Battery Fleet Management

Streamline asset management for forklift batteries and electric lift trucks. BHS offers several management tools to provide advanced solutions for fleet inventory and monitoring, including a newly updated Fleet Tracker® that connects to an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) system. These systems help to prolong the life of forklift batteries, reduce maintenance costs, save time, and increase productivity, providing a quick return on investment in various applications.

By implementing a warehouse management system for your forklift battery fleet, you can substantially reduce the productivity losses associated with frequent change-outs. “First In, First Out” technology lets you identify the batteries that have been charging the longest, and a simple interface identifies batteries, chargers, and trucks in real time.

Using Forklift Battery Management Software to Right-Size Your Fleet

In order to achieve optimal performance, forklift fleet managers need accurate data about battery usage. BHS Battery Fleet Management Software provides an ongoing data stream, tracking vital operational statistics and maintenance tasks as they occur. This real-time feedback empowers managers to tailor their battery collections to changing productivity needs with incredible precision.

Accurately matching the size of your battery collection to the demands of your business — often referred to as “right-sizing” — reduces the operational costs of your fleet while improving overall performance and long-term productivity. BHS Fleet Tracker produces the data you need to right-size your battery fleet, with the flexibility to adjust as your operation grows.

BHS Fleet Tracker also tracks the maintenance tasks that are crucial for obtaining the full value of a battery. This system prompts battery room operators to keep all batteries up-to-date on maintenance schedules. The software tracks equalization cycles, wash intervals, watering needs, and all other tasks that keep forklift batteries operating at peak efficiency.

The software also makes battery watering more efficient by automatically listing watering needs in an S-pattern within the racking systems. With this feature, staff can water batteries quickly while staying within an ordered sequence.

For fleet managers not currently seeking right-sizing or data analytics, Next Available Battery (NAB-2000) may be the appropriate choice. This system identifies charged, cooled batteries to ensure proper rotation, but lacks the detailed reporting available through Fleet Tracker's Web Portal.

IIoT-Powered Fleet Management for Electric Forklifts

The newly updated BHS Fleet Tracker connects securely to the cloud, providing real-time data sharing across networks and facilities. It does not require a direct hookup to forklift batteries or chargers, and a lightweight barcode scanner allows users to update asset placement and condition almost instantly.

Managers log into a Web Portal to control the layered security, logins, and activity permissions — and to build detailed reports that support right-sizing the fleet. The system also centralizes data across multiple battery rooms and multiple facilities, allowing managers to gain instant access to detailed reports. Color coding provides managers with a snapshot of overall asset health at a glance.

Fleet Tracker's supplied hardware includes a touchscreen tablet, lightweight scanner, and mounting hardware that attaches to the Operator Aboard Battery Extractor's carriage. To change a battery as quickly as possible, battery room operators only need to follow the prompts on the screen. Operators can update the condition of batteries, stands, and trucks with a quick scan. Fleet Tracker makes it easy to track battery movement, into and out of trucks, between stands, and even from one battery room to another.

With BHS forklift fleet management tools, you can extend the operating life of batteries while improving operator efficiency, and easy-to-read reports will regularly identify new areas for improvement. As a leader in lift truck fleet optimization, we provide the assistance you need to get up and running quickly, and our systems can be adapted and optimized based on your facility’s needs. Call 1.800.BHS.9500 today for more information.