TGW Smart Energy Strategy – focus on sustainability

Posted on Monday 3 April 2023

Ecological, economic and social sustainability are crucial factors in future-oriented intralogistics. For TGW, acting sustainably is a vital aspect of business responsibility.

THE LEADING intralogistics specialist has therefore consolidated its energy-saving initiatives for systems, modules and products into the TGW Smart Energy Strategy.

Intelligent software adapts power as needed

Intralogistics systems are designed for maximum throughput and capacity. If order structure and capacity utilisation temporarily do not require maximum performance, the output of storage and retrieval machines, shuttles or sorters can be adapted individually. Reducing the speed from 1,2 m/s to 0,8 m/s will lower the energy consumption of KingDriveÆ conveyors by 15 percent. Automatically switching off system parts or entire systems and then restarting them in a controlled manner is another way of saving energy. All these measures allow operators to benefit from lower operating costs over the lifecycle of a fulfillment center.

Potential savings of up to 17%

The KingDriveÆ conveyor system for cartons, totes, trays and polybags uses maintenance-free and gearless motorised rollers as well as an integrated 48-volt power supply. Innovative technology uses the braking energy of the rollers to power other rollers in the network. Consequently, the energy stays within the system and is reused on the same site. This way, KingDriveÆ uses up to ten percent less energy than classic conveyor technology.

The storage and retrieval machines in the Mustang family are equipped with powerful mechanical components as well as sophisticated controls software and intelligent drive technology. Thanks to this setup, their braking energy can be recovered along the horizontal or vertical travel axis and used for travel on the respective other axis. This enables a reduction of the overall current demand by up to 17 percent.

Shuttles with recuperation function

Shuttles accelerate and decelerate several hundred times per day. The potential for saving energy is therefore especially high in this area. Their braking energy is stored in power capacitors and can then be used by all vehicles on the same level for acceleration.

Moreover, all shuttle and tote lifts are equipped with a recuperation function as a standard feature, allowing unused energy to be fed back into the power network.

For more information, visit www.tgw-group.com