The market for automated guided vehicles (AGV) is growing disproportionately and the requirements for free-navigating AGVs are high: quick start-up and intelligent networking via bus systems are a prerequisite. This also involves requirements for high power density – minimal installation space with maximum efficiency.

Extremely compact drive system for AGVs

ebm-papst will display the new driving/steering system, an innovative drive solution for mobile battery-operated applications, which allows vehicles to drive in all directions. This drive solution consists of drive motors, transmission, sensor system, and wheel, and will be presented for the first time at LogiMAT.

The ECI-63 and ECI-80 BLDC motors from ebm-papst fulfill the requirements posed of them – in the new driving/steering system or as direct wheel motors. They require little installation space, achieve high torques with just 24 V, and are also in a position to deliver three times their power for short intervals. Thanks to integrated intelligence in the drives, condition monitoring and predictive maintenance can be performed in the service of GreenIntelligence. Combined with the Optimax transmissions, this creates compact, robust, intelligent drive systems.

Shuttle applications that pose high requirements of drives

Another trend in intralogistics is shuttle applications. To keep the warehouse area used as small as possible, these are built upward. Shuttle vehicles can then reach all warehouse positions on all levels. The requirements with regard to dynamics, positioning accuracy, and life span are fulfilled with aplomb by the ebm-papst ECI-63 and ECI-80 motors combined with the Optimax transmissions.