Decisions made easy
05.08.2011
Despite representing the lowest cost factor in an electric forklift truck system, the battery charger is becoming a major factor in ongoing operating costs. It is therefore important to read the Fronius Whitepaper and use it as a decision-making tool before purchasing.
When a company purchases a new electrically-powered forklift truck, there are always three components involved: the vehicle, the traction battery and the battery charger. Even though the traction battery and battery charger do not even amount to 50% of the total procurement costs, both system parts have an important impact on operating costs. This is largely due to increasing energy costs and the high cost of the battery. It is precisely this proportion of the costs that now needs to be reduced to achieve greater efficiency, cost-effectiveness, sustainability and environmental protection.
The new Whitepaper from Austrian battery charging systems manufacturer Fronius is a great help in this respect. To give an example, the document asks whether companies should only hold discussions with forklift providers when purchasing "forklift truck, traction battery and battery charger" three-part systems - and then answers the question. A distinction is rightly made between purchasing, rental or leasing on the one hand and rental or full-service contracts on the other. Another very common practice is for battery manufacturers to also supply the battery charger. But in such cases do customers always receive a battery charging system with the longest possible battery service life? The Fronius Whitepaper also answers this question.
Due to their business activities, different companies place a different emphasis on the matter of reducing the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), in other words the ongoing operating costs, of forklift trucks. This is also explained in detail in the Whitepaper. Sometimes it is the energy costs that have an impact on overall costs, whereas at other times the focus is on battery service life or availability. Some operators have to solve the problem of peak current tariffs. Fronius provides decision-making tools for all these scenarios.
As there are several traction battery charging solutions, the Whitepaper provides an overview of the different charging technologies. Each of the technologies – 50 Hertz transformer technology, inverter HF technology and the modern Active Inverter Technology from Fronius – is clearly described and all the relevant information provided. Examples are used to demonstrate what the right technology and requirements are when charging forklift batteries.
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