Smooth baggage handling

Background

The BHS (Baggage Handling System) in one of the most essential airport passenger support systems and this was a focus for Warsaw Chopin Airport who wanted to improve and better manage passenger handling, their comfort, and maintenance service support for their team.  A high level of automation enables a more efficient passenger service, which means better management of terminal capacity – this was the airport’s objective.

Challenge

The airport wanted to implement a baggage transporting system that would enable them to better manage the baggage handling within the airport. As a result, Izomet, a company that specialises in baggage transportation system automation was approached because of their years of experience, technical expertise, and innovative approach towards integration of automation systems. Izomet designed and implemented a baggage sensing and transporting system that would ensure the operational capacity of 1800 bags per hour. This application was created with the use of the Eaton Rapid Link 4.0 distributed drive control system and Eaton components.

Solution

Eaton Rapid Link 4.0 is an electronic, distributed drive control system dedicated for transportation applications at airports and logistic centres. It includes modules used for direct-on-line (RAMO-D) and reversible (RAMO-W) motor starting, as well as control units for variable speed motors (RASP). Considering that the modules are installed in the direct vicinity of conveyor drives, the system was designed in a way to ensure the IP65 protection class. The RAMO modules are solid and endurable, which guarantees service life of up to 10 million switching operations and up to 3 thousand switching cycles per hour. The main asset of the Rapid Link 4.0 system is simple operation, parametrization and programming of modules. Change of rotating direction, overload current value, and the operating mode of digital inputs are set directly on the device and controlled by micro switches.

Rapid Link 4.0 is also adjusted to operate and communicate via an AS-Interface network. Depending on the selected device type, it supports two profiles: AS-i – 7.4 (max 31 devices in the AS-i network) or 7.A.E (max. 62 devices in the AS-i network).

For the conveyor’s distributed control at the Warsaw Chopin Airport terminal no. 1, Izomet used RAMO-D full-voltage start and RAMO-W reversible system modules. In this case, no drive units needed to be installed directly on the conveyors. The motors are controlled by means of MSC-D direct motor starters and MSC-R reversible systems placed on the switchgear boards. With the help of optic sensors connected with RAMO module digital inputs, and Izomet software, the master system can estimate current baggage placement with an accuracy of several centimetre, and to detect collisions and conveyor errors. Safety engineering components (i.e. ESR safety relays and RMQ-Titan security keys) are responsible for safety of system operation and protection of baggage transportation system operators.