Lithium Battery Solutions for Material Handling Equipment and Robotics

Material handling equipment and robotics are used across warehouses, distribution centers, factories, logistics facilities, and automated production environments.

Equipment such as forklifts, electric walkie stackers, AGVs, AMRs, logistics robots, and inspection robots requires a battery system that matches its electrical, mechanical, communication, and operating requirements.

Lithium-ion batteries can be configured for different material handling and robotic applications. Depending on the equipment design, the battery pack may include lithium-ion or LiFePO4 cells, a Battery Management System (BMS), communication interfaces, protection components, connectors, and a customized enclosure.

For OEM equipment manufacturers, battery selection should begin with the equipment requirements rather than a standard battery model.

This guide explains how lithium battery packs can be designed for material handling equipment and robotics, including battery chemistry, voltage, capacity, current, BMS, communication, charging, mechanical integration, testing, and certification.

What Are Material Handling and Robotics Batteries?

Material handling and robotics batteries are rechargeable battery systems designed to supply electrical power to equipment used for transportation, lifting, automation, inspection, and warehouse operations.

应用包括

• 电动叉车
• Electric walkie stackers
• 托盘搬运车
• AGV
• AMR
• Logistics robots
• Warehouse robots
• 检测机器人
• Autonomous handling equipment
• 工业机器人
• Cleaning robots
• Mobile platforms

Depending on the application, the battery may power:

• Traction motors
• Lifting systems
• Hydraulic systems
• Robotic actuators
• Controllers
• Sensors
• Communication systems
• Displays
• Safety systems
• Computing equipment

The battery configuration should be matched to the equipment’s electrical architecture and operating profile.

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Lithium-Ion Batteries for Material Handling Equipment

Lithium-ion batteries are used in material handling equipment where rechargeable electrical power is required for repeated operation.

A lithium battery system can be designed around:

• Required voltage
• Battery capacity
• Continuous current
• Peak current
• 运行时间
• Charging requirements
• 电池尺寸
• 通信协议
• 环境条件

For industrial equipment, battery selection involves more than choosing an Ah rating.

The battery must work with the motor, controller, charger, BMS, mechanical structure, and other electrical components.

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Lithium Battery Applications in Material Handling

电动叉车

Electric forklifts require battery systems for traction and lifting functions.

A custom lithium battery can be designed according to:

• Forklift voltage
• 电机功率
• 工作时间
• 负载要求
• Charging schedule
• Battery compartment
• BMS requirements

Battery configurations may include LiFePO4 or other lithium-ion chemistries according to the application.

Electric Walkie Stackers

Electric walkie stackers are used for pallet transportation and lifting in warehouses and production environments.

A battery system can be customized according to:

• 电压
• 容量
• Motor current
• Lifting current
• 电池尺寸
• 连接器
• 充电器
• 通信接口

Smart BMS functions can also be integrated when battery information needs to be exchanged with the equipment controller.

托盘搬运车

Electric pallet trucks use batteries for traction and lifting functions.

Battery design can consider:

• Compact installation space
• Operating cycle
• Peak current
• 充电频率
• 电池重量
• Connector configuration

A custom battery enclosure can be designed according to the pallet truck’s available installation space.

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Lithium Batteries for AGV Systems

AGV stands for Automated Guided Vehicle.

AGVs are used for automated material transportation in factories and warehouses.

AGV battery systems may need to support:

• Repeated driving
• Automated charging
• 机会收费
• Long operating schedules
• BMS communication
• 车队管理系统

A custom AGV battery pack can include:

• 磷酸铁锂电池
• 智能 BMS
• CAN 通信
• RS485通信
• Custom connectors
• Battery monitoring
• Customized enclosure

The battery configuration should be based on the AGV’s motor power, route, payload, operating cycle, and charging system.

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Lithium Batteries for AMR Systems

AMR stands for Autonomous Mobile Robot.

AMRs are used for automated transportation and logistics tasks.

Compared with a basic mobile platform, an AMR may include additional electrical loads such as:

• Navigation sensors
• Cameras
• LiDAR
• Industrial computers
• Wireless communication
• Safety sensors
• Drive motors
• 控制系统

Therefore, the battery capacity calculation should include both the motion system and auxiliary electrical loads.

A battery pack for an AMR can be configured according to the robot’s:

• 工作时间
• Average power consumption
• Peak power
• Charging schedule
• Payload
• Travel distance
• Battery compartment
• 通信要求

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Lithium Battery for Logistics Robots

Logistics robots are used for material transportation, sorting, warehouse operations, and internal logistics.

A logistics robot battery may need to provide power to:

• Drive motors
• 控制系统
• Sensors
• 通信模块
• Industrial computers
• Lifting mechanisms

Battery customization can include:

• 电压
• 容量
• 单元配置
• BMS
• CAN
• RS485
• UART
• 连接器
• Housing
• Mounting structure

The battery can be designed according to the robot’s operating cycle and available installation space.

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Lithium Battery for Inspection Robots

Inspection robots are used to monitor industrial facilities, warehouses, power systems, pipelines, infrastructure, and other environments.

Depending on the robot design, the battery may supply power to:

• Drive motors
• Cameras
• LiDAR
• Sensors
• Industrial computers
• Communication systems
• Robotic mechanisms

Inspection robot batteries can be designed around the required operating time and equipment power consumption.

A smart BMS can provide battery information such as:

• 电压
• 当前
• 温度
• SOC
• Fault status

Communication can be implemented through CAN, RS485, or another compatible interface.

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Lithium Battery for Industrial Robots

Industrial robots can use battery systems when they operate on mobile platforms, autonomous systems, robotic carts, or other battery-powered equipment.

Battery requirements depend on:

• 电机功率
• Robot payload
• Operating cycle
• Movement pattern
• Control system
• Auxiliary equipment
• 工作环境

For mobile industrial robotics, battery design may include a customized enclosure and BMS communication system.

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LiFePO4 Battery for Material Handling and Robotics

LiFePO4, or lithium iron phosphate, is a lithium-ion battery chemistry used in many industrial applications.

LiFePO4 characteristics include:

• 热稳定性
• Stable discharge behavior
• Rechargeable operation
• Cycle characteristics suitable for repeated use
• Compatibility with BMS systems

A LiFePO4 battery pack can be configured according to the required voltage and capacity.

例如

25.6V 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery

Nominal energy:

25.6V × 100Ah = 2,560Wh

or:

2.56kWh

The actual operating time depends on the equipment’s average power consumption, operating cycle, temperature, load, and battery utilization.

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How to Calculate Battery Capacity

Battery energy can be estimated using:

能量 (Wh) = 电压 (V) × 容量 (Ah)

例如

48V × 100Ah = 4,800Wh

This represents approximately 4.8kWh of nominal energy.

For operating time:

Operating Time = Available Energy ÷ Average Power Consumption

For example, an equipment system with an average power consumption of 800W and a nominal battery energy of 4,800Wh has a theoretical operating time of:

4,800Wh ÷ 800W = 6 hours

Actual operating time depends on:

• Motor operation
• Payload
• Travel distance
• 加速度
• Lifting
• Auxiliary loads
• 温度
• Battery operating window
• 系统效率

Therefore, capacity should be determined using actual equipment operating data.

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Continuous and Peak Current

Battery sizing also requires current analysis.

Material handling equipment and robots may have different current requirements during:

• Startup
• 加速度
• Braking
• Lifting
• 转动
• Ramp operation
• Motor loading
• Robotic movement

The battery pack should therefore be evaluated according to:

Continuous Current

和

Peak Current

The following components should also be matched to the electrical load:

• 电池单元
• BMS
• Fuse
• Busbar
• Cable
• 连接器
• Protection components

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Smart BMS for Industrial Battery Packs

A Battery Management System is an important component of a lithium battery pack.

Depending on the design, the BMS can monitor:

• Individual cell voltage
• Pack voltage
• 充电电流
• 放电电流
• Cell temperature
• 电池温度
• SOC
• SOH

Protection functions may include:

• 过充电保护
• 过放电保护
• 过流保护
• 短路保护
• 过温保护
• Under-temperature protection

Cell balancing can also be included according to the battery design.

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CAN Communication for Robotics and Material Handling

CAN communication is used in many industrial control systems.

A smart battery BMS with CAN can communicate battery information to an equipment controller.

Possible data includes:

• 电池电压
• 当前
• SOC
• 温度
• Charging status
• Fault information
• Battery status

The BMS communication parameters and data format need to match the equipment controller.

For OEM projects, the communication protocol should be confirmed before BMS development.

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RS485 and UART Communication

RS485 can also be used for industrial battery communication.

Depending on the equipment system, communication may use:

• RS485
• Modbus RTU
• UART
• CAN

The required interface depends on the equipment architecture.

For a custom battery project, the customer should provide the communication protocol or equipment communication specifications when available.

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Battery Charging for Robotics and Material Handling Equipment

The charger is part of the complete battery system.

Important charging parameters include:

• 电池化学
• 额定电压
• 充电电压
• 充电电流
• Charging profile
• 连接器
• BMS communication
• Charging temperature range

For automated equipment, charging can be integrated into the operating process.

Charging methods may include:

• Standard charging
• 机会收费
• Scheduled charging
• Automated charging

The charging method should be compatible with the battery, BMS, charger, and equipment control system.

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机会充电

Opportunity charging allows equipment to receive charging during available idle periods.

It may be considered for:

• AGV
• AMR
• 电动托盘车
• Walkie stackers
• Warehouse robots
• Automated material handling systems

Charging may take place during:

• Breaks
• 班次交接
• Waiting periods
• Loading operations
• Automated docking

The battery manufacturer should define charging current and operating limits according to the battery design.

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Automated Charging for AGV and AMR Batteries

AGV and AMR systems may use automated charging stations.

The battery system may need to communicate with the charging system to provide information such as:

• SOC
• Charging status
• 电池温度
• Fault status
• Charging permission

The battery, BMS, charging station, and robot controller should be designed as a compatible system.

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Custom Battery Dimensions

Industrial robots and material handling equipment often have limited battery installation space.

A custom battery pack can be designed according to:

• 长度
• 宽度
• 高度
• Mounting holes
• Battery tray
• 连接器位置
• Cable outlet
• Handle
• Enclosure

Mechanical drawings or 3D models can be useful during the battery design process.

The battery should be securely mounted to handle expected vibration, acceleration, braking, and equipment movement.

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Battery Enclosure Design

The battery enclosure provides mechanical protection for internal components.

Depending on the application, enclosure materials may include:

• ABS
• PC
• Aluminum
• Steel
• Other engineering materials

The enclosure design can consider:

• Mechanical protection
• 散热
• Water protection
• 防尘
• Connector placement
• Cable routing
• Mounting
• Service access

The final material and enclosure structure should be selected according to the application.

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Environmental Requirements

Material handling equipment may operate in:

• 仓库
• 工厂
• Cold storage
• 配送中心
• Outdoor logistics areas
• Industrial facilities

Environmental conditions may include:

• 灰尘
• 湿度
• Temperature changes
• Water exposure
• 振动
• Mechanical impact

Battery design should consider the actual operating environment.

For applications requiring dust and water protection, an IP-rated enclosure can be evaluated.

The required IP rating should be determined according to the equipment environment and verified through appropriate testing.

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Battery Safety Design

Battery safety should be considered throughout the entire development process.

Important areas include:

细胞选择

Cells should be evaluated according to:

• 容量
• 电压
• Continuous current
• Peak current
• Cycle requirements
• 温度范围
• Manufacturer specifications

BMS

The BMS should be configured according to:

• 单元配置
• 电压
• 当前
• 温度
• Protection limits
• 通信要求

Electrical Protection

The battery may include:

• Fuse
• Protection circuit
• Busbar
• Insulation
• Rated connectors
• Appropriate cables

Thermal Management

Thermal design should consider:

• 细胞类型
• 当前
• Operating cycle
• Ambient temperature
• Enclosure
• 散热

Mechanical Protection

The enclosure and mounting structure should protect the battery from expected mechanical conditions.

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Custom Lithium Battery Development Process

A structured development process can help define battery requirements before production.

Step 1: Equipment Requirement Analysis

Collect:

• Equipment model
• 电压
• 电机功率
• 当前
• 工作时间
• Battery compartment
• 充电器
• 通信协议

Step 2: Operating Profile

Evaluate:

• Daily operating time
• Operating cycles
• Payload
• Travel distance
• Lifting frequency
• Charging opportunities
• Ambient temperature

Step 3: Battery Chemistry

Evaluate:

• 磷酸铁锂
• NMC
• Other lithium-ion chemistries

The chemistry should be selected according to the equipment requirements.

Step 4: Cell Selection

Evaluate:

• Cell capacity
• 电压
• 当前
• 内部电阻
• Cycle characteristics
• Temperature specifications
• Physical dimensions

Step 5: Battery Configuration

Determine:

• Series connection
• Parallel connection
• 额定电压
• 容量
• 能源
• Current capability

Step 6: BMS Design

Define:

• Protection parameters
• Current rating
• 温度传感器
• SOC
• SOH
• CAN
• RS485
• UART

Step 7: Mechanical Design

Develop:

• Enclosure
• Mounting structure
• 连接器
• Cable
• Wiring harness
• 电池尺寸

Step 8: Prototype

Build a prototype for:

• Installation verification
• 电气测试
• Charging verification
• 通信测试
• Runtime evaluation
• Temperature evaluation

Step 9: Validation

Complete the applicable:

• Electrical tests
• BMS tests
• Communication tests
• Environmental tests
• Mechanical tests

Step 10: Production

After validation, the battery design can move into production with defined quality control and inspection procedures.

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Battery Testing

Testing should be defined according to the battery design and application.

Electrical Testing

• 能力测试
• Charge testing
• Discharge testing
• 电压测试
• Current testing
• BMS protection testing

BMS Testing

• 过充电保护
• 过放电保护
• 过流保护
• 短路保护
• 温度保护
• 细胞平衡

Communication Testing

• CAN
• RS485
• UART
• SOC communication
• Fault reporting
• Data transmission

环境测试

Depending on the application:

• 高温测试
• 低温测试
• Temperature cycling
• Humidity testing
• Water protection testing
• Dust protection testing

Mechanical Testing

• 振动测试
• Impact testing
• Connector testing
• Mounting testing
• Enclosure inspection

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认证与合规

Lithium battery requirements depend on the battery design, application, transportation method, and target market.

For lithium batteries transported internationally, 联合国 38.3 is an important transportation testing requirement.

Depending on the product and destination market, applicable requirements may include:

• CE
• IEC 标准
• UL标准
• RoHS
• EMC requirements
• Regional battery regulations

For products placed on the European market, applicable requirements under 欧盟电池法规（EU）2023/1542 should also be evaluated.

Certification requirements should be considered during the product development stage.

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What Information Is Required for a Custom Battery?

For an OEM or ODM battery project, the following information can help the engineering team define the battery system:

Additional information can include:

• Equipment datasheet
• Original battery label
• Charger datasheet
• Motor specifications
• 控制器规格
• Battery compartment drawing
• Connector drawing
• 通信协议
• 3D model
• 必备证书

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How to Select a Lithium Battery Manufacturer

Selecting a battery manufacturer involves evaluating engineering capability, manufacturing processes, quality management, testing, and technical support.

Engineering Capability

The manufacturer should be able to evaluate:

• 电池化学
• 单元配置
• BMS
• Current requirements
• 交流
• Charger compatibility
• Mechanical structure
• Thermal requirements

Manufacturing Capability

Relevant production capabilities may include:

• 细胞分选
• 焊接
• PACK assembly
• BMS 安装
• 电池老化
• 电气测试
• 功能测试
• 最终检查

Testing Capability

The manufacturer should have testing processes appropriate to the battery application.

These may include:

• 能力测试
• 老化测试
• BMS testing
• 温度测试
• 振动测试
• 防水测试
• 通信测试

认证支持

The manufacturer should be able to explain:

• Existing certification
• Applicable standards
• Testing requirements
• Documentation
• Transportation requirements

Certification claims should be supported by appropriate documentation.

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OEM and ODM Lithium Battery Pack Solutions

OEM and ODM battery development allows equipment manufacturers to define battery specifications according to their products.

Customization can include:

电气

• 电压
• 容量
• 当前
• 单元配置

BMS

• Protection parameters
• SOC
• SOH
• CAN
• RS485
• UART

Mechanical

• 尺寸
• Enclosure
• Mounting
• 连接器
• Cable
• Wiring harness

Charging

• 充电电压
• 充电电流
• Charging connector
• Charging communication

Branding

Depending on the project, OEM customization may include:

• Battery label
• Product identification
• Packaging
• User documentation

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About Our Lithium Battery Manufacturing Experience

东莞一展电子科技有限公司 provides customized lithium battery PACK solutions for industrial and OEM applications.

Our battery development process can cover:

Requirement Analysis → Cell Selection → Battery Configuration → BMS Design → Mechanical Design → Prototype → Testing → Certification Evaluation → Production

Battery solutions can be developed for applications including:

• 电动叉车
• Walkie stackers
• 托盘搬运车
• AGV
• AMR
• Logistics robots
• 检测机器人
• 工业机器人
• 仓库设备
• Other mobile industrial equipment

Depending on project requirements, battery packs can be configured with:

• 磷酸铁锂电池
• 锂离子电池
• 智能 BMS
• CAN 通信
• RS485通信
• UART通信
• Custom connectors
• Custom wiring harnesses
• Custom enclosures
• Customized battery dimensions

The final battery configuration is determined according to the customer’s equipment specifications, operating conditions, and target market.

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Why Battery Development Should Start With Equipment Requirements

A lithium battery is part of the equipment’s power system.

It interacts with:

• 电机
• 控制器
• 充电器
• BMS
• Sensors
• 显示屏
• Communication system
• Safety system
• Mechanical structure

For this reason, battery development should begin with equipment requirements.

Early technical evaluation can help define:

• 电压
• 容量
• 当前
• 电池尺寸
• BMS
• 交流
• 充电器
• 连接器
• Mounting
• Environmental requirements

This process provides a technical foundation for prototype development and production.

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常见问题

What lithium battery is used for material handling equipment?

LiFePO4 and other lithium-ion chemistries can be evaluated for material handling equipment. The battery chemistry should be selected according to voltage, capacity, current, operating cycle, temperature, installation space, and equipment requirements.

Can lithium batteries be used in forklifts?

Yes. Lithium battery systems can be designed for electric forklifts according to the forklift’s electrical and mechanical requirements.

Can I use a lithium battery in an electric walkie stacker?

A lithium battery can be considered for an electric walkie stacker after evaluating voltage, charger, controller, current requirements, battery dimensions, BMS, and communication requirements.

What lithium battery is used for AGVs?

AGVs can use LiFePO4 or other lithium-ion battery configurations depending on their voltage, capacity, current, operating cycle, charging system, and installation space.

What battery does an AMR need?

An AMR battery should be sized according to the robot’s average power consumption, peak power, operating hours, payload, travel distance, auxiliary loads, and charging schedule.

Can a robot battery use CAN communication?

Yes. A smart BMS can use CAN communication when the battery and robot controller use compatible communication parameters and data formats.

Can the battery dimensions be customized?

Yes. Battery dimensions, enclosure, mounting structure, connector, cable length, and wiring can be customized according to the equipment.

Can the battery use LiFePO4 cells?

Yes. LiFePO4 cells can be used for many industrial battery applications. The final cell selection should be based on the equipment requirements and operating conditions.

Can lithium batteries support opportunity charging?

Lithium batteries can support opportunity charging when the battery, BMS, charger, and equipment are designed for this charging method.

What information is needed for a custom battery quote?

Useful information includes voltage, capacity, continuous current, peak current, operating time, charging requirements, battery dimensions, connector, communication protocol, operating temperature, equipment model, and target market.

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结论

Lithium batteries can be configured for a wide range of material handling equipment and robotics applications.

其中包括

Forklifts | Walkie Stackers | Pallet Trucks | AGVs | AMRs | Logistics Robots | Inspection Robots | Industrial Robots

The battery system should be designed according to:

Chemistry + Voltage + Capacity + Current + BMS + Communication + Charger + Dimensions + Environment + Safety + Certification

LiFePO4 is one battery chemistry that can be evaluated for industrial applications. Other lithium-ion chemistries may also be considered according to the equipment’s technical requirements.

For OEM and ODM projects, a custom lithium battery pack can integrate cell selection, battery configuration, smart BMS, communication, charger compatibility, mechanical design, testing, and certification evaluation.

A structured development process helps align the battery with the equipment’s electrical, mechanical, charging, communication, and operating requirements.

Custom lithium battery solutions can be developed according to your material handling equipment or robotics specifications.