Biopellet Magdeburg GmbH & Co. KG operates a biomass heating plant that burns natural wood chips and other materials to generate heat and electricity. The electricity produced is fed into the public grid under the Renewable Energy Sources Act, while the heat generated is supplied to the neighboring pellet production facility and sold to other industrial companies within the business park.
Challenge
Material handling within the wood chip storage yard is fully automated and relies on a crane system to transport biomass efficiently. However, achieving precise crane positioning proved to be a major challenge. The storage yard is frequently filled with steam generated by the biomass process, which significantly impairs visibility. As a result, conventional positioning sensors were unreliable and unsuitable for the operating environment.
Issues Without a Radar-Based Positioning System
Before implementing Symeo’s anti-collision radar technology, the facility faced several operational limitations:
- Optical, laser, and ultrasonic sensors were limited or failed in steam-heavy conditions, resulting in unreliable positioning
- Inaccurate crane positioning led to incorrect wood chip pickup volumes
- Difficulty stopping precisely at storage boundaries
- Higher collision risk with perimeter walls
- Reduced automation due to manual interventions
- Increased maintenance from dirt, dust, and moisture
These issues led to operational inefficiencies and posed safety risks in daily plant operations.
Solution & Project Success
Biopellet Magdeburg equipped the crane bridge with two maintenance-free Symeo LPR®-1DHP-291 passive radar sensors operating in the 61 GHz range.
As a result, the automated wood chip handling process operates with greater accuracy and reliability. The crane now positions itself precisely at storage area boundaries, even directly in front of the perimeter wall, while active collision prevention protects the crane gripper and surrounding structures.
Key Benefits Achieved:
- The anti-collision radars measures distance via signals reflected by simple metal reflectors, delivering centimeter-precise positioning that remains reliable in steam, dust, and dirt—conditions where optical, laser, and ultrasonic technologies are limited or fail to perform.
- Reliable crane positioning in harsh environments
- Higher efficiency in automated material handling
- Improved operational safety through collision prevention
- Reduced maintenance compared to optical-based systems
Find out more about Symeo’s anti-collision radar products here.
SalesTrade is the exclusive distributor of Symeo anti-collision radar systems across Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.