Lithium-ion lift truck batteries help food industries save more than half a Two million dollars. Upgrading its lift trucks with Li-ion technology.
This is another example of a team effort that produced a great outcome for the customer. In Anhui province, China—Battery maker Wisdom Industrial Power Co., Ltd. is supplying Jiaozuo Instant Noodle Factory. lithium-ion forklift batteries. BSLBATT says replacing lead-acid batteries with its Lithium-Ion technology should enhance productivity, reduce emissions, and reduce power requirements by up to 35 percent.
BSLBATT plans to deliver lithium-ion battery packs with intelligent battery management systems (BMS) to Instant Noodle Factory in He nan. Field trials will occur throughout this quarter.
In 2018, as the JZ Instant Noodle Factory company prepared to install a new state-of-the-art food packing line – the biggest in the world – management realized that the costs associated with the lead-acid battery-powered electric lift trucks in the operation’s fleet were adding up.
Time spent on changing the batteries during shifts was costing $86,000 a year and another $7,800 a year in watering maintenance costs.
The expansion required a new battery room which would cost another $540,000.
All of these costs were cut by switching from traditional lead-acid to lithium batteries by BSLBATT. By equipping its 35 lift trucks with BSLBATT Li-ion Batteries, Jiaozuo Instant Noodle Factory was able to save on both the ongoing maintenance costs and the investment needed for expansion.
JZ Instant Noodle Factory was completed and put into production in 1984. It is the largest professional manufacturer of instant noodles in the country and the only state-owned enterprise in the instant noodle industry. There are 18 modern production lines, with an annual production capacity of more than 100,000 tons. After strict inspection by the State Administration of Commodity Inspection, it was determined as an "export food production enterprise". The produced "YZ Brand" instant noodles are sold in dozens of provinces and municipalities in Henan, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Hebei, Tianjin, Inner Mongolia, etc., and exported to dozens of countries and regions such as Russia and Southeast Asia, which are deeply loved by consumers.
In 2019, the company had installed a new instant noodles packing line.
The line, featuring cutting edge technology, is the largest in the world.
At the same time as this expansion, the business was deciding on the next lease term for its lift trucks.
But the company’s growth meant an unexpected demand for new battery space to accommodate a fleet of lift trucks powered by lead-acid batteries, a cost expected to amount to $540,000.
Now with 30 trucks covering two shifts and each truck requiring a change of battery per shift, company management figured maintenance was racking up 750 minutes of downtime daily. This was costing the business up to $56,000 yearly.
And the weekly preventive maintenance of the batteries required in the form of watering was estimated to cost another $7,800 a year.
Management closely looked into the available options and zeroed in on the efficiency and quality that Li-ion batteries could provide.
Wisdom Power' BSLBATT comprises a series of deep cycle lithium battery systems spanning multiple voltages from 24 up to 80 volts, as well as a spanning a range of kilowatt-hour capacities from 10kWh to 50kWh. BSLBATT lithium battery systems hold a number of advantages over similarly-sized lead-acid battery packs. The BSLBATT pack requires zero maintenance for the life of the pack. The BSLBATT battery family has been designed with an advanced, proprietary battery management system to use any existing charging systems in place such that no facility modifications will be needed. The BSLBATT lithium pack accepts fast charging more efficiently than lead-acid and requires no cool-down period, and therefore it can easily be opportunity-charged throughout a three-shift operation, meaning that only one BSLBATT lithium battery is needed per truck compared to needing three lead-acid battery packs to operate in a multi-shift customer environment.
BSLBATT maintains a 40% runtime advantage under cold temperatures compared to lead-acid, making it the perfect battery for forklifts operating in cold temperatures such as food warehouses. The lifetime of the BSLBATT packs is up to 10 years depending on the duty cycle, compared with a typical three to five-year life of regular lead-acid forklift batteries. Altogether, the benefits of the BSLBATT pack make it a more cost-effective solution than lead-acid in three-shift and cold storage applications, which together comprise approximately 20 percent of the overall forklift market.
Compared to the costs associated with lead-acid batteries, the company’s leaders realized how much could be gained by opting for lithium-ion batteries for its lift trucks. Li-ion would provide savings not only by sparing the expense of adding to the physical space for battery room, but in the time and money spent on battery maintenance and in the improved lift truck efficiency from better battery performance.
Added to this was the benefit of lower costs from employees not working with hazardous lead-acid batteries, and safer conditions for both the workers and the company’s food product lines.
JZ Instant Noodle Factory selected BSLBATT, which offers over 950 unique model parts to fit material handling lift truck battery needs, as the right fit for a large and expanding material handling operation.
The benefits of using lithium-ion were apparent soon after the JZ Instant Noodle Factory fleet of electric lift trucks were equipped with Li-ion batteries.
Batteries plugged in overnight were completely charged by the start of a new shift at 3 a.m. Quick hit opportunity charging was used during 15-minute breaks and 30-minute lunch breaks to increase the efficiency and function of the batteries.
The costs of downtime during battery charging were eliminated.
Also gone were the dangers associated with battery maintenance that had previously been a concern.
There had not been any major accidents at JZ Instant Noodle Factory involving personnel changing the batteries, but the potential risks the procedure presented caused frequent concern. Lead-acid batteries present risks surrounding spills and possible toxic fumes from the equipment require additional ventilation.
The crane used for battery changing at JZ Instant Noodle Factory was used by all truck drivers resulting in wear and tear and possible liabilities.
The reduced health risks in an operation using lithium-ion meant lower insurance rates for all 35 truck operators, totaling $9,000 in savings per year.
And doing away with this concern ensured better conditions for the food products in the handling process by eliminating hazardous materials in the food packing facility, including the possibility of fumes or acid spills from the previous batteries.
JZ Instant Noodle Factory management also appreciated the power of Li-ion, as the batteries continued to operate at close to 100 percent of the original capacity throughout shifts. The company’s lead-acid batteries, by comparison, had gradually decreased in power, slowing down by at least 20 percent over time and dragging down truck performance at the same time.
Along with the increased power capacity immediately realized, JZ Instant Noodle Factory expect longer life of their batteries, as lithium-ion batteries can run for over 3,000 cycles, compared to an average of 1,500 for lead-acid.
Management sees potential for savings in the future as there is a good chance with the additional cycles expected that the company’s BSLBATT Li-ion batteries will outlast the current five-year lease term for its trucks.
And when new leases are signed, the company anticipates reduced prices as damage to the trucks from daily battery changes and corrosive acid spills are no longer a factor.
Thus, the path to a comprehensive transition to lithium-ion technology is clear for JZ Instant Noodle Factory. The Wisdom Power Group BSLBATT brands stand ready to support customers with high-performance products that lead the way to a promising future.
