Power and charging solutions for AGV self-driving robots

Published : 09/07/2023 10:00:00

The automation of logistics is a constantly increasing trend and the response of companies is reflected in strategies supported by important investments for innovative solutions with a view to industry 4.0 and energy efficiency. The combination of automation, digitalization and data analysis is therefore the driving and winning leitmotif for the coming years.

Within this context, the use of automatically guided AGV robots (Automated Guided Vehicles) is among the most requested warehouse automation activities, thanks to the development of integrated artificial intelligence technologies designed for warehouses with a high demand for goods handling. The AGV robots are responsible, among other tasks, for logistical tasks such as the distribution of stock between the different storage areas, as well as the loading and unloading of goods in the receiving or shipping areas, with the plus being able to carry heavy loads in a safe and pre-configured way.



Alimentatori e sistemi di ricarica per robot AGV



How to power AGV robots? AC/DC solutions



As far as powering AGV robots is concerned, the use of AC/DC solutions can be interesting in various aspects. First of all, AC/DC power supplies are available with miniature fanless designs, which can be easily integrated into compact spaces. The UHP series power supplies made by Mean Well, are characterized precisely by a fanless design, slim profile and 5G vibration resistance. The CSP, DPU and NPP models made by Mean Well are also designed for use on robots that require high (up to 400Vdc) or low output voltages, allowing the recharging of different types of batteries (lithium, lead, AGM).

They are also very popular printed circuit board power supplies of the PDF700S series by Cincon in the Full-Brick format (4x2 inches), thanks to the efficiency higher than 90% and the innumerable OCP, OVP and OTP protections.



Alimentatori UHP ad alta potenza Mean Well



How to power AGV robots? DC/DC solutions



Even the use of DC/DC power supplies can be interesting for advanced logistics solutions; these proposals are in fact available in versions with reduced dimensions but which handle very high powers. The 4x2 inch Full-Brick solutions can in fact manage power from 1W up to 500W, not counting the presence of the certification for the railway sector 50155, which underlines the possibility of use in harsh environments and in the presence of vibrations.

The WAF power supply series made by P-DUKE TECHNOLOGY, in particular WAF150 and WAF300, develops a wide range of 4:1 input voltage (18-75 or 43-160) and has the possibility of controlling voltage and current for recharging the batteries. This series also has railway certification 50155 and industrial certification 62638, thus making it suitable for applications in particularly harsh environments. The DDR model developed by Mean Well is also an excellent choice, with the additional possibility of being mounted on a din rail bar.

There is also a wide range of semi-potted power supplies on the market with a low-profile design, such as the RSD series, with powers from 30W to 500W. Very interesting in terms of size and power output, the EC5SBW model and the ECB40W18 model by Cincon, with an ultra-wide range of 8.5-160V in the 2x1 inches format. Finally, CQB100W14 closes the proposal thanks to the 12-160V input, the OTP/OCP/OVP/UVLO protections and the input voltage range which makes it particularly interesting and flexible with respect to different power sources such as storage systems and lithium batteries.



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