this, engineers
build tolerances into the vehicle’s system to enable a safe and perfectly-aligned charging connection.
Interoperability In warehouse automation, interoperability refl ects the rising demand for platform- agnostic charging connectors, cables and stations. Sadly, today, each brand of forklift, AMR or AGV has its own proprietary charging connector, which is not necessarily cross-compatible. This could be a problem for large warehouse operations that employ entire fl eets from multiple brands. Interoperability will be key to helping them manage a growing number of charging stations and the connectors and cables that go with each. Interoperability will also allow AMRs from diff erent brands to share status information and other details to make warehouse automation more effi cient.
CONTACT:
TE Connectivity
www.te.com
automationmagazine.co.uk
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