New power rail technology for the precast concrete industry

Akapp-Stemmann has been a leader in the design and production of linkable and "continuous-copper" power rail systems since its founding in 1953. Especially for the demanding precast concrete industry, among others, the company has developed a power rail system with an integrated non-contact positioning system. This guarantees maximum operational reliability, even in demanding environments. 

"Precast concrete elements are produced in a highly automated environment with often a number of 'streets' side by side," says Peter Blaauwgeers of Akapp-Stemmann. "In this process, the forming machine is continuously supplied by a cube that feeds the concrete mixture from the mixer that is centrally located. The cube thus constantly and fully automatically shuttles back and forth between the mixer and the forming machines in the various streets. That requires a sophisticated positioning system."

Multiconductor Technology 

There are several systems on the market for positioning machines in a precast concrete plant. "Often it is done with a barcode tape along the track or an otherwise external/vulnerable position measuring system," Blaauwgeers knows. "The disadvantage of these techniques is that they quickly become contaminated by moisture/concrete dust and cause malfunctions that bring production to a halt. Also, expensive positioning solutions with a wifi connection or laser scanners often do not perform optimally in the demanding environment of a precast concrete plant; they are sensitive to moisture and contamination. Also, winding routes are a challenge for existing systems. With our new PowerPOZ system, these problems are a thing of the past because the non-contact positioning system is fully integrated into the rail housing. An additional advantage is that for this system we use our Multiconductor technology with 'continuous copper conductors' so that there is little to no wear or contamination."

Coded magnetic tape

Multiconductor technology is a specific Akapp-Stemmann solution and is characterized by infinite copper conductors. "First, the rail segments are assembled and connected together," explains Ruud Velzen of Akapp-Stemmann. "Only last are the infinite copper conductors pulled into the busbar segments. Unlike linkable power rail systems, there are no copper transitions that lead to unnecessary contamination and wear of the carbon brushes. It is a very high-quality and reliable technology. So is the technology behind the positioning system we use in the PowerPOZ system. The coded magnetic tape is an existing and proven reliable technology that is used, among other things, in elevator technology to precisely position an elevator on a floor."

In summary, Akapp-Stemmann's PowerPOZ system consists of rail segments with five channels for copper conductors and two channels for the magnetic positioning belt. "In this way, we can cover a distance of up to 520 meters," Blaauwgeers summarizes. "A special sensor carriage runs along the rail that transmits the exact position of the cube to the control system. Both power transmission and positioning are thus controlled from a single housing that is fully shielded (IP44) and thus very applicable in demanding environments, such as the precast concrete industry."