Sustainability in Focus: TGW Smart Energy Strategy

Ecological, economic, and social sustainability are central factors of a future-oriented intralogistics. Environmentally conscious action is an integral part of corporate responsibility for TGW. The leading intralogistics specialist has consolidated its energy-saving initiatives for systems, modules, and products in the TGW Smart Energy Strategy.

(Marchtrenk) The careful use of resources is not only a sign of corporate responsibility but also brings concrete economic benefits, especially in times of high raw material prices.

Software adjusts performance as needed

Intralogistics systems are designed for maximum throughput and capacity. If full performance is not required temporarily due to workload or order structure, the performance of conveyor technology, stacker cranes, shuttles, or sorters can be individually adjusted. For example, reducing the speed from 1.2 m/s to 0.8 m/s allows the KingDrive® conveyor technology to achieve a 15 percent lower energy consumption. Thanks to this Smart Kinematics function, mechanical wear can also be reduced.

The automatic shutdown of system components or entire systems, along with controlled restarts, also offers significant savings potential. Operators benefit from low operating costs over the lifetime of a fulfillment center – the so-called Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

“As a company with over 50 years of experience in intralogistics, the conscious use of resources is a central guiding principle for TGW – both in the development of new systems, modules, and products as well as in their revision. For a growing number of our customers, energy efficiency is a crucial criterion,” emphasizes Thomas Gruber-Blanka, Director of Product Management at TGW. “Our portfolio regularly includes energy-efficient components such as IE3 drives or brushless DC motors with gearless rollers.”

Saving potential of up to 17 percent

The KingDrive® conveyor technology for cartons, containers, trays, and polybags, named after TGW co-founder Heinz König, relies on gearless, maintenance-free motor rollers and an integrated 48-volt power supply. The innovative technology utilizes the braking energy of one roller to drive others in the system. Thus, energy remains within the system and is reused on-site. KingDrive® consumes up to ten percent less energy than conventional conveyor technology.

The stacker cranes of the Mustang family not only feature powerful mechanics but also advanced control software and intelligent drive technology. Thanks to this setup, braking energy can be recovered in the horizontal and vertical movement axes and used in the other axis. This can reduce overall power consumption by up to 17 percent.

Shuttle with recuperation function

Since shuttle vehicles accelerate and decelerate hundreds of times daily during loading and unloading, the savings potential in this area is particularly high. Braking energy is stored in supercapacitors and can be reused by all vehicles on a level for acceleration.

Shuttles and container lifters are also equipped as standard with a recuperation function that feeds unused energy back into the power grid.

Photo: © TGW Logistics / Image caption: The KingDrive® conveyor technology: Gearless, maintenance-free motor rollers and an integrated 48-volt power supply.