TECHNOLOGY | ENERGY MANAGEMENT
also possible to see that a site is poorly managed and sites with poor energy management will also look the same. Energy management is an indicator that says as much about a site’s general manage- ment capability as about the technical issues of energy management.
Machinery developments Manufacturers of injection moulding machinery are developing systems and equipment as part of energy management strategies. For example, Engel has developed the E-flomo premium electronic temperature control water manifold system, in which automated sequential blowing out of the manifold circuits in the injection mould accelerates the mould set-up and extends the service life of the moulds. Residual water and dirt in the temperature control channels of injection moulds can lead to corrosion, shortening the service life of the moulds and impacting on temperature stability. Before moulds and mould inserts are changed, the temperature-control channels are therefore usually blown out with compressed air. Traditionally, this is a manual process that not only takes a lot of time, but also involves a residual risk, as compressed air often does not flow evenly through the ducts. In order to ensure greater efficiency and safety, Engel is offering a new option for the premium version of its E-flomo electronic temperature control water manifold system — automated sequential blowing out of the manifold channels. Automating the blow-out process accelerates the mould set-up and minimises the risk of residual water in the temperature-control channels. This extends the maintenance intervals for the mould and reduces maintenance costs. A further benefit results when mounting the mould. The new feature ensures optimum ventilation of the temperature- control channels, ensuring premium part quality from the outset, says Engel. “Mould temperature control has a significant influence on the efficiency and quality of the injection
Right: Engel’s iQ process observer continually analyses several hundred process parameters across all phases of the injection moulding process
Above: In the premium version, the Engel E-flomo electronic temperature control water manifold system is optionally capable of automatically blowing out the manifold channels in the injection mould
moulding process,” says Klaus Tänzler, Product Manager Temperature Control. As a systems expert, Engel therefore considers the continuous optimisation of the temperature control process to be one of its core competencies and is actively promoting digitalisation in this area. The electronic temperature control water manifold system plays a central role in this. The iQ flow control software developed by Engel controls the flow rates on the basis of the measured values determined by E-flomo and adapts the temperature control process dynamically and independently to the respective process conditions. Where Engel E-temp temperature control units are used, this also includes demand-dependent control of the pump speed in the temperature control units. “Engel’s connected temperature control solution makes it possible to combine maximum tempera- ture stability with maximum productivity and energy efficiency,” says Tänzler. Engel has also expanded the top-end of its
range of E-temp temperature control units with an XL variant. In many applications the new develop- ment reduces the footprint required for mould temperature control, which simultaneously im- proves efficiency. The new and larger variant has been upgraded with a higher pump capacity. This now makes it possible for one tem- perature control unit to replace several smaller temperature control units that operate at the same tem- perature, which effectively reduces the footprint. At the same time, the piping requirements, energy
consumption and investment and mainte- nance costs are also all reduced. In addition to
48 INJECTION WORLD | June 2020
www.injectionworld.com
IMAGE: ENGEL
IMAGE: ENGEL
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