HILA - The future technology for lift drive system

Purpose and goal

WP1 improved the understanding of the market for automated high bay warehouses. A LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) that compares the energy consumption of HILA, conventional hydraulics, traction, and lifts with electric linear drive over the entire lifetime of the lift, including material usage and operation, show that the HILA concept is the most attractive for residential buildings. Through simulation and modelling, WP3 has developed improvements for acoustic performance and pulsations and has laid the foundation for testing the technology in the next phase by building prototypes.

Expected results and effects

For automated high bay warehouses, a potential partner has been identified and a dialogue has been initiated during the spring of 2018. LCA shows that HILA provides energy advantages over competing solutions. With the improvements that the project has developed with good performance in terms of sound level and pulsations, along with the positive result of the LCA analysis, we believe that the HILA concept has a significant market potential.

Planned approach and implementation

WP1 was conducted by a student consulting company at LiU. The steering group and one of the parties project managed the work, which in a cost-effective manner gave an overview of a new industry. WP2 was conducted by a company specializing in LCA analyzes. In WP3, employees, consultants and representatives from Academia (LiU) worked iteratively in two different simulation and modelling tools. Cost efficiency was achieved through the experience of system design from the automotive industry and had an impact on selection of components and system solutions.