LogiDrive Intralogistics Solutions Combine Energy Efficiency and Variant Reduction

Large intralogistics projects for airports, parcel centres, high-bay warehouses or other warehouse logistics facilities must reconcile several competing requirements. With the LogiDrive concept for drive technology, NORD DRIVESYSTEMS takes a comprehensive TCO approach that combines energy efficiency and the reduction of variants with optimal system solutions for intralogistics.

Conveyor belts in intralogistics installations for airports, warehouses and parcel centres are often designed for the expected maximum load and with corresponding safety factors. This often results in drives that are oversized for the application. However, in real operation, such systems achieve the maximum load only with a small proportion of the conveyed items. As a result of such design, the drives only operate in the inefficient partial load range for most of the time. With the LogiDrive concept, NORD counteracts this trend with a specific reduction of variants using modern synchronous motors. In comparison with conventional asynchronous technology, these have an improved energy consumption performance in the partial load and partial speed ranges. Therefore, they are more energy efficient in these operating points and also keep efficiencies at a high level, even in case of overdimensioning through a reduction of variants. This results in a low total cost of ownership (TCO).

Four of five drive variants not required
NORD frequency inverters can control the output speed via a frequency range of 25 to 100 Hz. Thanks to their high overload capacity modern synchronous motors have a single motor type that can be used instead of different motor sizes. Dependent on the performance requirement, it is operated by its inverter with different frequencies. As an example, in a NORD project for baggage transport at an airport with 700 drive units, the number of variants could be reduced by about 80%. Eight variants of the 11 used drive configurations related to a standard system solution, the NORD LogiDrive. Proven standard solutions are tested and can be safely used.

Cost reduction thanks to standardisation
The LogiDrive systems from NORD are highly efficient, extremely easy to maintain and install thanks to plug-and-play technology, and result in a considerable reduction of spare part stocks during operation. The whole concept is designed for easy planning and commissioning. The standardised geared motor variants are specially designed for intralogistics, parcel logistics and airport technology, and are particularly suitable for reducing the number of variants. The compact design saves space and the lightweight aluminium housing enables weight savings of up to 25%. LogiDrive drive units comprise an IE4 synchronous motor with rated powers of up to 5.5 kW, a 2-stage helical bevel gear unit and a NORDAC LINK frequency inverter to be installed close to the motor. With class IE4 motor efficiency and system efficiency to class IES2, the drive units achieve excellent overall efficiencies – especially in the partial load and speed range.