TECHNOLOGY | ENERGY MANAGEMENT


Right: The liquid-cooled servo motors of electric Allrounders feed surplus energy back into the grid


drive technology is the AES Arburg energy saving system, which uses two regulating pumps to make the operation of hydraulic injection moulding machines more cost effective. In production, the speed of the pump motor can be adjusted to demand by means of a frequency converter. In technical terms, for example during long cooling times, the speed and therefore the output of the pump motor can be adjusted to actual demand. As well as reducing energy requirements, this also cuts noise levels and wear. A water-cooled motor has also been added to the AES in the productivity package for the hydraulic Allrounder. The result is a reduction in energy requirement of up to 20%, shorter dry cycle times and lower cooling require- ments and noise levels. In particular, a servo-hydraulic drive enables


energy-efficient, low-emission operation. The drive system, consisting of a servo motor and a constant pump, allows output to be adjusted to actual demand. When the machine comes to a standstill, the pump drive also stops. Therefore, there are no longer any load losses with the servo hydraulics. This saves up to 50% of energy in comparison with conventional hydraulic machines, particularly in processes with long cooling times. At the same time, cooling requirements and noise levels are reduced. Arburg adds that, in general, electric direct


Below: The EcoPower Xpress


400-2100 from Wittmann Battenfeld


drives are more energy-efficient than hydraulic drives. However, when the specific energy require- ment of a machine is taken into account, an increase in production efficiency automatically has a positive impact on energy efficiency. For this reason, it is worthwhile considering the manufac- turing process as a whole, rather than just the use of energy, so that an optimum machine solution is always achieved for the individual production of parts. A major trend in energy management currently


is affordability with high performance, all-electric drive systems that allow the replacement of energy consuming hydraulic accumulator injection


moulding systems, says Georg Tinschert, Chief Executive Officer at Wittmann Battenfeld. He adds that new materials, reduced part weights and reduced wall thicknesses require a more dynamic and precise injection moulding process. These requirements are best met with all-electric systems. In addition, production systems need to fit the requirements of Industry 4.0. This means open communication in a safe environment, horizontal communication within production cells and plants in order to enable an optimised use of equipment, increased availability through predictive condition monitoring and use of expert systems for continu- ous improvement in short feedback cycles, like Wittmann 4.0 offers. In order to meet these requirements, the company has developed the fast cycling EcoPower Xpress all-electric injection moulding machine series for packaging applications. The full range offers machines from 160-500 tonnes clamping force for high performance, low energy consump- tion and clean operation. Wittmann Battenfeld adds that advantages include a servo-electric high-performance injection unit system for thin- walled products. Injection units are available in three sizes for injection speeds of up to 600 mm/s and injection pressures of up to 2,500 bar. There is highly dynamic injection accelera- tion of up to 15,000 mm/s². High-per- formance plasticising is achieved with a 22:1 L/D barrier screw or 26:1 L/D as an option. The machines include a mainte-


nance-free 5-point toggle lever system with encapsulated central lubrication system and lubricant


storage inside the toggle lever bolts. A high level of production safety is achieved


50 INJECTION WORLD | May 2018 www.injectionworld.com


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