MAHLE opts for Lithium-ion technology from STILL

The automotive supplier MAHLE is a top global development partner and supplier to the automotive industry with customers in both the passenger car and commercial vehicle sectors. Today, every second vehicle worldwide is equipped with MAHLE components. The company supplies the market with spare parts throughout the entire life cycle. MAHLE Aftermarket, the spare parts and services division of the automotive supplier, responded to a steadily growing turnover of goods with a powerful lithium-ion truck fleet from STILL at its central delivery warehouse in Schorndorf. Doing away with maintenance and battery changing equates to massive time savings, thanks to the faster charging processes! Furthermore, the handling of acids is eliminated and valuable warehouse space has been gained due to the space-saving charging infrastructure.

Swabian automotive supplier MAHLE: fit for the future

Founded in 1920, the technology group is working on the climate-neutral mobility of tomorrow with a focus on the strategy fields of electromobility and thermal management as well as other technology fields to reduce CO2 emissions, such as fuel cells and highly efficient, clean internal combustion engines that are also powered by synthetic fuels or hydrogen. MAHLE generated revenue of more than 12 billion euros in 2022. The company employs around 72,000 people at 152 production sites and 12 major research and development centres in 30 countries. MAHLE Aftermarket supplies workshops and wholesalers with suitable products in OEM quality and service solutions, and also offers numerous theory-based and practical training courses. Thanks to an extensive logistics network, around 80,000 products are made available to the entire world as quickly as possible. In 2022, over 1,900 employees achieved a turnover of 1.2 billion euros.

Lithium-ion forklift fleet: maximum availability in day-to-day business

Around 20,000 items are waiting to be delivered in the MAHLE Aftermarket Schorndorf Distribution Centre across 43,000 m2 of warehouse space. Prior to this, the products for the powertrain area (automotive drive train) are completed and assembled. This means that 1,200 pallets leave Goods Dispatch every day, with 1,000 pallets with new products being delivered to Incoming Goods. For the conventional supply chain processes, 76 industrial trucks from STILL are in use and maintained in full-service leasing by the Hamburg-based intralogistics specialist. Mirko Strobel, International Key Account Manager at STILL in Stuttgart, stated, “We have been working with MAHLE for a very long time, and since 2018 we have been using them exclusively across the entire Group with 1,000 industrial trucks in operation nationally and internationally. In order to maximise the availability of the forklift fleet in Schorndorf, we have largely equipped it with Lithium-ion batteries.“ Fabrizio Ruggiero, Head of Operations Aftermarket, added, “The higher availability of Lithium-ion trucks enables us to make intensive use of our fleet in our day-to-day business.” All voltage classes are used at MAHLE: 24 volts (V) for warehouse trucks, 48 V for electric forklift trucks and 80 V for large VNA trucks. Terminals and scanners are also supplied.

Lithium-ion technology: more output, less operating costs

STILL’s Lithium-ion technology makes up a complete system in which trucks, batteries and chargers are optimally matched to each other. Depending on the existing energy infrastructure, the chargers from STILL achieve a charging current of up to 375 amperes (A), especially for shorter charging times. This allows for quick and more frequent interim charging during breaks, which can be carried out at the place of use. On this topic, Fabrizio Ruggiero said, “STILL has adapted the capacity and size of the Lithium-ion batteries to our power network.” Even when the energy storage system is at a low state of charge, the full power is always available. The Operational Plant Manager was keen to emphasise that this is a decisive advantage in the event of order peaks. STILL Lithium-ion batteries deliver twice the energy and always the full power of comparable lead-acid batteries. They are more energy-efficient, and do not require complex maintenance. In addition, the batteries can remain in the truck during charging and no longer need to be changed. With separate charging access (special customer option) for the large MX-X VNA trucks, it is no longer even necessary to open the battery door for charging. Fabrizio Ruggiero expressed his satisfaction with the result, “By doing away with replacement batteries, we no longer need ventilated battery changing zones. This also frees up valuable warehouse space. The entire handling of the charging processes has become safer and easier without the acids and their outgassing. This allows us to effectively save a lot of time and operating costs.”

Smart Lithium-ion battery management: increased safety, longer service life

The STILL battery management system guarantees the optimum coordination of truck control and battery management. It balances load peaks to ensure that energy is always optimally supplied. This protects the battery and extends its operating time as well as the service life. Holger Betz, responsible Regional Service Manager at STILL explained, “The charging process for our Lithium-ion battery is safe when carried out together with the associated charger. We always supply battery and charger ‘pairs’ to ensure batteries are not charged incorrectly. Lithiumion batteries and chargers form a perfectly integrated energy system.” When charging, the Lithium-ion battery tells the charger how charging is to be carried out. If limit ranges are reached or exist, the charging process is either not started or interrupted. “Thanks to the efficient and gentle charging processes, our Lithium-ion batteries can achieve up to 4,000 full charging cycles,” explained Betz. Thanks to the large Lithium-ion batteries, only one charging process is needed per shift. During the lunch break and throughout the night, the trucks’ batteries are recharged.

Summary

STILL lithium-ion batteries are the perfect solution for all warehouse environments in which space is scarce and safety requirements are high. Chargers are positioned in a decentralised and space-saving manner – without any battery changing areas and associated accessories. In addition, STILL’s innovative energy storage systems are more energy efficient with their smart battery management and last at least twice as long as comparable lead-acid batteries. Up to 30 percent higher energy utilisation levels are possible thanks to STILL Lithium-ion technology. In summary, much time is saved in the charging processes and the operating costs are significantly reduced. Fabrizio Ruggiero explained, “After an intensive fire protection planning and integration phase, I am now very happy with the new Lithium-ion technology from STILL. We’ve already set our sights on other projects, such as the modernisation of our automation with industrial trucks.”