INTEGRATED CONDUCTOR RAIL SYSTEMS FOR AS / RS
INTEGRATED CONDUCTOR RAIL SYSTEMS FOR AS / RS
By Rod Griffith , Director of Marketing , Conductix- Wampfler
Whether for pallets , small parts or special applications with high or low inventory turnover , it is hard to imagine a dynamic , highly available “ low cost per pick ” fully automated warehouse without automated storage and retrieval units ( AS / RS units ). The best way to power and control AS / RS equipment is to use reliable and efficient conductor rails to supply electric energy as well as to pass control signals . These systems can also be set up for efficient and ecological energy recovery . Most recently , the best conductor bar systems are packaged in an integrated housing . One type of integrated package is called “ ProShell ” made by Conductix-Wampfler . This type of support profile can integrate several conductor rails into a consolidated package while taking into account other needs of planners and installers .
Despite extensive advance planning , structural modifications always crop up during an AS / RS installation . These present the installer with unexpected challenges that require quick solutions while at the same time maintaining the existing schedule and budget . For example , a typical installation situation would be an unexpected offset in the specified positions of the stands or uprights . “ In this case , the installer has an advantage if the connection of conductor rail to AS / RS system is not fixed , but could occur at any point along the profile , even near connectors ,” explains Dieter Seidel , Conductix-Wampfler Global Product Manager for conductor rails .
It is real-life problems such as these that encouraged the move to place separate conductor rails into a rigid shell package . Packaged systems like “ Pro- Shell ” make the mechanical integration of conductor-rail systems , whether into a new or existing installation , much less complex while at the same time ensuring the correct electrical design . Having this flexibility makes the work of both installers and planners considerably easier . The system allows for connections at virtually any point along the profile so offsetting the connection to the shelf or floor upright presents no problems . “ The maximum nominal suspension interval of 3.2 meters also reduces the number of mounting brackets or floor-mounted uprights needed ,” emphasized Seidel . Floor-mounted system brackets that permit fast height adjustments with their economical single-hole grid or elongated hole profiles are also a useful addition .
At the heart of the concept is a sheetsteel support profile into which field-proven conductor rails are installed . This not only protects the power rails but also permits wider suspension intervals and installation directly on the rack uprights using universal system brackets . Optical positioning bar code holders can also be fitted to the support profile with clamping units . “ Systems like ‘ ProShell ’ provide a complete system that gives the customer the highest degree of flexibility with unchanged mechanical interfaces . It does so in a very compact design that takes into account the trend for four- or five-pole systems with new control concepts ,” says Seidel .
By using different conductor rails and different conductor materials , such as steel , copper or aluminum , it is possible to cover a wide range of electrical specifications ( 10 A to 400 A ) with the same system while maintaining the same installation space and mechanical interfaces . System engineers can select the number of poles and cross sections required . Larger conductor-rail cross sections with low resistance values and thus low voltage drops are important when supplying long storage lanes with only one infeed at rated currents of up to 400 A .
The barcode labels can be mechanically bonded to a stainless steel supporting band clamped to the support shell labels . These can be set in the same relative positions from aisle to aisle with a high degree of repeatability .
Higher ratings and larger cross sections in conductor rail systems are also gaining importance in terms of energy efficiency . More and more suppliers are offering solutions for covering energy from the AS / RS in regenerative mode . This reduces operating costs and also meets future international energy efficiency standards . Large cross section conductor rails can fit into the same standard support profile . Aluminum conductor rails can also be used and these reduce overall energy consumption as compared to equal-cost copper profiles . The voltage drop is less due to the higher cross section .
In accordance with various worldwide specifications for occupational safety ( e . g .: BG and SUVA ), support profiles can be designed with rolled longitudinal edges and without fixed or upturned edges . Another advantage occurs when the support profiles are optimized to a four meter length suitable for delivery trucks . The four meter profiles are easily and safely handled by one person . Despite a low material thickness and weight , the special design of the profile makes it stronger in comparison to conventional U-profile solutions .
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