High Performance Drive Technologies: Making Material Handling Effortless
Moving materials from A to B with minimal disruption is business critical in a wide range of industries. From distribution and logistics, to packaging, production lines and warehousing - organisations of all sizes rely on efficient automated product delivery day in, day out.
Equipment ranging from AGVs and AMRs to conveyors and palletisers rely on precise, reliable drive technologies to deliver the unwavering service demanded by businesses worldwide.
“In today’s fast-moving material handling environments, precise control of movement and product delivery can be the difference between a seamless operation and costly downtime,” comments Marcomms Manager Nigel Evans. “Whether it’s an AGV navigating a warehouse floor, a conveyor running 24/7/365, or a palletiser handling rapid start/stop cycles, the requirement for robust, precise, and reliable drive technologies has never been greater.
“Our broad portfolio of gears, motors, drives, and fully integrated drive solutions includes products specifically designed to meet the unique challenges of material handling applications, delivering the shock-load resistance, energy efficiency, and compact engineering the industry demands.”
AGVs and AMRs rely on precise and accurate navigation to stay on track. Smartris, a packaged drive solution designed specifically for AGVs and AMRs, combines a cycloidal gearbox, servo motor, and drive controller in a single compact, plug-and-play package – delivering consistently smooth operation that ensures loads reach their destinations on time, every time.
Conveyors, sorting systems and palletisers require smooth, consistent and reliable control of movement to deliver a huge variety of materials from A to B. Sumitomo Drive Technologies’ patented CYCLO gearmotors use a unique ‘gearless’ cycloidal design, resulting in minimal vibration, up to 500% momentary shock-load capacity, and low backlash – making them ideal for the start/stop demands of conveyors, sorting systems and palletisers.
Standard drives and custom engineered drive solutions are widely used in a variety of airport logistics applications, including complex airport baggage handling systems. As a long-standing industry leader in providing gear drives which are highly efficient and extremely quiet, Sumitomo Drive Technologies’ gears are ideal for the air transport industry which demands the highest levels of customer service.
“Unrivalled shock load resistance is one of the biggest advantages our customers see,” continues Nigel. “In material handling environments where conveyors can start, stop, and jam unexpectedly, this means fewer breakdowns, less damage, and longer service life.
“CYCLO gears also have fewer moving parts than traditional gear systems. In ‘around the clock’ material handling operations where downtime can be expensive, this translates directly into higher productivity and lower total cost of ownership. And because our gearmotors deliver significant power output in small packages, they’re ideal for environments where space is at a premium - for example, warehouses, distribution centres, ports and quarries – making installation easier and system design more flexible.”
Motorised equipment used in material handling applications must be capable of moving different weights, shapes and sizes, smoothly and efficiently across a diverse range of industrial settings – from automated warehouses to industrial assembly lines, mining plants and ports. Lafert’s HP dynamic motors provide high performance control, acceleration, braking and peak torque, while IE5 efficiency and synchronisation capability allow for maximum speed management in a compact and robust package.
“Energy efficiency is a growing priority across the material handling sector,” explains Nigel. “Our HP range achieves Ultra-Premium IE5 efficiency by combining the electrical design of brushless servo motors with the mechanical design of AC induction motors. In environments that are ‘always on’, this delivers significant energy savings that contribute directly to a customer’s ESG goals – our HP Combi, which pairs an IE5 motor with an integrated VFD, can reduce energy costs by up to 50%.”
Variable frequency drives (VFDs) enhance the performance and energy efficiency of material handling systems by providing precise motor speed control, reducing wear and tear, improving safety, and enabling optimal utilisation of power. They play a vital role in achieving smooth and efficient material flow across a wide variety of industrial settings – from automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) and conveyors, to palletisers and depalletisers.
Invertek Drives offers a wide range of high-performance VFDs used in material handling applications around the world. Follow this link to find out more.
“Moving goods such as powders, ingredients, aggregates, products, baggage, packages and much more all have slightly different requirements; our team’s technical expertise coupled with our extensive product range, ensures the best solution for each specific material handling application.
"This is why we are trusted by material handling OEMs and end-users in a hugely diverse range of applications and environments all over the world,” concludes Nigel.
Contact our experts now to find out more.