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■ Case Study
Self interest
Chloride Motive Power (CMP) provided high-frequency power
for a major food manufacturer’s self-guided vehicle fleet.
A major food manufacturer has invested in and found it to be more accurate and reliable
a fleet of 25 self-guided vehicles (SGVs) for than other systems.”
one of its production facilities in the UK. The SGV System and battery charging
The SGV System was provided by FMC system work seamlessly together to ensure
Technologies and replaces a 16-year-old, vehicles remain charged. When a self-guided
obsolete wire guided AGV System. The vehicle approaches a pre-programmed state of
fleet will handle Palletised Finished Case battery discharge, it automatically
Goods for despatch to the UK and Europe. manoeuvres to one of eight charging points.
The SGVs are capable of transferring over No human intervention is necessary as the
100 pallets per hour from the ends of SGV automatically positions itself on a
production line palletisers to either shipping charging plate on the floor, which is
conveyors or ASRS storage conveyors. The connected to a 48v, single-phase wall-
new vehicles offer a number of benefits over mounted charger. The previous AGVs relied
the out-going fleet but increased capacity has on a 24v on-board charger, which would be
been made possible because of the new bank connected to an overhead power supply and
of High Frequency (HF) chargers from required an eight hour charge. Because of the
Chloride Motive Power (CMP). 24/7 shift pattern operated at the factory, six
Each vehicle is powered by a CMP AGVs would be recharging at any one time.
‘Classic’ lead acid battery. The food The new SGVs can be recharged within five charge and duration dependent on the status of
manufacturer’s electrical control systems hours and are also able to ‘opportunity the individual battery – optimising
engineer comments, “We specified CMP charge’. Opportunity charging allows the performance.”
batteries and chargers for a number of vehicles to automatically dock at a charging Not only will battery life be extended for
reasons. The High Frequency chargers were station when they are not in use, and receive a the new SGVs, but because they are laser
already in use at another of our production fast charge, which enables them to remain in guided, production is far more flexible. A
facilities and we had been impressed by the operation around the clock. This means that rotating laser scanner placed on top of the
performance and reliability. The fact that there are usually only one or two SGVs on vehicle detects reflective targets mounted on
CMP is the only manufacturer to make both charge at any one time, freeing up more plant walls, to navigate its way through the
chargers and batteries means that there is no vehicles for material transport and allowing facility. Vehicle guide paths can be changed,
compromise. Chargers, and in particular, High for maximised production. pick up and drop off points added, and system
Frequency chargers, are sophisticated pieces Because the new SGV system is monitored expanded quickly and easily. This also means
of equipment. CMP has experience in this by a wireless Windows Server 2003 that should the layout of the factory be re-
relatively new area and we need to ensure that programme, staff are able to monitor the organised, the system can easily be
our batteries are charged and maintained to battery status of the fleet in real time. It also reconfigured.
optimum levels. Also, we were very happy manages ‘rotation’ of the fleet so that battery Summing up, the electrical control systems
with CMP’s ‘Aquajet’ water filling system maintenance can be optimised and battery engineer says, “We employ world-class
abuse prevented. Ray King, area production and maintenance practices and the
sales manager (aftermarket) of AGV system offered real benefits. The new
CMP Batteries worked with FMC SGV fleet will build on these operational
and the client from the initial advantages. We managed to achieve a five- or
discussions, to the installation and six-year service life from our traction batteries
comments. “Abuse related to and we are hoping to improve on this even
charging is the most common further with the help of FMC Technologies
cause of battery failure,” says and CMP. Both companies have taken a
Ray. “Under the previous system, ‘team’ attitude to this project, offering
AGVs were simply put on charge practical advice to our engineers and
for a set period of time, whereas collaborating with each other. ”
the new HF chargers regulate the
www.cmpbatteries.co.uk
28 ShD June 2007 www.PressOnShD.com
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