The hydraulic rack stacker, equipped with a two-strand triplex chain conveyor, enables up to four steel pallets to be stacked. Once the stacking process is complete, the four pallets are transported fully automatically along the approximately 22-metre-long conveyor to the truck transfer point. "The conveyor line consists of chain conveyors with particularly robust triplex chains that can easily withstand the high load of up to 5 pallet stacks with a total weight of 21 tons," says Löseke.

In addition, the motors of the chain conveyors are equipped with frequency inverters that allow the transport speed of the steel pallets to be individually adjusted. "This ensures smooth, even and safe conveying," emphasizes Haro's design management.

At the end of the conveyor section, the pallet blocks are then automatically transferred to the truck loading bridge: With the help of the chain conveyors, the conveyed goods are moved smoothly into the truck trailer for onward transportation. "Here too, the conveyor speed is adapted to the speed of the conveyors in the semi-trailer thanks to the frequency converters," says Haro. However, it is not only the loading of the trucks that is carried out in the manner described; the unloading of the empty pallets is also carried out in the same way. Before being reloaded, the empty pallets are transferred fully automatically from the semi-trailer to the parallel second conveyor line, which is connected via corner transfers, and run through the parallel path to the stacking point, where the steel pallets are then picked up by the AGV and transported back to production.

Redundancy and intelligent networking

In view of the constantly growing demand for battery cells for electromobility, a smooth and reliable production process is a top priority for the Leipzig-based supplier. In order to be able to rule out a production stop, both conveyor lines are each equipped with two emergency organization stations for forklift trucks. "If the AGV should ever fail, the pallets can also be loaded manually with a forklift in an emergency," says Markus Löseke, explaining the background to the dual loading option. And should one of the two systems fail completely, both conveyor lines can operate in reverse mode and be used for both loading and unloading the trucks. If the batteries are not available at the car manufacturer in time, production comes to a standstill.

In addition to preventing downtime in the age of Industry 4.0 and increasing digitalization, intelligent networking is also a top priority in this project. The system's process data, such as the system status or any error messages, are exchanged at any time via OPC UA. Light barriers, safety fences and personnel recognition also ensure safety for employees.

While the system has already been in use for almost a year, the automotive supplier is already planning to expand the existing systems and is thus making use of an intelligent concept from the Haro Group: with the help of the modular system, the systems from the Rüthen-based conveyor technology manufacturer can be flexibly expanded at any time - an option that is currently more important than ever, especially for suppliers of electromobility. And so the Leipzig-based company is already in contact with Haro to implement a further chain conveyor system in order to maintain its ability to deliver on time even during expected peak production figures and to meet growing demand.