Custom developed Pfaff-silberblau special lifting units HEK10.1 for the new KMP 1500 Mobile Platform from KUKA

Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products is now supplying Pfaff-silberblau HEK10.1 lifting units as standard equipment to KUKA for integration into the KMP 1500 Mobile Platform. The lifting unit is a special development according to DIN EN 1494:2009-05 and EN 1570-1:2011+A1:2014 "Safety requirements for lifting tables" specifically for this automated guided vehicle, which moves around autonomously. With a lifting capacity of 10 kN per lifting unit, large loads can be moved around very flexibly on the small, manoeuvrable platform and moved vertically at speeds of 50 mm/s over a lifting path of 200 mm. Thanks to its two lifting units, the KMP 1500 transports loads weighing up to 1.5 tonnes safely through production and warehouses.

Compact, strong, quiet

The request made by KUKA to Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products was for a highly compact design with a low installation height of only 143 mm – while ensuring a 200 mm stroke with a maximum clearance of +/-1.5 mm in the X/Y direction. Loading with a one tonne load per unit had to be guaranteed. The maximum transverse forces of up to 3000 N resulting from the acceleration of the vehicle are absorbed by the compact scissor guide system of the lifting unit.

Furthermore, a long service life of at least 600,000 load cycles with high duty cycles and quiet operation of less than 70 dBA were specified. These specifications were verified in endurance tests in the specially designed test bay of Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products. Inside the HEK10.1 lifting unit, which is integrated twice – front and rear – in the KMP 1500, a special newly developed Pfaff-silberblau high-performance worm gear screw jack has been installed as the core element.

Thanks to the high overall efficiency of the lifting unit, it can be driven in battery mode by a 96 V asynchronous servo motor. When it is extended, a flexible protection boot protects the unit all around against dust and splash water. IP 54 protection is also guaranteed by the closed motor installation and filter ventilation. An electrically monitored wear indicator facilitates preventive maintenance. For maintenance, the lifting unit can be mechanically locked and the lifting platform can be lowered manually in emergency operation (in case of power failure). The entire unit is supplied ready for fitting ("Plug & Place").

The KUKA omniMove drive technology allows the KMP 1500 to move in any direction from a standing position. The sophisticated wheel technology allows for precise positioning with an accuracy of +/- 5 mm even in tight spaces. This results in space-saving and highly precise automation solutions for logistics. KMP 1500 ensures the flexible transport of loads through all process steps in production and in the warehouse, for example in the automotive industry. The mobile platform is specially designed to meet the automation requirements of Industry 4.0.

Expert solutions from the technology leader

When developing the KMP 1500, KUKA turned to Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products because, as a technology leader for components and system solutions for mechanical drive and lifting technology, the company was able to meet the high demands placed on the development due to this special design. The project started back in 2016. After a number of years of prototype development and extensive testing of a pilot series, the Pfaff-silberblau lifting units can now be produced in series.

Further information on other Pfaff-silberblau worm gear screw jacks can be found at: https://www.pfaff-silberblau.com/components-products/Screw-Jacks/

A video of the KMP 1500 from KUKA is available here: https://www.kuka.com/en-gb/products/mobility/mobile-platforms/kmp-1500

Fig. 1. The KMP1500 Mobile Platform from KUKA has two HEK10.1 lifting units

Fig. 2. Lifting unit HEK10.1 specially developed by Pfaff-silberblau for the KMP 1500 Mobile Platform

About Pfaff-silberblau and Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products

The company Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products GmbH, Kissing/Germany, has ranked with its brand Pfaff-silberblau for many decades amongst the technology leaders in components and system solutions for mechanical motion and lifting technology. The portfolio ranges from sophisticated screw jack elements to innovative linear drives through to powerful lifting tables and wire rope winches. On the basis of these components, Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products also offers customized solutions for a wide range of different fields of application.

Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products is a subsidiary of the listed McKinnon Corporation (CMCO), Getzville/USA, a leading supplier of lifting and materials handling equipment. Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products is a partner of the VDMA sustainability initiative Blue Competence (www.bluecompetence.net). Further information on Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products along with its brand Pfaff-silberblau is available online at www.pfaff-silberblau.com.