A Photographic History of DaifukuPutting the HID Non-Contact Power Supply System to Use

Daifuku’s Ramrun HID monorail transport system

In 1993, Daifuku introduced its HID* non-contact power supply system, developed through joint research with the University of Auckland in New Zealand. The system was implemented to launch the world’s first non-contact power supply monorail transport system—the Ramrun—at Kanto Auto Works’ Iwate Plant. Able to supply power without contacting moving objects, the system eliminated dust generation due to friction, gaining significant attention as a method to maintain a clean factory environment.

  • * HID is an abbreviation for High Efficiency Inductive Power Distribution technology.

The HID non-contact power supply system employs highly efficient electromagnetic induction at relatively high frequencies. The foundational technology was developed in 1990 by a group of researchers led by Professor John Boys. At that time, practical applications of wireless technology as a continuous power supply were rare, with most transport systems relying on contact-based power involving wires attached to the rails and receivers on the carriers. Daifuku actively promoted the research and development of non-contact power transfer technology to address the drawbacks of traditional contact-based systems. These drawbacks include dust generation from spark collector wear, power transfer issues caused by foreign matter, and the frequent maintenance required to manage these issues.

The adoption of the HID system by the U.S. automaker General Motors led to worldwide recognition of the Ramrun system, prompting many customers to implement the system in their own factories. To date, Daifuku has delivered more than 20,000 HID systems, with the majority being utilized in the manufacturing industry. The HID system has also been used in the Cleanway transport system in semiconductor production lines at cutting-edge semiconductor plants, demonstrating the system’s essential role across a wide range of industries.

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