Magnetic levitation on the shop floor

A global food major uses ICT-based tracks for packaging a variety of its products at a factory in western India. Frictionless propulsion makes it 30 per cent faster than traditional conveyor systems

The technology of magnetic levitation has been used for decades in transportation. Maglev trains worked on the principle of magnetic forces repelling each other. Now, this technology is making waves on the shop floor and other industrial practices across the world. 

Independent cart technology (ICT) is based on magnetic levitation and is being increasingly adopted in various sectors. ICT is replacing traditional conveyor belts with maglev-based tracks. Pucks or holders of various sizes can be placed on the tracks. These pucks or carts can hold a payload weighing a few grams or many kilos. The pucks carrying the payload or a packet can move smoothly across the track on predetermined objectives. The main advantage of the use of magnetic propulsion is that there is no friction compared with a traditional conveyor belt. This significantly reduces the cost of energy. 

The ICT system is intelligent and can determine the size and shape of a packet with a scanner. The scanner can direct each packet in a different direction. Typically, manufacturers require dedicated assembly or production lines for each product. This means that a multi-product company has to set up several conveyor belts or divide time between products. With ICT, many products can be managed on the same track, since each payload or packet can move independently. The flexibility in this system allows different-sized objects to be moved simultaneously, since each is mounted on a separate cart. 

Sectors like automotive, food and beverage, household and personal care, life sciences and material handling have been adopting ICT on their shop floors. 

The American firm Rockwell Automation has been leading the deployment of magnetic levitation-based solutions in various sectors. According to the company, embedded position sensors and control software enable independent control over each packet on the track. Accelerations, decelerations, velocities and positions are programmable and therefore add much-needed flexibility for manufacturers. A cosmetics company which wants to pack five differently shaped make-up products in a box will be able to use the same track for the purpose. In ICT the intelligent sensor can select different products for each box in a packaging assembly line based on ICT. 

Global robotics giant KUKA has been using ICT in its automation units that it makes for the manufacturing sector. KUKA wanted to develop a system that would bring significant change to auto manufacturing and significant benefits over legacy systems. It deployed an ICT-based system developed by Rockwell for building an automotive assembly line. This assembly was then installed by KUKA for Jaguar Land Rover’s factory in Europe. Rockwell says that the use of ICT helped KUKA achieve 99 per cent improvement in system performance compared with the previous solution. The magnetic levitation system also increased production rates. 

Many facilities in India have begun using ICT too. A global food major uses ICT-based tracks for packaging a variety of its products at a factory in western India. “ICT is one of the most exciting and promising technological breakthroughs in recent times…essentially it uses magnets for frictionless propulsion, making it 30 per cent faster and enormously more energy-efficient than traditional conveying systems. With no contacting or wear components, ICT requires minimal maintenance and can be quickly adapted,” says Dilip Sawhney, managing director, Rockwell Automation India. “It is an ideal solution for industries facing complexity and volatility, such as CPG, life sciences, e-commerce/ warehouse, and electric vehicle and battery production, amongst others.”

The ICT track can be combined with smart sensors run by artificial intelligence as well. That will add another layer of efficiency and agility in the assembly line. Manufacturers can expect more revolutions on the shop floor.