Software Remotely Monitors Battery Performance for Lift Truck Fleets

After beta testing last year and early this year, AMETEK Prestolite Power began shipping AMETEK Insight, its first cloud-based software that can remotely monitor battery performance for an entire lift truck fleet. Insight can closely monitor battery performance, change settings for charging, and update both software and firmware remotely. The system lets customers make more accurate predictions about battery life and provides customized reports with advanced analytics,

"We're always seeking ways to increase productivity while improving battery life and cutting operational costs. This system meets those goals."

The company designed the cloud-based software system to keep forklift fleets at optimal performance, according to Jeff Harrison, business manager for AMETEK Prestolite Power. AMETEK based the software on technological advances implemented by company engineers and input from warehouse operation customers.

"AMETEK Insight, which we announced for beta testing last year, allows warehouse operators to monitor battery and charger usage remotely 24/7, eliminating the time-consuming task of on-site monitoring," said Harrison. "We're always seeking ways to increase productivity while improving battery life and cutting operational costs. This system meets those goals."

For fleet management, the software uses Prestolite's Wireless Battery Identification Devices (WBID). A continuous stream of automated data is transmitted wirelessly to a single data point. From this data point, the data is available for download to multiple units simultaneously.

The data is accessible 24/7 so users can best manage their fleets' chargers and battery health. The software is programmed to automatically send service messages that will alert users to potential problems before they become hazards. Reports can be customized to help best predict the estimated life of your battery via advanced analytics. The company says that Insight software can be added to any battery and can be used on mixed fleets.

Diagram of data paths of Insight Software

The download delivers the data necessary to monitor the health and productivity of a customer's fleet and detect potential problems before they become catastrophic failures. According to the company, early issue detection eliminates workplace downtime, expensive repairs, replacements, or other inefficiencies.

Insight software data includes:

• Average daily connects
• Equalization hours
• State of charge
• Current
• Temperature
• Volts per cell
• History tracking
  • Track events through Insight's extensive Data History Logging Features
  • View and retain history on individual batteries and chargers
  • Generate reports based on the history of the battery or charger