Battery & Charger technologies are developing at a rate that currently assures more than 80% of applications can be met by power smart Electric Forklifts. This places the onus squarely on the shoulders of buyers to make smart decisions to ensure the best fit.
These choices can be difficult and Orizen, a specialist in Electric Forklift solutions have for the past two decades progressed & positioned itself as a facilitator to make sense of a host of Battery and Charger choices using its modelling software which incorporates Customer Site Surveys and Operational Requirements. The entire concept is designed to achieve the best total cost of ownership for the asset called the Electric Forklif
LEADING IN INDUSTRY INNOVATION
The approach to serving this market has also led to Orizen acquire distribution rights for World-class Brands for batteries, chargers, Battery Monitoring and Management systems, Solid Forklift Tyres as well as Electric Forklifts.
According to managing director, Vijay Manchanda, it is also the first supplier in the country to offer two different Lithium Ion Battery technologies that are suitable for different forklift applications, namely nickel cobalt aluminium (NCA) and lithium ferrous phosphate (LFP). While most batteries today are LFP, an offshoot of the advancement of battery technology in electric vehicles (EVs), there are some limitations for its use in some applications.
For example, you can only charge them at 40% of the overall battery capacity to keep the designed life cycles. Hence it may still take a minimum of 2,5 hours to charge effectively. However, new technology in the form of NCA batteries developed in Europe, can be fully charged in an hour’s time and have 50%+ extra lifecycles than LFP. NCA cells have more than double the Specific energy than LFP. Added advantage is our ability to build these batteries locally and replace a cell or two than replacing the whole battery in case of a unexpected fault. NCA technology also finds its optimised use in cold store and freezer applications where it is essential that battery cell temperature is communicated to charger so that charger can adjust its charging rate to avoid damage to battery capacity, life and a possible explosion.
Temperature compensation can only be regulated through CANBUS communication with the Charger that talks to battery.
NO MORE ONE CHARGER PER BATTERY
Our Advanced Chargers in conjunction with Battery Monitoring Units enable customers to Charge any Battery (technology, amp hours and voltage) with any Charger sitting unutilized in your charge bay. This will alter the principle of one charger per battery.
ELECTRIC REPLACING DIESEL FOR OUTDOOR APPLICATION
ORIZEN is the exclusive dealer in South Africa for EP Equipment, and they offer a range of IP54 Protected Lithium Ion Smart Trucks as they are now able to operate in wet or rainy conditions. You are now able to reduce the number for Forklifts within your operation as these Smart Trucks can operate both indoors and outdoors. Electrics require a lot less maintenance, no fuel storage facilities and now can match the availability like the internal combustion counterparts. If carefully selected, these savings can enable the user to buy a complete new electric forklift from the savings alone. They are also cleaner running with no fumes nor spills to contaminate storage spaces or goods,” says Manchanda.
Depending on the application selected, electric forklifts can provide users with a return on their investment in quick time. It may be expensive to buy electric forklifts but It’s like buying your fuel upfront and once you start the payback point you start economizing.
BATTERY FOR LIFE, AND AFTER-LIFE
The company’s Lionbrix (NCA) batteries are supplied by Micropower in Sweden with specially developed Samsung cells and triple level process controls built in (redundancy in safety). They are super-safe, super-dense and designed by engineers who are experts in power electronics.
Toyota in UK and Europe use same Lionbrix concept as their very own Lithium Ion Solution. These batteries will still have over 80% capacity once they are unfit for forklift use and can then be reused in back up power application.
You can take out cells and build new battery for another or new forklift if required as small size allows fitment to any steel tank. “However, despite the newest technologies, different applications still call for different battery types. That is why we stock all available technologies and have seven types to choose from with three different charger types.
We assist customers to analyse current and future applications and provide insights to the correct solution for the user. With Warehouse development and the focus on space optimisation, narrower aisles and increased racking heights place a massive demand on the battery solutions.
By studying the application and reviewing the charge time available during Breaks per shift, we can specify the correct Battery and Charging solution.
UN-INTERRUPTED OPERATION AND MAXIMIZING ASSET LIFE - IOT
Technology has is evolving, and telematics places the control with the user and/or the service providers’ hands. Our technology enables us to track real time data made available on any machine at any time and enables us to monitor the use and abuse of the asset. We combine the philosophy of RCM (Reliability Centred Maintenance) and CBM (Condition based Maintenance) to achieve the maximum life expectancy from these assets. Our NOC (network operating centre) ensures that services happen on time and identify problem before it brings the forklift to halt. Remote Fleet Management (RFM) can even guide us which spares to take with us to go and fix a particular breakdown.
GOOD HANDS
Orizen currently employs Sales and Technical staff with a combined industry experience of over 150 years which is unheard of in the industry considering the recent development of these technologies.
It also offers a unique product warranty that can be linked to the provision of a complete solution from Orizen. This means that if the power systems and chargers are maintained and managed by the company, customers can enjoy the full benefit of an extended warranty on all equipment. “We believe that the wholistic management of electric forklift is the future of the industry as it can provide hassle-free operations for users. These services are available from any of our branches in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, as well as specially appointed dealers in all major centres of the country.
Manchanda concludes, 70% of Diesel/Gas dominated Forklift Industry in South Africa is poised to shift to electric forklifts.
