Sustainable Electric Solutions in the Spotlight

New automation, efficiency and sustainability needs have emerged in recent years, prompting industry players to embrace innovation in order to boost their speed, precision and productivity while reducing costs and inefficiencies. In this context, latest-generation technological solutions are the new protagonists of warehouse operations, aiming, on the one hand, to reduce the environmental impact of logistics processes and operating costs and, on the other, to speed up the handling of goods, optimising movements in order to manage large volumes in shorter times.
Logimat was the perfect opportunity for Bonfiglioli to share the expertise and know-how capitalised in over 60 years of business with customers and to present its solutions for forklifts, warehousing trucks and automated storage.

More specifically, the 600F Series featuring high-efficiency planetary gears and drives with integrated electric motors for premium performance was on display in the forklift area. The 610 x3E model in particular, designed for machines capable of moving up to 16 tons on the fork, positions the company as a specialist on the market for large electric machines.

As regards warehousing trucks, the EL09 steerable powertrain for pallet trucks, stackers and reach trucks displayed ensures minimal noise and high manoeuvrability in tight spaces, thanks to a multifunction unit for the complete control of acceleration, steering and braking. In terms of production, the company has invested in a highly automated assembly line that guarantees high quality and process repeatability, with a takt time of 4 minutes. These solutions can be fully customised to meet manufacturer requirements. In the same area, BlueRoll completes the range that makes Bonfiglioli a full line supplier for intralogistics vehicles. This new platform of performing wheel-mounted gearmotors for AGVs and AMRs has an ultra-compact and energy-efficient design for a long operating cycle. The modular drive system comes in three configurations – Basic, Advanced and Compact – with a customisable single gearbox load ranging from 360 to 120 kg and a maximum speed of 2m/s.

Finally, Bonfiglioli showcased two solutions complete with gearbox, motor and inverter. The first solution, perfect for post & parcel use and airport baggage handling systems, consists of: a compact right-angle gear unit (A) available in a wide torque range, an IE4 certified synchronous reluctance motor (BSR), which guarantees an ecological and high-performance solution thanks to the absence of magnets, and the DGM MPM decentralised inverter with sensorless vector control operation for optimal dynamics control.

The second solution, designed for roller conveyors, includes the EVOX CP, a helical in-line gearbox with a smooth surface that can be fitted to any machine thanks to its compatibility with market standards, the MXN asynchronous low voltage e-motor (IE3) developed to be modular, reliable, energy-efficient and internationally certified, and a DGM MPM sensorless inverter.

Bonfiglioli designs, manufactures and distributes a wide range of gearmotors, electric motors, planetary gearboxes and inverters, capable of satisfying the most complex needs in the industrial automation, mobile machinery and renewable energy sectors. The Group offers complete solutions that serve more industries and applications than any other gearbox manufacturer and is the market leader in many areas; the three Business Units, Discrete Manufacturing & Process Industries, Motion & Robotics and Mobility & Wind Industries, express all the experience and skills acquired over the years in their respective fields of expertise. Founded in 1956, Bonfiglioli operates in 80 countries with 26 commercial sites, 20 production sites, an extensive distribution network that includes over 550 partners, and can count on over 4,700 professionals worldwide. Excellence, innovation and sustainability are the drivers that guide Bonfiglioli’s growth as a company and as a team and represent the guarantee of the quality of the products and services offered to its customers.

Sustainable Electric Solutions in the Spotlight

New automation, efficiency and sustainability needs have emerged in recent years, prompting industry players to embrace innovation in order to boost their speed, precision and productivity while reducing costs and inefficiencies. In this context, latest-generation technological solutions are the new protagonists of warehouse operations, aiming, on the one hand, to reduce the environmental impact of logistics processes and operating costs and, on the other, to speed up the handling of goods, optimising movements in order to manage large volumes in shorter times.
Logimat was the perfect opportunity for Bonfiglioli to share the expertise and know-how capitalised in over 60 years of business with customers and to present its solutions for forklifts, warehousing trucks and automated storage.

More specifically, the 600F Series featuring high-efficiency planetary gears and drives with integrated electric motors for premium performance was on display in the forklift area. The 610 x3E model in particular, designed for machines capable of moving up to 16 tons on the fork, positions the company as a specialist on the market for large electric machines.

As regards warehousing trucks, the EL09 steerable powertrain for pallet trucks, stackers and reach trucks displayed ensures minimal noise and high manoeuvrability in tight spaces, thanks to a multifunction unit for the complete control of acceleration, steering and braking. In terms of production, the company has invested in a highly automated assembly line that guarantees high quality and process repeatability, with a takt time of 4 minutes. These solutions can be fully customised to meet manufacturer requirements. In the same area, BlueRoll completes the range that makes Bonfiglioli a full line supplier for intralogistics vehicles. This new platform of performing wheel-mounted gearmotors for AGVs and AMRs has an ultra-compact and energy-efficient design for a long operating cycle. The modular drive system comes in three configurations – Basic, Advanced and Compact – with a customisable single gearbox load ranging from 360 to 120 kg and a maximum speed of 2m/s.

Finally, Bonfiglioli showcased two solutions complete with gearbox, motor and inverter. The first solution, perfect for post & parcel use and airport baggage handling systems, consists of: a compact right-angle gear unit (A) available in a wide torque range, an IE4 certified synchronous reluctance motor (BSR), which guarantees an ecological and high-performance solution thanks to the absence of magnets, and the DGM MPM decentralised inverter with sensorless vector control operation for optimal dynamics control.

The second solution, designed for roller conveyors, includes the EVOX CP, a helical in-line gearbox with a smooth surface that can be fitted to any machine thanks to its compatibility with market standards, the MXN asynchronous low voltage e-motor (IE3) developed to be modular, reliable, energy-efficient and internationally certified, and a DGM MPM sensorless inverter.

Bonfiglioli designs, manufactures and distributes a wide range of gearmotors, electric motors, planetary gearboxes and inverters, capable of satisfying the most complex needs in the industrial automation, mobile machinery and renewable energy sectors. The Group offers complete solutions that serve more industries and applications than any other gearbox manufacturer and is the market leader in many areas; the three Business Units, Discrete Manufacturing & Process Industries, Motion & Robotics and Mobility & Wind Industries, express all the experience and skills acquired over the years in their respective fields of expertise. Founded in 1956, Bonfiglioli operates in 80 countries with 26 commercial sites, 20 production sites, an extensive distribution network that includes over 550 partners, and can count on over 4,700 professionals worldwide. Excellence, innovation and sustainability are the drivers that guide Bonfiglioli’s growth as a company and as a team and represent the guarantee of the quality of the products and services offered to its customers.

Precision 3D Navigation and Collision Avoidance

SICK has unveiled a milestone advance in its three-dimensional LiDAR technology with the launch of the multiScan multi-layered LiDAR sensor. The SICK multiScan combines floor-to-ceiling 360° environment perception with high-resolution navigation for reliable real-time localisation, mapping and collision avoidance in automated mobile robots (AMRs) and industrial vehicles, such as forklifts.

Developed on the foundations of SICK’s industry-leading multi-echo LiDAR technology, the SICK multiScan is a compact, lightweight and rugged 3D sensor designed to maximise vehicle availability in both indoor and harsh outdoor environments. With their broad 360° x 65° field of view and 16 scan layers, the LiDAR sensors in the multiScan100 family use on-device pre-processing to output a dense 3D point cloud with 690,000 measuring points, complemented by a high-resolution 0° 2D scan plane for precision navigation.

Each multiScan arrives factory-calibrated and ready for use, whether it is specified as a standard pre-configured product or using the specially-developed Online Configurator. Machine builders and integrators can select the features they need for their application using the time-saving online platform with access to software apps and add-ons for easy customisation.

“Designed with the needs of integrators in mind, the multiScan’s ability to pre-process precision measurement data in real time with no external controller sets it apart,” explains Nathaniel Hofmann, SICK’s Market Product Manager for Measurement Systems.

“The multiScan provides a detailed 3D point cloud of its environment, so the AMR knows exactly where it is, and where any objects are, and it can update its 3D map as it travels around. At any moment in time, it is providing real-world measurements of the production floor or warehouse to make the AMR as efficient and available as possible.”

To enhance the 16-layer 360° horizontal coverage, the multiScan’s vertical aperture angle is configured to optimise the layers between -22.5° to +42.5°. This ensures reliable collision avoidance for objects at ground level, as well detecting cliff edges and ramp inclinations. Objects protruding into the field of view at height, e.g. on warehouse shelving, can also be reliably avoided. The multiScan136, the first sensor to be launched in the product family, has a 360° x 65° field of view and a 60m working range with further variants available from later in 2023.

On-the-Spot Troubleshooting

The multiScan can also be used with SICK’s Augmented Reality Assistant, SARA for troubleshooting and configuration of LiDAR sensors on Automated Mobile Robots. Diagnosis and correction of machine downtime, such as a field infringement, can be done ‘on the spot’ with a mobile phone, without the need to connect a PC.

The multiScan100 family achieves high performance and availability in harsh industrial environments, with a choice of rugged housings available up to IP69K. Using SICK’s unique multi-echo LiDAR technology, the multiScan generates three echoes per beam at 20Hz to achieve higher availability by filtering out the false signals caused by unwanted laser reflections from raindrops, snow, fog or dust particles.

Online Configurator

With SICK’s Online Configurator, engineers are prompted to make selections to customise the multiScan for its working environment, with the opportunity to select hardware options and software add-ons.

In addition to the standard sensor software for data streaming, customers can also select feature add-ons, e.g. for reflector recognition, data reduction and pre-processing, or a filter package where additional robustness is needed e.g. outdoor weather or harsh industrial conditions. Specialised pre-developed SICK sensor apps, such as Safe Break Assist and the SICK LiDAR-LOC are also available to use with the multiScan.

Equipped with 100Mbps Ethernet, eight multifunctional I/Os and matching system plugs, the SICK multiScan is easy to integrate and saves engineers valuable time during commissioning. When ordering, customers can select predefined parameters or choose previously stored configurations. SICK imports them onto the device before delivery.

Precision 3D Navigation and Collision Avoidance

SICK has unveiled a milestone advance in its three-dimensional LiDAR technology with the launch of the multiScan multi-layered LiDAR sensor. The SICK multiScan combines floor-to-ceiling 360° environment perception with high-resolution navigation for reliable real-time localisation, mapping and collision avoidance in automated mobile robots (AMRs) and industrial vehicles, such as forklifts.

Developed on the foundations of SICK’s industry-leading multi-echo LiDAR technology, the SICK multiScan is a compact, lightweight and rugged 3D sensor designed to maximise vehicle availability in both indoor and harsh outdoor environments. With their broad 360° x 65° field of view and 16 scan layers, the LiDAR sensors in the multiScan100 family use on-device pre-processing to output a dense 3D point cloud with 690,000 measuring points, complemented by a high-resolution 0° 2D scan plane for precision navigation.

Each multiScan arrives factory-calibrated and ready for use, whether it is specified as a standard pre-configured product or using the specially-developed Online Configurator. Machine builders and integrators can select the features they need for their application using the time-saving online platform with access to software apps and add-ons for easy customisation.

“Designed with the needs of integrators in mind, the multiScan’s ability to pre-process precision measurement data in real time with no external controller sets it apart,” explains Nathaniel Hofmann, SICK’s Market Product Manager for Measurement Systems.

“The multiScan provides a detailed 3D point cloud of its environment, so the AMR knows exactly where it is, and where any objects are, and it can update its 3D map as it travels around. At any moment in time, it is providing real-world measurements of the production floor or warehouse to make the AMR as efficient and available as possible.”

To enhance the 16-layer 360° horizontal coverage, the multiScan’s vertical aperture angle is configured to optimise the layers between -22.5° to +42.5°. This ensures reliable collision avoidance for objects at ground level, as well detecting cliff edges and ramp inclinations. Objects protruding into the field of view at height, e.g. on warehouse shelving, can also be reliably avoided. The multiScan136, the first sensor to be launched in the product family, has a 360° x 65° field of view and a 60m working range with further variants available from later in 2023.

On-the-Spot Troubleshooting

The multiScan can also be used with SICK’s Augmented Reality Assistant, SARA for troubleshooting and configuration of LiDAR sensors on Automated Mobile Robots. Diagnosis and correction of machine downtime, such as a field infringement, can be done ‘on the spot’ with a mobile phone, without the need to connect a PC.

The multiScan100 family achieves high performance and availability in harsh industrial environments, with a choice of rugged housings available up to IP69K. Using SICK’s unique multi-echo LiDAR technology, the multiScan generates three echoes per beam at 20Hz to achieve higher availability by filtering out the false signals caused by unwanted laser reflections from raindrops, snow, fog or dust particles.

Online Configurator

With SICK’s Online Configurator, engineers are prompted to make selections to customise the multiScan for its working environment, with the opportunity to select hardware options and software add-ons.

In addition to the standard sensor software for data streaming, customers can also select feature add-ons, e.g. for reflector recognition, data reduction and pre-processing, or a filter package where additional robustness is needed e.g. outdoor weather or harsh industrial conditions. Specialised pre-developed SICK sensor apps, such as Safe Break Assist and the SICK LiDAR-LOC are also available to use with the multiScan.

Equipped with 100Mbps Ethernet, eight multifunctional I/Os and matching system plugs, the SICK multiScan is easy to integrate and saves engineers valuable time during commissioning. When ordering, customers can select predefined parameters or choose previously stored configurations. SICK imports them onto the device before delivery.

Eurotunnel’s New Identity: LeShuttle Freight

Eurotunnel Le Shuttle Freight has announced a major rebranding initiative. Effective immediately, the service will now be known as LeShuttle Freight. This forms part of a full brand evolution across both the freight and car passenger services, reflecting parent-company Getlink’s ambition to deliver, the safest, fastest and most reliable and carbon environmental-friendly service to cross the Channel. The distinctive new identity embodies the simplicity, ease, and efficiency with which Le Shuttle operates, taking the driver and goods from A to B and paving the way for a period of exciting modernisation for LeShuttle Freight.

The new LeShuttle Freight logo visually represents what sets LeShuttle Freight apart; its speed, efficiency and driver care, as well as referencing the feat of infrastructure of the tunnel itself. Elongated letterforms connect to show the movement of goods through the two tunnels, and the connections in the logo communicate the ease and efficiency with which LeShuttle Freight usually operates.

LeShuttle originally used the colour palette of the French and British flags; however the new colours focus on what unites the two countries, rather than sets them apart. The primary palette is one of premium monochromes, providing a sophisticated background for secondary and tertiary palettes to shine. LeShuttle Freight transitions to an aqua palette, with the core colour Vivid Aqua, representing the stability, peace and tranquillity of the journey. Four accent colours, named The Beauty of Europe, have been inspired by scenery of European travels.

“LeShuttle Freight has been serving customers for almost 30 years, and during that time has built an indisputable reputation for its fast and reliable service. We are incredibly proud of our journey so far and this next step in our evolution perfectly reflects our heritage as much as the direction we are taking in our growth strategy, innovation in customer experience, and reducing our environmental footprint.” Comments Deborah Merrens, CCO of LeShuttle. “Our goal is to continue to provide a smooth, efficient travel experience that is tailored to the needs and preferences of today’s customers, and we believe our rebranding initiative will resonate with all new generations of transport professionals”.

Since it began operations in 1994, more than 700million tonnes of goods have been transported via the tunnel aboard one of the 15 Truck Shuttles which are 800m long, carry up to 32 trucks and travel at a speed of 140km/h for a 35-minute journey. Last year, LeShuttle Freight announced a milestone as its 33 millionth truck crossed the Channel aboard its Shuttle. As a vital link in many supply chains, LeShuttle Freight carries 25% of the goods entering the UK thanks to the speed, ease and flexibility of the service with up to 6 departures per hour.

To date it is the only cross-channel operator to publish an annual carbon footprint report and offers by far the most environmentally friendly cross-Channel service. With a truck traveling on a Shuttle emitting 12 times less greenhouse gases than travelling by ferry, LeShuttle Freight is eager to continue to help customers further reduce environmental impact per load.

Eurotunnel’s New Identity: LeShuttle Freight

Eurotunnel Le Shuttle Freight has announced a major rebranding initiative. Effective immediately, the service will now be known as LeShuttle Freight. This forms part of a full brand evolution across both the freight and car passenger services, reflecting parent-company Getlink’s ambition to deliver, the safest, fastest and most reliable and carbon environmental-friendly service to cross the Channel. The distinctive new identity embodies the simplicity, ease, and efficiency with which Le Shuttle operates, taking the driver and goods from A to B and paving the way for a period of exciting modernisation for LeShuttle Freight.

The new LeShuttle Freight logo visually represents what sets LeShuttle Freight apart; its speed, efficiency and driver care, as well as referencing the feat of infrastructure of the tunnel itself. Elongated letterforms connect to show the movement of goods through the two tunnels, and the connections in the logo communicate the ease and efficiency with which LeShuttle Freight usually operates.

LeShuttle originally used the colour palette of the French and British flags; however the new colours focus on what unites the two countries, rather than sets them apart. The primary palette is one of premium monochromes, providing a sophisticated background for secondary and tertiary palettes to shine. LeShuttle Freight transitions to an aqua palette, with the core colour Vivid Aqua, representing the stability, peace and tranquillity of the journey. Four accent colours, named The Beauty of Europe, have been inspired by scenery of European travels.

“LeShuttle Freight has been serving customers for almost 30 years, and during that time has built an indisputable reputation for its fast and reliable service. We are incredibly proud of our journey so far and this next step in our evolution perfectly reflects our heritage as much as the direction we are taking in our growth strategy, innovation in customer experience, and reducing our environmental footprint.” Comments Deborah Merrens, CCO of LeShuttle. “Our goal is to continue to provide a smooth, efficient travel experience that is tailored to the needs and preferences of today’s customers, and we believe our rebranding initiative will resonate with all new generations of transport professionals”.

Since it began operations in 1994, more than 700million tonnes of goods have been transported via the tunnel aboard one of the 15 Truck Shuttles which are 800m long, carry up to 32 trucks and travel at a speed of 140km/h for a 35-minute journey. Last year, LeShuttle Freight announced a milestone as its 33 millionth truck crossed the Channel aboard its Shuttle. As a vital link in many supply chains, LeShuttle Freight carries 25% of the goods entering the UK thanks to the speed, ease and flexibility of the service with up to 6 departures per hour.

To date it is the only cross-channel operator to publish an annual carbon footprint report and offers by far the most environmentally friendly cross-Channel service. With a truck traveling on a Shuttle emitting 12 times less greenhouse gases than travelling by ferry, LeShuttle Freight is eager to continue to help customers further reduce environmental impact per load.

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