Changing forklift demands are requiring more advanced power products

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- 11 Jun 2020 ( #978 )
7 min read
Derrick Ong, General Manager EnerSys Malaysia
Derrick Ong, General Manager EnerSys Malaysia
Welcome to EnerSys® Malaysia.

Our main headquarters are located in Kuala Lumpur within a 3,932 m2 facility comprising Warehousing, Sales and Service. There are also fully equipped company owned branches in Penang and Johor Bahru to ensure full coverage for our valued customers.

A new addition is our fully equipped EnerSys Academy training centre, located in our Kl facility, to cater for customer sales and service teams to receive hands on training on both product and solutions.



What do customers want from their material handling equipment?

At EnerSys Malaysia, we work directly with both forklift manufacturers and end-users alike, and we hear both groups answer that question in the same way: today's materials handling customers want products that are more reliable, flexible and with less maintenance. They want smarter, more connected products that can deliver a better user experience, with less downtime and a lower total cost of ownership (TCO).

Giving customers what they need involves a our team of industry experts together with advances in product design for better communication and integration between vehicles and their power arrangements.

With all of that in mind, let me share some of our product developments.

NexSys® PURE Thin Plate Pure Lead (TPPL) and NexSys® iON lithium-ion batteries

Rising real estate and labour costs have materials handling users looking for ways to cut expenses and boost productivity, which in turn is driving demand for lower maintenance forklift products. Technologies such as Thin Plate Pure Lead (TPPL) and lithium-ion (Li-ion) can help.

Both TPPL and Li-ion batteries eliminate watering requirements and enable fast, effective opportunity charging to extend shift runtimes. No watering means less maintenance and no risk of spills. Opportunity and fast charging means no more battery changing and changing rooms, further reducing labour while freeing up valuable floorspace for other revenue-generating activities. Our TPPL and Li-ion battery solutions can provide different power options to best meet operational and cost requirements.

For applications requiring minimal maintenance but with the flexibility to extend shift times compared to traditional flooded Wet and Gel batteries, our NexSys® PURE (TPPL) batteries can provide the necessary power with a similar user experience to Lithium Ion, at potentially a much lower TCO.


NexSys PURE offers benefits not available from other lead-acid battery products. Their thin plate, pure lead design imparts very low battery internal impedance, permitting both a very high rate of discharge, and quick, efficient charge acceptance. NexSys PURE products are ideal in opportunity charging applications where operators can use shift changes or lunch breaks to charge at high current for short periods. Trucks remain in productive operation for a higher proportion of their shift, while the cost and space needed for dedicated charging areas is eliminated. Energy costs also drop, as NexSys PURE batteries require less overcharging than flooded cells. The batteries provide longer cycle and storage lifetimes than standard AGM and Gel types, together with better energy density. Like other VRLA types, they are sealed, with minimal gassing and without need for water top-ups.

Our NexSys PURE batteries are available in both 12V block and larger battery sizes with proven performance across the globe.

Installation to machines is easy and in the majority of cases requires absolutely no modifications to truck compartments or cabling.

For applications facing more heavy duty applications, our soon to be released NexSys® iON Lithium battery may be a better option, but it is wise to always consult with our experts on what is your real requirement.

Our experts can perform a detailed analysis of shift patterns and offer guidance on the best TCO using our varied products.

In most cases the our NexSys PURE product will provide exactly what you require, with lower cost, peace of mind using lead acid, with the flexibility required for extended shift times, no watering and minimal gas emissions.

"We see our NexSys products as a revolutionary change in the stored energy market," comments Derrick Ong, "no longer focusing on any specific technology, but offering the most intelligent and flexible power solutions for each of our customers' specific applications and needs."

Battery Management technologies

EnerSys® has been at the forefront of battery management systems for many years, with robust monitoring products and predictive analytics capabilities.

Electric lift trucks fulfil a crucial operational role in the warehouse and they have become integral to the digitization trend. When connected to a fleet management system, they act as data-gathering devices. There is great potential for increasing productivity and reduction of costs by connecting motive batteries and charging equipment into an integrated power management system.

The main threats to battery health include excessive operating temperatures, inadequate maintenance and underperforming chargers. With insufficient information, an operator may also underuse or overuse some batteries in the fleet. Incorrect battery sizing and specification can affect performance and operating economy. To address these challenges, users need a way of collecting large amounts of real-time data from their batteries and chargers. In addition, they need a user-friendly system, which can analyse the data to produce actionable alerts, understandable reports and advice so their processes can be improved.

Well-maintained motive batteries and high technology chargers cut energy consumption by performing more efficiently and giving longer runtime, which means less spending on end-of-life replacements. In addition, they are more reliable, so the expense of battery-related truck downtime is minimised.

A system of this kind, based on IoT technology and cloud-based software, capable to gather power data from the vehicle, now exists.


Our systems can be tailored to meet the needs of all warehouse companies. For those relatively new to IoT, we can offer an entry-level solution for exploring this new world. For those further along the smart warehouse road, but not yet aware of cloud-based lift truck power management, we can offer a more advanced solution.

Users desiring a modest level of engagement could simply use our Wi-iQ® - battery monitoring device, which collects data over the life of the battery. With our Wi-iQ battery monitoring device installed onto the battery, operators in the warehouse can now monitor the power system and often detect emerging problems before they result in costly unplanned downtime or lost batteries. The battery operating data can also be used to analyse a fleet's overall power use, workflow and more, providing insights that can optimise the power solution. Information on temperature, water level, charge and discharge currents, cell voltage balance, state of charge, and other measurements of efficiency and condition is accessible on PC via the Wi-iQ Report Suite, or on tablets and smartphones through our new E-ConnectTM APP that enables users to view and forward historical data.

The Wi-iQ can also be matched with our LifeiQTM range of modular chargers. The charger then communicates to the battery in real time to ensure the charge is optimised with minimal stress.

Also available is our Truck iQTM smart battery dashboard that provides live insights on battery status to drivers. The device can be mounted to the forklift dashboard. The data from the Wi-iQ is transferred wirelessly to the Truck iQ display enabling an operator to receive live data on battery performance and warnings.

For users seeking an integrated and cloud-based lift truck power management platform, EnerSys has designed the XinxTM; battery operations management system. The XinxTM system continually reads each Wi-iQ monitoring device every minute of the day and transmits all the data to a cloud server where it analyses and presents outputs on potential risks, developing problems and impending failures.

Its main goal is to inform your operations managers on the true efficiency of their assets which results in optimised life, reduction in costly downtime and a safer and more productive workplace.

Powering tomorrow's fleets together

Gone are the days when companies could just supply batteries and chargers based on a few performance specs. The potential for all our technologies to come together and transform user vehicle experiences and boost warehouse productivity is here. Partnering with a company like EnerSys will ensure your business has access to the latest advanced technologies and evolving demands for a better user experience and outstanding productivity improvements.


Call us today for a consultation: +603 5125 1111

www.enersys.com



ABOUT ENERSYS
EnerSys, the global leader in stored energy solutions for industrial applications, manufactures and distributes reserve power and motive power batteries, battery chargers, power equipment, battery accessories and outdoor equipment enclosure solutions to customers worldwide. Motive power batteries and chargers are utilized in electric forklift trucks and other commercial electric powered vehicles. Reserve power batteries are used in the telecommunication and utility industries, uninterruptible power supplies, and numerous applications requiring stored energy solutions including medical, aerospace and defense systems. With the recent Alpha acquisition, EnerSys provides highly integrated power solutions and services to broadband, telecom, renewable and industrial customers. Outdoor equipment enclosure products are utilized in the telecommunication, cable, utility, transportation industries and by government and defense customers. The company also provides aftermarket and customer support services to its customers in over 100 countries through its sales and manufacturing locations around the world.

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