Involving Intralox in Design Phase Eliminates EV Battery Pack Damage and More Than 100 Maintenance Hours
Intralox’s DARB [Transfer] S4500 has been in use by our company for about two years. The equipment is running steadily and has not required any maintenance. Its working principle is ingenious, and we give it a high evaluation. We hope to have the opportunity to collaborate again in the future.
General Assembly Equipment Manager
Global EV Manufacturer
Customer Objectives
A global electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer wanted to implement automation into their new production line that delivers battery packs directly to the EV chassis. Due to space constraints, the line needed to be built on a second-floor platform and, at 380 kg each, delivering the packs to the second floor manually was not an option. The customer needed a future-ready solution that could maintain their throughput of 25 packs per hour while handling the product gently enough to prevent damage.
Intralox Execution
Before involving Intralox in the discussion, the EV manufacturer’s OEM partner planned to create two 90-degree transfers via two turning tables that lead to 50 m of narrow flat belting for straight-line conveyance. The customer was concerned that this solution would handle the packs unreliably and result in product skewing and damage, unsatisfactory throughput, and frequent maintenance and downtime. Having benefitted from collaboration with Intralox in the past, the OEM approached us for a solution.
Based on the customer’s concerns and the results of our simulations, we suggested keeping the 50 m of narrow flat belting but installing two Dual-Stacked Angled Roller Belt (DARB) 90-Degree Transfers S4500 instead of the turning tables. With a capacity of 500 kg each, the DARB Transfers could easily handle the 380-kg packs without pallets or trays, improving product safety, reducing maintenance and operational costs, and simplifying controls. To ensure that the solution would meet the EV manufacturer’s needs, Intralox worked with the OEM to both optimize the line layout and run a series of tests on-site before final installation.
Results
After two years of run time, the automation system we put in place remains stable and has run well without a single breakdown. The controls are simple and easy, and there has been no damage to battery packs since installation thanks to the DARB Transfers’ gentle and reliable handling. Plus, battery skewing has been eliminated along with more than 100 hours of maintenance. The EV manufacturer hopes to work with Intralox again.