THE rising price of fuel and growing environmental concern are just some of the factors that are currently pushing the demand for battery electric forklifts in Australian industry.
In a trend mirroring Europe where 76% of forklifts are electric, the use of battery operated vehicles in Australia has experienced a slow and steady growth over the years, according to Howard Grant, executive officer of the Australian Industrial Truck Association (AITA).
“Ten to fifteen years ago, the ratio of electric forklift trucks in overall supply was approximately 40% of the market. Today, the total market for trucks for 2005 was over 15,000, and electric trucks were proportionally just under 50%,” Grant said.
Batteries play a crucial role
When looking at the benefits of an electric vehicle, such trends are not surprising. Forklifts that use a battery motor to provide power for transport and cargo loading can provide a ‘zero emission’ alternative to IC trucks, meeting stringent OH&S requirements and bringing substantial cost benefits in terms of dollars to refuel.
Their prevalence in local industry has also highlighted an important issue for manufacturers: battery maintenance and quality.
Maintenance has a major impact on the life of a battery, with a lack of care resulting in shortened life and disruptive breakdowns.
David Dart, marketing manager for Century Yuasa, believes that knowledge of basic battery maintenance and safety is currently being lost within organisations, partly due to high turnover.
“A lack of adherence to the AS 2402 standard which provides details on the correct requirements, installation and usage of vented and valve regulated traction batteries is a major issue,” Dart told Manufacturers’ Monthly.
“In a highly competitive battery market, purchasing a battery based on cost can be tempting, but in most cases, it will result in false economy. A longer term strategy based on a quality battery and appropriate maintenance will provide the most economical solution,” he advised.
Maintenance issues that users must take care of include ensuring lift lockouts engage at the correct value to prevent the depth of discharge exceeding 80%; detecting failed cells quickly to prevent the decrease of overall battery life; and ensuring that the dc power capacity on site meets the level of demand - without compromising the operational parameters of the battery.
It is also crucial that the charger is used correctly. One of the latest products out on the market is a new high frequency charger which ensures that the correct charging process is taking place – an important function as the use of an incorrect charger can dramatically shorten battery life.
According to Dart, high frequency chargers also allow for smaller battery areas and have typical efficiencies of above 90%, which means significant electricity savings can also be achieved.
Finally, users must also take the initiative to perform regularly checks and clean the battery in order to prevent electrical breakdown.
“Cleaning up any spillage and wiping down the tops of cells should be performed on a regular basis. A complete regular service is also recommended, where the voltage readings and complete specific gravity checks are performed and recorded on all of the cells,” said Dart.
Saving time with accessories
Maintaining batteries can often be a time consuming job, but with accessories available on the market to minimise the time and effort required, companies can ensure battery maintenance without extensive downtime, safety issues or the risk of human error.
Single point watering systems can reduce the likelihood of spillage, as a common mistake is watering the battery prior to charging, which causes the electrolyte levels to overflow.
Latch and release systems can keep battery charge connectors firmly locked together to prevent detachment during the battery charging cycle.
Products such as gel traction batteries are able to reduce the safety issues related to flooded batteries, although these types of batteries are only suitable for limited applications with smaller loads.
Similarly, support products such as roller beds, battery transfer carts and winches can help reduce the risks associated with the direct handling and maintenance of traction batteries and corrosive substances.
In the future, monitoring systems and diagnostics will become more prevalent, with the potential for 'fast charging', using a special charger to substantially reduce charge times and the need for additional batteries in multi-shift operations.
Fuel cells: the future?
There have also been some new developments to hit the market, with Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO) independently developing a fuel cell hybrid system for forklift trucks.
A prototype featuring the technology was displayed at a trade fair for intralogistics at Hannover Germany, in October 2005. According to Steve Harper, Toyota Industries Corporation Australia (TICA) president, fuel cell forklifts require minimal refilling and significantly less maintenance than current battery electric forklifts, where the batteries must be recharged and the fluid level maintained. They also benefit the environment by reducing harmful emissions.
“The use of hydrogen as the main power source in the full cell forklift means that the machine can produce electricity to drive the vehicle with zero emissions of carbon dioxide,” Harper said.
It is difficult to forecast in which direction the trends will go, as Grant’s figures from the AITA reveal an increase in trucks powered by alternative fuels, such as compressed natural gas and LP gas alongside electric forklifts.
However, it is clear that environmental concern and the rising cost of diesel is a driving factor, and will continue to be so in the future.
Century Yuasa Batteries 1300 364 877.
Toyota Industries 1800 425 438.
AITA 02 6290 1505.