Within South Africa’s unpredictable energy environment, the lithium-ion battery has emerged as the star player for operations wanting to ensure their material handling equipment experiences as little downtime as possible. From forklifts and pallet jacks, to automated guided vehicles (AGVs), lithium-ion batteries offer unparalleled advantages, including longer lifespan, faster charging times, and zero emissions.
Duan Tredoux, national brand manager at Industrial Power, a division of CFAO Equipment, says lithium-ion batteries have a longer lifespan and are quicker to charge: 100% in two hours. This means forklifts can operate for longer and spend less time inactive while the battery is being charged, ultimately leading to a reduction in operational downtime.
Another notable feature of lithium-ion batteries is that operational forklifts do not slow down as the battery’s energy decreases. Cost savings are also due to the 95-98% charge efficiency of the lithium battery technology, meaning the energy from the grid needed to charge the battery absorbs 95-98%. More traditional battery technologies typically have a charge efficiency of 65%.
Lithium-ion batteries are also safer than their traditional counterparts as they contain lithium ferro phosphate (LFP), the safest lithium chemistry available. In addition, they don’t need maintenance, gassing or ventilation. There is no need for monthly top-ups, no weekly four-hour equalisation charge, no monthly battery cleaning, no corrosive sulphuric acid vapour or spills, and no need for periodic battery testing.
Tredoux says the batteries ensure that customers who invest in or rent Industrial Power’s range of products are assured of increased productivity and enhanced flexibility, as a result of the greater uptime. Opportunity charging of lithium batteries leads to greater shift flexibility because operations do not need to revolve around battery charging or cooldown periods, making warehousing activities far more efficient.
He adds that customers can buy or rent lithium-ion batteries. By renting batteries from Industrial Power’s rental department, customers can sidestep the upfront cost of having to invest in the batteries, but still benefit from the running-cost savings and charging efficiency.
Lithium-ion batteries are fully protected, which means they automatically protect themselves against overcharging, overdischarging, short-circuiting, and overheating. They incorporate both digital protection circuitry and analogue protection circuitry, providing an extra level of reliability.
Notably, the batteries can be retrofitted to almost any forklift, reach or pallet truck. The batteries also allow for real-time connectivity to a battery-specific IoT platform, and live monitoring of all forklift batteries, including usage logs, energy delivered, capacity and battery health information.
While the initial cost of a lithium-ion battery may exceed that of other battery technologies, their intelligent charging algorithms and precise control systems will result in maximised uptime and reduced downtime, leading to cost savings down the line.
Tredoux says lithium-ion batteries are a key component in streamlining warehouse and counterbalance operations. They allow businesses to maintain seamless workflows, while reducing the operational costs associated with energy consumption. These factors all work together to ensure businesses continue to thrive.
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