Hörmann Logistik/Hawle – high levels of energy efficiency for storage/retrieval systems

  • Storage/retrieval system at Hörmann Logistik/Hawle

How our energy storage solutions are helping achieve a much better energy balance

Valves and fittings manufacturer Hawle has been able to achieve average energy savings of between 10 000 and 100 000 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year. The positive energy balance has been achieved by making greater use of frequency inverters, targeted heat recovery, and a comprehensive switchover to LED lighting.

However, in terms of energy efficiency, the Austrian company has achieved its greatest success to date through the use of Powercaps. Equipment manufacturer Hörmann Logistik and SEW‑EURODRIVE used Powercaps to create a power and energy management solution for the new, automated high-bay warehouse – a solution that reduces the power demand of the storage/retrieval systems by a factor of 7 to 10.

Successful green project by strong partners

A view of the high-bay warehouse at the Hawle Austria Group
Energy-efficient Powercap solution
  • Customer: Hawle Austria Group, Vöcklabruck, Austria
  • Application: storage/retrieval system
  • Sector: manufacturing industry (valves and fittings manufacturer for water and wastewater systems)
  • Further information about our customer:
    • 1300 employees
    • 12 subsidiaries and an international partner network
    • Broad product portfolio of shut-off valves, distribution valves, and control valves, as well as pipe connections and molded parts
  • Plant engineer: Hörmann Logistik GmbH, Munich, Germany
  • Sector: intralogistics
  • Further information about our customer:
    • 2787 employees
    • 30 associated companies
    • 4 sectors: automotive, communication, intralogistics, and engineering
Storage/retrieval system at the Hawle Austria Group.
Practical use of regenerative energy

New, automated high-bay warehouse:

  • Building height: 29 m
  • Number of aisles: 5
  • Total weight of each storage/retrieval system: approx. 25 metric tons
  • Peak power demand in the case of conventional supply system planning: 60 to 70 kW per storage/retrieval system

Specified targets:

  • Reduced peak power demand
  • Improved energy efficiency
Energy storage solutions from SEW‑EURODRIVE
Intelligent grid output management and energy management
  • Energy management and power management from Power and Energy Solutions
  • MOVI-C® modular automation system
  • Double-layer capacitor modules (Powercaps)
  • Approx. 200 gearmotors (175 for the materials handling technology and 20 for the SRS)
  • MOVI-C® CONTROLLER progressive UHX65 with MOVIKIT® StackerCrane software module
  • MOVIDRIVE® modular frequency inverter with MDP92A power supply module (25 kW) with controlled DC link voltage and MDA90A single-axis modules (100 A and 48 A) with CSS31A integrated safety cards
SEW‑EURODRIVE products used by the Hawle Austria Group
Recovering storage/retrieval systems' braking energy
  • Successful green project
  • Reduced power peaks and reduced total consumption
  • Savings of some 230 000 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year (the same amount of electricity used by 52 average households)
  • Positive eco-balance of the SEW‑EURODRIVE drive solution for the storage/retrieval systems
  • Wide range of potential uses of the power and energy management solution

Long-standing innovative partnership

Together with Hawle, Hörmann Logistik and SEW-EURODRIVE, a lot of work was carried out, calculated and simulated in advance. How much energy can be charged into the powercaps when the hoist moves from top to bottom? For which travel movements is a fully or half-charged energy storage unit sufficient? Which scenarios require additional current from the grid? These and many other questions had to be answered in terms of control technology. The complexity behind this intelligent power and energy management solution is hidden from the operator. "We are the pure beneficiaries of this technology. In some cases, we are even below forecasts in terms of supply power," says Johannes Kräutner. At Hawle, he was primarily responsible for the warehouse project. In his opinion, things could not have been better at all: “The working environment was good and everything was very quiet but still dynamic,” he concludes.

Comments from our customers

Johannes Kräutner, plant engineer at E. Hawle Armaturenwerke GmbH

"The Powercaps are brilliant. In my opinion, this energy storage technology which keeps the energy close to the system has the potential to play a key part in reducing worldwide energy consumption."

Andreas Bamberger, energy manager at E. Hawle Armaturenwerke GmbH

"By using this innovative energy management solution, we're saving 230 000 kilowatt hours per year. That's the same amount of electricity used by 52 average households."

Bernd Nebel, automation technology project manager at Hörmann Logistik GmbH

"We want to promote Power and Energy Solutions by SEW‑EURODRIVE to a greater extent in the future, because it's an ideal way of leaving behind a green footprint, including when it comes to intralogistics applications in particular."

Hermann Pichler, automation engineer at E. Hawle Armaturenwerke GmbH

"Right from the very first load tests, it was clear that we actually need relatively little power to complete the necessary number of pallet storage and retrieval operations."

Bernd Nebel, automation technology project manager at Hörmann Logistik GmbH

"SEW-EURODRIVE and Hörmann have a long-standing innovation partnership. With combined expertise, we have already made major leaps several times, which have brought many benefits for our customers."

Contact
Contact

Find the right member of our Sales team

Please enter your postal code to find the corresponding contact person.

Last visited