What will the forklift look like in the future? What kind of power system does it rely on to drive, and how will it be used? In the "thesen am tresen" - "bar discussion" held by still company under Kaiao group, four experts from different fields were involved. They discussed the way out and decision-making of forklift and expected it.
Daniel Kuster, supply chain director of warsteiner group in Germany, believes that a diesel forklift is needed to improve the "production speed". Kuster's day-to-day work involves carrying heavy beer trays over long distances. In this special environment, Kuster is convinced that diesel forklifts can still play an important role in heavy load, and no alternative drive can provide a suitable alternative in the short term. Kuster is a member of the "thesen am tresen" (discussion in the bar), which is the first multi round debate organized by still and part of the 2021 German logistics conference. This time, the theme of the debate is "everything except exhaust gas: This is what forklifts will look like in the future". Kuster's opening speech directly questioned the title. He believes that paradoxically, the future will see a variety of different driving forces, depending on the application required. "The internal combustion forklift may be dead - but the old dog still has vitality!"
In principle, everyone is willing to agree that hybrid driving is the direction of the future. However, there are different opinions on the weight and relevance of individual driving forms. This is the purpose of still discussion form. Dr. Thorsten Schmidt, Professor of technical logistics at Dresden University of technology, Germany, is a supporter of internal combustion engines, but he believes that whether these internal combustion engines should be driven by diesel remains to be discussed. Schmidt pointed out that a lot of research is being carried out in this field, such as synthetic fuel, and boldly predicted that it will never be possible to reduce the charging time of electric forklift so that it can compete with the rapid refueling of refueling pump. Therefore, whether it is shift operation or continuous use, the internal combustion engine still has some advantages in this regard.
Hydrogen is being left behind
Rolf Beckmann is a strong supporter of electric forklifts. He has different views on things. Beckmann is the engineering director of FIEGE Logistik Stiftung, who represents contract logistics and the unique challenges facing this field and responds flexibly to various requirements. Beckmann firmly believes in the further development of lithium-ion batteries. He even said that in a higher range, "battery replacement will no longer be a problem". He also pointed out that hydrogen was often forgotten as a possible energy source in public discussions. In terms of the "future driving force combination", Beckmann's view is that it will be very diverse.
hydrogen
Frank Muller, senior vice president of still EMEA brand management / sales and service guidance, represented the engineering department in the discussion. He believes that in the field of 3 to 5 tons, electric forklifts are as powerful as diesel engines. Still has studied hydrogen for many years and remains optimistic about further development. Muller firmly believes that hydrogen will play a more significant role in trucks in the future. However, he acknowledges that scale-up may need to be achieved through corresponding parallel developments in the automotive industry.
The "ball" is in the hands of the engineer
Scientist Schmidt is more skeptical here. He acknowledges that engineers have made impressive achievements in hydrogen fuel cells, but it is still a very expensive option. He said: "[hydrogen] is technically feasible, but not economical". Beckmann disagreed with this assessment, stressed the need to enter the game from the buyer's point of view, and pointed out the possibility of using electrolyzer as storage medium. Kurstener's case is "politically motivated", but it is also from the group's "open attitude". So when it comes to long-term economic viability, "Ball "Firmly in the hands of engineers and manufacturers to convince customers. Muller is also aware of this. As a manufacturer, he notes that stil's customers are increasingly demanding for sustainability. However, this can become a commitment only if there is a corresponding price tag. Stil is clearly aware of the tension between sustainability and financial performance. At the same time, Muller emphasizes that many companies In this regard, the idea is still too conservative, he warned: "in the medium term, the climate change we face will be more expensive than we can imagine."
What drives the robot?
On this basis, a completely different topic is to change the parameters in this regard. Is the overall appearance and function of forklift likely to change in the future? As an example, Beckmann asked the question: "in ten years, will there even be people sitting on forklifts?" Kuster also highlighted the growing need to focus on robots. He explained that the current trend of e-commerce is undergoing great changes, especially in terms of speed, vehicle size and potential requirements for drivers, and acknowledged that "this is quite unfavorable for sustainability". Speed and continued availability may drive the sustainability process in the opposite direction. However, this is not a final conclusion. "I still think traditional forklifts will be on the market for a long time because they can deal with diversity more effectively," Schmidt stressed. As a conclusion, Muller believes that "automation will continue to accelerate". However, he won't go too far and admit that forklifts are moving towards elimination.
