DC Velocity - January 2010

Happy New Year from Philadelphia Scientific, a leading international manufacturer of industrial battery components and accessories.

In 2010, smart companies will continue to wring every ounce of profit possible out of their DC and warehouse operations to improve ROI. One area that has lagged behind when it comes to improving efficiency is the battery room. In fact, the DC battery room represents one of the biggest drains on companies’ profitability. Why? Poor lift truck battery management caused by old fashioned maintenance practices, inefficient operations and inadequate access to battery room performance information.

Getting organized pays dividends

A recent trend that will continue in 2010 is using data-driven, scientific analysis to improve operations rather than depending upon traditional “rules of thumb” decision making. In the battery room, that means using a charger management system to determine battery selection. When battery selection is left to a forklift operator, up to 30 percent of the batteries will be underutilized and 20 percent will be overused. The result is uneven battery usage, premature battery failure and lost productivity.

One solution is the iBOS® charger management system. iBOS enables operators to properly rotate batteries and maximize battery performance. And with iBOSWorld™ Web Service, managers of company-wide and multi-location DCs can monitor and analyze battery room performance and more quickly identify potential problems. iBOS and iBOSWorld Web Service can create substantial DC and warehouse savings by helping companies “right-size” their battery fleets.

Battery watering: a simple job done poorly

Battery maintenance is an afterthought for most American companies. For example, single-point watering systems are used on only about 30 percent of batteries. Instead, American forklift operators hand-water their batteries. This can take more than 50 times longer than single-point watering and results in over- or under-watering, which significantly decreases battery life.

In 2006, Philadelphia Scientific surveyed users of its Water Injector System, the world’s fastest single-point system. The survey revealed that in a typical 100-battery fleet, a company can expect to save approximately $26,000 per year.