Fronius develops lithium-ion charging technology for STILL forklift truck system

Fronius develops lithium-ion charging technology for STILL forklift truck system Charging forklift trucks more quickly and flexibly Wels, 28/03/2017 – The battery charging technology specialist, Fronius Perfect Charging, has been hard at work developing alternative drive technologies for intralogistics. Together with the Hamburg-based forklift truck manufacturer STILL, the company is now presenting a range of battery charging systems for use with lithium-ion batteries. The batteries impress with their high energy density and unprecedented flexibility, making rapid opportunity charging possible at any time. Combined with the battery and forklift truck, the Fronius devices form a perfectly harmonised system that dramatically increases the safety and availability of the fleet through its extensive communication functions. The lithium-ion solution from STILL and Fronius is available in several variants for different applications. STILL offers five different forklift models with load capacities of between 1.4 and 2 tonnes, equipped with lithium-ion batteries of various capacities. To go with these, Fronius provides battery charging systems in the 9kW and 18kW power categories – depending on the size of the battery used. The three components form a closed system that communicates via a CAN bus. During operation, numerous parameters, such as the temperature and state of charge of the battery, and the remaining driving time, are constantly monitored and shown on the driver’s display. Where safety-related limit values are concerned – such as an insufficient charge rate – the system intervenes and, for example, adapts the power consumption of the forklift truck accordingly. This prevents the deep discharge of the battery and any resulting damage. Thanks to the lithium-ion solution, fleet operators benefit from drastically reduced charging times. Depending on the strength of the charger and its capacity, the batteries can be fully charged in less than an hour – for lead batteries that generally takes between seven and eight hours. Operators can also carry out opportunity charging at any time, for example during breaks, without damaging the battery. This significantly increases the flexibility and availability of the forklift trucks. The Fronius devices facilitate especially energy-efficient charging and thanks to their compact dimensions, they can be installed anywhere with ease and without taking up much space. In contrast to lead batteries, in many countries special charging rooms are not a legal requirement, as the charging process does not produce any gases, meaning the forklift trucks can be charged at any time, anywhere. The maintenance activities required of lead batteries, such as cleaning the batteries and filling them up with water, are a thing of the past with the lithium-ion solution. The system from STILL and Fronius thus provides an attractive, high-performance alternative to forklift trucks with lead-acid batteries. The Fronius battery charging systems are equipped with a display that shows the user the state of charge of the connected battery at a glance. An LED strip that can be seen from a distance is also optionally available. Fronius offers an extensive range of accessories for special applications, for example an air filter that protects the delicate electronics from contaminants in dirty environments. Wall brackets and charging modules that can be fitted individually help the user to create secure, user-friendly and clearly defined charging stations. For mobile applications, a robust transport box is available to avoid damage to the chargers. This is ideal for forklift truck dealers’ test or rental vehicles.