autoglide 5
The alternative to the busbar system on
long travels up to 80 metres gliding
The company Kardex Mlog looks back on over 50 years of experience in the planning, implementation and maintenance of fully automated logistics solutions. During this time, it has successfully implemented over 1,000 projects.
Profile
- What was needed: autoglide 5
- Previously in use: busbar system
- Requirements: very long travels, high reliability of the energy and signal supply system
- Industry: material handling
- Success for the customer: robust and reliable energy supply system, perfectly tailored to the application
Interview
Alexander Arnold (Design Engineer) | Christian Strauch (Sector Management Material Handling)
Strauch: Mr Arnold, you are a designer and welding engineer at Kardex Mlog and decided to test the new autoglide 5 energy chain in your in-house SRU. What do you expect from this?
Arnold: We have been using busbar systems for horizontal energy supply for decades. They work, are cheap and don't really cause any problems. But of course there are certain weak points. The autoglide 5 energy chain could eliminate these weak points.
Strauch: What "weak points" are you referring to?
Arnold: A busbar system must be maintained regularly. This means that the pantograph carbons have to be changed from time to time. This is actually not a big deal, but of course the storage and retrieval unit is at a standstill during this time, which the operator, i.e. our customer, does not like at all.
Secondly, one could also address the safety issue: in principle, a busbar system is a safe product, but it has open conductors and theoretically this poses a danger. The energy chain is a bit safer in that respect.
That is why the energy chain is the only alternative in explosion-protected areas. Busbar systems must be located outside the concentration area. There is no such restriction with energy chains.
Strauch: According to igus, the autoglide 5 can be installed in a matter of minutes. Is that important for you too?
Arnold: Of course. Time is money and therefore we can save a lot of money during assembly. According to igus, the autoglide 5 can be installed within an hour and ... yes, that's right. We were able to see that for ourselves this morning here in our SRU. If the test now proves successful, then the use of the autoglide 5 can certainly be considered as standard instead of a busbar system.
Strauch: Thanks a lot.
Alexander Arnold, welding specialist and design engineer at Kardex Mlog
