3E: Essential. Energy & Environmental Infrastructure Services
Player and Company has completed several Baggage Handling Systems (BHS) at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Atlanta Airport (the busiest airport in the world). We have provided these projects to a wide variety of Customers: Manufactures of BHS Systems, Integrators, Department of Aviation, Facility Maintenance Groups, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Airline Companies. Player and Company has the capabilities to perform upgrades or expansions to existing operating systems, Electrical and Controls Installation, Turnkey Installation & Integration and Full System Decommissioning.
A BHS is a type of conveyor system installed in airports to transport checked luggage from ticket counters to departure gates, from one gate to another for transfers and from arrival gates to the baggage-claim areas. A complete BHS has several characteristics, some of which are:
- High Speed Transport
- Sortation
- Volume Management
- Load Balancing
- Bag Jam Detection
- Bag Counting
- Bag Tracking
The BHS is generally controlled by a multi-platform PLC-based control system. The control system can be configured to fit any airport. Common features of a BHS control system include:
- Complete Tracking
- Sortation Control
- Automatic Bag Routing
- Multi-user Functionality
- Screening image
- Baggage reconciliation
- Global Bag Tracking
A high speed BHS in Airports are assembled using several different types of equipment.
- Belted Conveyor
- Tilt Tray Sorters
- Claim Carousels
- Spirals and Turns
- Pushers
- Diverters
- Control Stations
- Photo Eyes
- Shaft Encoders
- Motor Control Panels
- PLC Cabinets
- Manual Encode Systems
- Human Machine Interface (HMI)
The TSA inserted electronic baggage screening directly into the BHS after September 11, 2001. These systems are referred to as Checked Baggage Inspection System (CBIS). Within a CBIS the checked baggage is fed directly into Explosive Detection System (EDS) machines. The CBIS will sort baggage based on each bag’s security status which is assigned by an EDS machine or by a security screening operator. When a bag is not cleared by an EDS machine it is sent to a Checked Baggage Resolution Area (CBRA). Within the CBRA the TSA will further inspect the baggage via hand inspection and Explosives Trace Detection (ETD) machines. Once the alarmed bag has been cleared it is reintroduced into the BHS for further sortation.
Throughout the past several years, the construction and integration of Airport Baggage Handling Systems has evolved into to complex precision high speed conveyor equipment. Player and Company has experience with the construction of Baggage Handling Systems for more than two decades.