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Location:
Roletto, Turin
industry:
Intralogistics
Application:
ESMARTSHUTTLE, shuttle for automated storage
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The Italian company Eurofork S.p.A., founded in 2000 out of a passion for the production of automated material handling systems, now has seven branches around the globe and is recognized as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of material handling systems.
Drawing on more than 20 years of expertise in automated material handling, Eurofork’s operations extend beyond the manufacture of telescopic forks to include two additional business divisions: the Service Department, which handles customer support and spare parts, and the ESMARTSHUTTLE®, which specializes in the development and manufacture of shuttle systems for automated deep-storage warehouses.
Eurofork’s past, present, and future are united under a single motto: experience. empower. evolve. The company has set itself the objective of offering the most innovative products and customized solutions to set the standard for intralogistics automation and to drive the transfer of cutting-edge technology to other sectors.
In addition to producing telescopic forks for handling load units in automated storage facilities, the company has been able to expand its business scope through extensive investments and intensive research and development to provide a broad spectrum of innovative high-end productssolutions for various sectors and applications on the national and international markets: These include aerospace, the food and beverage industry, pharmaceuticals and medicine, the textile industry, and the automotive industry.
Eurofork is thus synonymous with quality, continuous process improvement, and safety—reflecting a strong sense of responsibility toward its customers. This quality is evident in the development and implementation of material-handling equipment in the field of intralogistics, as well as in customer service aimed at preventing and reducing inefficiencies through the use of increasingly advanced technologies. Fast delivery times are an additional quality characteristic at Eurofork: the lead time between purchase and delivery is reduced to the absolute minimum. The company is also synonymous with safety, as it maintains a low tolerance for risk regarding employee health and safety and pursues an ethical and environmental policy aimed at improving activities to protect the environment and prevent and reduce pollution.
After exactly 20 years in the historic Macello (Turin), Eurofork moved to Roletto (Turin) in the year of its twentieth anniversary, where a new sustainable and environmentally friendly plant was put into operation: It covers a total area of approximately 25,000 square meters, of which 10,000 square meters have been developed and structured in accordance with Eurofork’s philosophy of ecological sustainability.
Eurofork’s new facility is completely “plastic-free” and, thanks to the use of photovoltaic modules that help reduce environmental pollution, is energy self-sufficient.
“At Eurofork, we continuously collaborate with our customers to deliver the best customized solutions, investing approximately 5% of our revenue each year in R&D to provide innovative and cutting-edge expertise,”emphasizes Maurizio Traversa, CEO. “Experience, proactivity, and attention to detail are the values that have enabled us to build solid relationships with customers and partners over the years. Every project represents a new challenge for us, as we are aware that the innovation process is only just beginning!”
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“Due to rising market demands”, says Maurizio Traversa, “automated production lines must operate around the clock—often in critical environments and with ever-higher productivity standards. Efficiency, flexibility, and above all, speed are crucial to remaining competitive in the current socioeconomic context.”
With this in mind, Eurofork has developed the ESMARTSHUTTLE shuttle systems for automated storage facilities: an innovative, flexible, and efficient solution that, using state-of-the-art and internationally patented technology (PCT/IB2014/060649) that meets new intralogistics requirements by increasing production efficiency on the one hand and optimizing production costs through significant energy savings on the other.
Since these shuttle systems are fully customizable in terms of size, the types of pallets they can handle, and the required additional functions, they represent the ideal solution for high-density storage, particularly for installing automated warehouses in existing buildings. Thanks to the system’s high flexibility, obstacles such as height restrictions, columns, or irregular layouts can be easily overcome. Depending on the layout and required performance, Eurofork can propose the appropriate ESMARTSHUTTLE configuration, enabling system integrators to implement LIFO (Last In First Out) or FIFO (First In First Out) management in the most effective way.
In addition, DataMatrix technology maps the storage in 3D across all axes (X, Y, Z), allowing all contents (machines and load units) to be positioned with absolute and continuous precision. DataMatrix technology enables the machines to move and perform storage of goods with absolute precision, optimizing space in the channels through highly compact pallet positioning. The DataMatrix system achieves exceptionally high volume utilization even with pallets of varying sizes, as they are dynamically and precisely combined within the smallest possible space.
An innovative feature is the ability to move each machine within the storage facility independently and precisely: By combining a larger shuttle—with a maximum capacity of 2,000 kg in the special design—and a smaller shuttle, two separate tasks are performed simultaneously, thereby increasing the system’s efficiency. The exceptional positioning control significantly increases the storage facility’s overall performance.
The ESMARTSHUTTLE series shuttle systems are equipped with drive technology from SEW-EURODRIVE, which ensures reliability and flexibility.
The MOVIDRIVE® inverter was developed specifically for the shuttle MOVIDRIVE®® B was selected. The MOVIDRIVE®® inverter can drive three-phase asynchronous motors (gearmotors with parallel-shaft flat gearboxes) and, thanks to its compact design, requires less installation space in the control cabinet. Its flexibility also significantly reduces parameterization time: With the DEU21B card, it can simultaneously control the speed loop and the position loop via an external encoder.
The standard inverter MOVITRAC®® was selected to drive an asynchronous motor with a bevel gear K..DR.. without an encoder: This is ideal for applications that require compact drives with high efficiency and low maintenance.
In addition, the DHR21B control board is used for improved communication and command management.
Eurofork first introduced this innovative solution in 2014, and to date, 500 machines have been sold worldwide.
They were developed for use in automated warehouses across numerous sectors (e.g., food and beverage, paper industry, automotive industry, consumer goods, and pharmaceuticals) and can operate with consistently high power ratings even at extreme temperatures ranging from -30 °C to +50 °C.
The video demonstrates the various steps a shuttle system performs in an automated storage facility, thereby ensuring speed and flexibility.
“Thanks to the collaboration with the specialized technicians at SEW-EURODRIVE,” said CEO Traversa, “Eurofork is able to consistently achieve its project goals: The company values SEW-EURODRIVE’s innovation, technological quality, and application expertise, and intends to continue relying on SEW’s technological solutions—including for future integration projects—to further strengthen its customer focus. The first twenty years are certainly an important milestone—an experience that enables the company to improve day by day and look to the future in order to continually evolve.”