BAG LOG Issue 10 October 2015 LIFTING EQUIPMENT GOES LIVE Page 3 TAKING-OFF AT CDG Page 3 MIND THE GAP WITH TRAYDECK Page 4 40 YEARS OF AIRPORTS Page 7 EARLY BAG STORES Page 8 DÜSSELDORF AIRPORT MADE DIFFERENT NEW INSTALLATIONS With 21.85 million passengers in 2014, Düsseldorf Airport is the third busiest in Germany after Frankfurt and Munich and considerably more compact than other airports with a similar capacity. The need to handle a high number of passengers in such a compact space was one of the reasons why, in 2010, Düsseldorf decided to upgrade its baggage handling system. The plan was to replace the existing tilt-tray sorter and conventional belt conveyors with a more advanced solution whilst retaining the layout: a central spine connecting three concourses within a single terminal building. The new system also had to include an Early Bag Storage (EBS) system in addition to a tunnel connecting Terminals B and C. And all of this had to be installed without disrupting the normal operation of the airport. The airport s original plan was to achieve this by building a temporary terminal with an interim sorting system on the apron whilst the new system was being installed. However, during the tender process, Crisplant suggested an alternative strategy which eliminated the considerable non-recoverable financial investment in the interim terminal and the temporary closure of aircraft parking positions which formed the basis of the airport s plan. Continued on page 2
2 NEW INSTALLATIONS Continued from front cover Using the Made different approach Crisplant suggested using the layout of the existing tilt-tray sorters in Terminal B, to eliminate the cost of the temporary terminal. The Terminal B sorters were installed in two tiers, with one sorter above the other, so Crisplant s plan was to remove the upper level sorter and replace it with the new CrisBag tote system, included safety measures to protect the baggage handling staff who would be working on the live sorter. Crisplant also needed to ensure that system redundancy would not be compromised by shutting down and removing one of the existing sorters: with only half of the original number of elements available, control software could be reverted back to the previous version with immediate effect. Crisplant s second innovative solution was for the Early Baggage Storage (EBS). Whilst Düsseldorf s original plan was for an additional building for the EBS, Crisplant suggested installing a totebased EBS between the two even in a time- and space-constrained environment. The CrisBag modules come as complete pre-cabled units, fully tested in the workshop, and are simply joined together on site with a plug and socket at either end. Düsseldorf s upgrade is still a work in progress but Crisplant has helped to ensure that the while the lower level sorter continued to operate normally. Once the new upper layer was commissioned and in full operation, the process would be repeated by replacing the lower level. Implementing the project in this way saved the airport the significant investment in the interim terminal but it meant that Crisplant needed to plan every aspect of the installation in meticulous detail. The work was scheduled to take place during non-peak periods and flexibility would be compromised and die-back could occur quickly and easily, resulting in a blockage at check-in. One of the primary countermeasures was to implement faster and more flexible loading in the loading area, where die-back is often triggered, simply by increasing the number of baggage handling staff during peak periods. Another measure to prevent disruption was to ensure that all changes to the sorting loops in Terminal B. This plan relied on the flexibility and highly modular design of the CrisBag system which allowed the EBS to be installed in the ideal location to deliver the highest operational efficiency. By carrying out as much work as possible off-site, Crisplant minimised the number of hours which were required to physically install the new system in the airport. The modularity of the CrisBag system ensures rapid installation airport s baggage handling system will be able to deliver higher capacity and efficiency despite its compact footprint.
NEW INSTALLATIONS 3 Lifting equipment goes live around the world Working in cooperation with Dubai Airport Engineering Projects, BEUMER Group Middle East has installed a Baggage Manipulator and a ceiling-mounted Baggage Unloader in Concourse B, Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport. Trials of the semi-automatic baggage handling equipment will enable the ground handling operators and the airport to test the ease and efficiency of BEUMER Group s semi-automatic baggage handling equipment. The same type of Baggage Loader has also been installed in the make-up area of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, where four ceiling-mounted units are being used to optimise the baggage handling process. A throughput of around 10 seconds per loaded bag, combined with one-person operation, allows staff to handle an increased number of bags with speed and reliability. Developed to support increased interest from airports in reducing manual lifting of in-gauge bags, the Baggage Loader significantly increases workplace safety for baggage handling staff. Both the ceilingand floor-mounted units provide safe and efficient loading and unloading of bags into ULDs, or other departure baggage handling systems and vehicles. Taking-off at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport has approved a new baggage handling system to take check-in bags from the Airport s existing Terminal 2E to the Satellite 3 (S3) which provides additional air-bridges for large-capacity airliners, including the Airbus A380. In a consortium with Alstef, BEUMER Group has been awarded the contract by the owner and operator of Charles de Gaulle Airport, Aéroports de Paris (ADP). The decision to award the contract to the consortium was the result of an analysis of competing tenders covering both technical and financial criteria. A key factor in the decisionmaking process was the robustness of the baggage handling system which will allow ADP to realise its operational goals in line with the predicted growth figures. The new baggage handling system will connect six existing check-in islands to a new Crisplant CrisBag tote-based sorting and transport system, which has a capacity of 3600 bags/hour. The system also integrates five Standard 3 screening machines, 500 meters of conveyors, 12 make-up laterals and 6 make-up carousels. The new BHS will allow our Air France and SkyTeam partners to improve sorting efficiency and reduce delays for baggage which is checkedin at Terminal 2E, explains Nadine Vennat, from Aéroports de Paris. The additional equipment to collect and sort connecting baggage will be included in a new call for tenders in 2016. The combination of high-level controls for the baggage handling system, with SAC and SCADA systems and the low-level controls will provide Charles de Gaulle Airport with comprehensive management of the entire baggage handling process. The high-level controls will also feature a web-based user interface to enable remote control of the baggage handling system from a tablet device. The new system is scheduled to begin operation in the summer of 2018. The Airport s trust in both consortium partners is reflected in a 40-month maintenance contract under which the consortium will maintain and optimise the system to ensure that it continues to enable peak operating efficiency at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.
4 RETRO-FIT FOR TILT-TRAY SORTERS Mind the gap with TrayDeck Most owners of automated tilt-tray sorting systems will understand the problems caused by sorter jams, especially when the sorter is handling items of different shapes and sizes. Not even the smoothest and most efficient induction can eliminate the risk of an item rolling off the tray and into the gap between trays or a loose strap getting caught under the tray in an airport baggage handling system. When this happens, the resulting jam causes downtime on the sorting system and possibly damage to the item or to the sorter. Over the years, the many attempts to close the gap between the trays on tilt-tray sorters have achieved varying degrees of success. The main challenge is not just to close the gap, but to maintain both the sorting capacity and the flexibility for the tray run tilted as it enters a curve. With TrayDeck, the tray can remain tilted as it enters the curve and before being re-aligned after the curve. It can also continue to run smoothly through inclines and declines on the sorting system. Both the capacity and energy consumption of the sorter remain unaffected by the installation of TrayDeck, whilst the risk of unplanned downtime is minimised. This new solution is designed to be used on systems based on Crisplant S2000, S3000 and LS-4000 sorters with sorter radii of 2000mm, 3000mm and 4000mm and with any tray size and cart pitch. Retro-fitting TrayDeck to a tilt-tray sorter is a plug-andplay installation in which the existing tray is replaced with a new tray which includes a TrayDeck and a new top cover. When retro-fitted to an airport baggage handling system, a special feature allows TrayDeck to prevent loose baggage straps from becoming trapped beneath the tray. A Crisplant Customer Support representative can plan and supervise the assembly and fitting of TrayDecks which can then be performed, quickly and easily, by a team of in-house staff.
NEW GENERATION 5 Nice autover! The first installation of the third-generation BEUMER autover Destination Coded Vehicle (DCV) system has performed well during its first official peak season while in operation at Nice Côte d Azur Airport. New video footage of the system in operation high lights the unique maintenance bay concept. Whilst the system s tracks are virtually maintenance-free, the individual autoca carts can be called into the maintenance bay for routine maintenance without compromising the overall capacity of the system. This makes autover suitable to be used as a tunnel transport system and in airports which have a small footprint and numerous unloading positions. The contract was awarded by Alstef, the prime contractor for the refurbishment project. Nice Côte d Azur Airport chose autover as part of a two-phase refurbishment of its baggage handling system in Terminal 2. The autover system includes 1,444 meters of track with 59 destinations. The scalable system is currently designed to handle 3,600 bags per hour and features a control system with virtual machines in a hot standby configuration. Watch the Nice Côte d Azur Airport video on
6 NEW REGULATION IATA resolution 753 Many technologies have over the years gone a long way to cutting the rate of mishandled bags, and now IATA is adding its weight to the battle. Its recent Resolution 753 states that IATA airline members shall maintain an accurate inventory of baggage by monitoring the acquisition and delivery of baggage at all stages of the journey. Although the resolution will not come into effect until June 2018, the planning and implementation is worth considering now. The main challenge is reading tags on inbound baggage, which can be done in a number of ways, the most frequently used being: Manual scanning requires staff resources; Laser scanning of bag tag widely used technology, but cannot achieve 100% readability; RFID scanning almost 100% accurate readability but with a higher cost per tag. Because barcoded tags are so easily damaged during handling, their readability is almost always reduced when the bag arrives at a destination. RFID tags are clearly superior in this regard, achieving almost 100% accurate readability even if crumpled or wet, but the main barrier to their use has always been cost especially as airlines would have to pay but airports would be the main beneficiary. However, with IATA Resolution 753, the situation has changed, as the airlines have committed themselves to maintaining accurate inventory. There is a requirement for technology that can help monitor bags throughout the journey. Here is the opportunity for RFID tags to come into their own. The tags have already proved successful on transfer baggage, and the price for a tag can be justified by the reduction in baggage having to be routed for manual encoding if not read automatically. The business case is clear. This resolution might also boost the use of permanent RFID tags. These are already used by certain airlines, who give tags to their frequent flyers. Baggage manufacturer Samsonite has even made a limited edition suitcase the Samsonite Track & Trace which includes embedded etag and etrack devices. Another aspect of Resolution 753 is the physical challenge that lies in the infrastructure of airports, where the arrival areas for bags are not typically designed for automatic scanning. The conveyors used for feeding the claim carousels might not be designed for a scanner array either, but here a few no-reads per shipment are acceptable, especially as there is no requirement for sequence, destination or other specific parameters. The main purpose is simply to help make sure the bag has reached its destination to be reconciled with its owner.
BHS HISTORY 7 40 years of Airports It is 40 years since Crisplant was established as a supplier of baggage handling systems to the world s airports. Today, it is estimated that around half of the bags handled in airports worldwide are sorted on a BEUMER Group system. baggage handling, it was the obvious choice for the new extension to the system in Terminal 2. Munich Airport s latest CrisBag system is scheduled for handover in 2015 and Crisplant is looking forward to forming many more long-term partnerships with airports worldwide. Geneva airport kindly shares the drawings of Crisplant s first baggage handling system which was installed in 1975. The very first Crisplant airport system was based on a BEUMER tilt-tray sorter and took place in 1975 at Geneva Cointrin Airport, where increased passenger numbers had resulted in expansion to the terminal and runway. The earliest Crisplant baggage handling system which is still in operation today was installed in Munich Airport s Terminal 1 in 1991. A meticulous maintenance programme means that the airport s four tilt-tray sorters are still in use 365 days a year. In 2003, Munich was also the first airport to install Crisplant s CrisBag baggage handling system in its new Terminal 2. Since the original installation, substantial passenger growth has meant that, in 2013, it became necessary to expand the system. As the original CrisBag system had operated flawlessly over ten years to deliver high-speed, reliable
8 NEW TECHNOLOGY Early bag stores - a growing necessity at airports Many airports deal with huge numbers of bags that arrive too early to be handled in the normal fashion by diverting them into an early bag store (EBS). But an EBS is so much more than a temporary storage. If an airport wants to gain increased flexibility at the make-up area but cannot control the in-feed, then the two ends must be decoupled. That requires the use of a buffer, which is where the EBS comes into play, as it can be turned from a simple holding area into a staging area for assembling bags into batches before they are loaded. The essential difference is that it is not only early and transfer bags that go into the bag store; it is used for the majority of hold baggage other than bags that are checked in at the last minute. In this way, the EBS is transformed into a dynamic multi-bag storage (MBS). Compared to conventional, conveyor-based EBS systems, CrisStore offers much greater flexibility for storing baggage, including the ability to implement peak shaving. It provides the flexibility to locate and retrieve individual bags, or a batch of bags for a particular flight, at any time. Individual retrieval of bags eliminates the need to release an entire lane of baggage when just one or two items are needed, whilst releasing all of the bags for a particular flight in a single batch optimises the make-up. Hence, it will be possible to plan the loading process really efficiently, with much more efficient use of chutes and make-up area as well as flexibility for handlers. The modular design of the CrisStore storage unit makes it extremely flexible and easy to expand. With the basic handling equipment and functionality remaining in place, as the passenger throughput in the terminal increases, all the airport needs to do is add on some more storage places. Crisplant a/s P.O. Pedersens Vej 10 DK-8200 Aarhus N Denmark Phone +45 87 41 41 41 airport@beumergroup.com www.beumergroup.com/airports