Battery system saves energy for Sony's lift trucks

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Sep 10, 2002

Sony United Kingdom is specifying Hawker Traction's new Evolution batteries on all new lift trucks brought into service at its national operations centre in Thatcham, Berkshire.

The electronics equipment giant Sony United Kingdom is now demanding that lift truck suppliers fit Hawker Traction's new Evolution batteries on all new trucks brought into service at its national operations centre in Thatcham, Berkshire.

The latest move continues a long-standing relationship between Hawker and Sony.

The new Evolution units are being phased in, says Sony, to keep at the leading edge of battery management technology.

Hawker's sealed gelled electrolyte Evolution battery is totally maintenance-free, requiring no topping up throughout its life, which will bring Sony considerable labour savings and reduce the risk of injury and damage through acid spillage.

The new Hawker LifePlus high frequency charging systems being installed with the Evolution batteries will significantly cut electricity charges - potentially by as much as 30%.

The 22,000-pallet location national distribution centre at Thatcham serves Sony customers throughout the UK and parts of mainland Europe.

It operates a mixed fleet of around 50 trucks - counterbalance trucks, reach trucks, pallet transporters, order pickers and VNA machines.

The trucks work non-stop round the clock up to six days per week and topping up conventional lead acid batteries had become an unacceptably time-consuming and expensive exercise.

"Topping up all our batteries, weekly, could take up to four hours", says Brian Gill Sony's Engineering Supervisor, Corporate Services, "and because of our working pattern it had to be undertaken at weekends.

This meant paying staff time-and-a-half or double-time".

"A few years ago we changed over to the then-new Hawker Perfect WF 200 low maintenance battery, which required topping-up only twice a year.

This was the most advanced technology available at the time, and brought major improvements to our operations.

But the introduction of Hawker's totally maintenance-free Evolution battery, and the LifePlus charger system, marks a huge leap forward - in terms of practicality, labour savings, energy efficiency and health and safety.

Hawker also offered the same warranty period that would apply to 'conventional' battery systems".

The Evolution sealed gelled electrolyte battery is designed for all kinds of lift trucks, as well as floor cleaners and sweepers.

Evolution requires no topping-up throughout its life, and its highly efficient valve-regulated re-combination technology reduces gas emissions to an absolute minimum.

This can allow decentralised battery charging, avoiding the heavy investment required to build special vented charging rooms.

The combination of Hawker's Evolution battery and LifePlus charger offers outstanding energy savings.

LifePlus provides a full charge to the Evolution battery with a low charging factor, making much more cost-effective use of mains power.

As much as 90% of the electricity put through LifePlus goes directly to charging the battery.

With Life Plus, which also minimises the risk of overcharging, charging time can be reduced to as little as eight hours.

The new package offers Sony the potential of cutting the electricity costs for battery charging by as much as 30%.

The improvements to the battery changing and charging operations are particularly impressive, Brian Gill reports.

"The new Hawker system requires no water supply or special ducting, which reduces capital expenditure and maintenance costs, and brings big improvements in health and safety - no matter how roughly you treat an Evolution battery there's no danger of spillage.

The zero-emissions, no gassing, factor is also important with regard to Sony's accreditation for ISO14001 standards for environmental management, and the reduced electricity consumption of the charging system helps alleviate Climate Change Levy liabilities".

Sony is now about half way through converting its entire Thatcham fleet to Evolution batteries.

"Sony has a culture of change, and is always looking to harness the latest innovations to stay at the leading edge of technology", says Brian Gill.

"Hawker is our sort of company".