At King Shaka International Airport in Durban, South Africa, S3000 safety laser scanners monitor the travel paths of railmounted heavy-duty transport vehicles for airfreight.
The project was realized by ICM Airport Technics, Viernheim, which belongs to the Unitechnik Group. The enterprise deals with the implementation of semi and fully automated transport solutions in the airport sphere.
Collision protection for fast seven-tonners
The rail-mounted vehicles are so-called ETVs (elevator transfer vehicles). Integrated into an overall materials handling solution, these hoisting vehicles take on the transport of airfreight containers and pallets. Speeds of up to 2.5m/s and a gross vehicle weight of nearly seven tons demanded a protection solution that would not impair the availability and performance of the transport vehicles at the same time.
S3000: protective requirement fulfilled, availability ensured
In choosing the S3000 safety laser scanners, Unitechnik has opted for the optimum protective solution because it is non-contact and flexibly programmable. One scanner each is installed for every vehicle and direction of travel. Use of the parameterised four warning and four protective fields and their switching depending on the current speed guarantees the highest possible level of protection in every travel situation. When detecting an obstacle, the scanner signals slow down the vehicle to creep speed, stopping it at a defined distance if necessary. As soon as the obstacle no longer occupies the travel path, the transport vehicle starts moving again.
In this way, the S3000 safety laser scanners provide not only personal and collision protection in accordance with guidelines and standards but also the desired availability and performance of the transport vehicles.
For more information, please contact SICK.