MOTORS & DRIVES
Futamura takes a modern approach with Hägglunds churn drives
were a handful of reasons why that legacy should be modernized.”
“It was difficult to obtain spare parts and sustainability was becoming a problem, so we had to find a solution to the risk,” adds Green.
Taking a new path with hydraulics While the need for change was clear, however, it took several years and a number of study visits to other plants to arrive at a hydraulic solution. “We use a lot of inverter drives and inverter-driven motors at Futamura,” says Asbridge. “That was our common practice on site, so it was our go-to solution.”
Although different possibilities were explored, the combination of ATEX and two fixed speeds proved difficult with an electromechanical solution. One option was installing a slow and a fast motor, then switching between them using mechanical gearing. Another was a single motor with a gearbox.
Established in Japan in 1950, Futamura is now a global leader in renewable packaging films. At its production site in Cumbria, UK, the company is pursuing renewal of a different sort – by replacing 10 outdated churn drives with Hägglunds hydraulic direct drive systems from Bosch Rexroth.
Sustainability in product and production Though built on a long tradition, Futamura as a company is clearly looking ahead. At its site in the UK, the company manufactures sustainable packaging films under the Cellophane™ and NatureFlex™ brands. The NatureFlex™ range is a next-generation film, not only produced from managed wood sources but also certified for home and industrial composting.
“Futamura is aiming to produce only compostable films by 2025,” says Christopher Green, Mechanical Design & Development Engineer. “We get a lot of inquiries, especially for the compostable range. That increases demand for us to deliver orders on time and to potentially increase production.”
Future-proofing production is one of the SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
main reasons Futamura is updating to Hägglunds hydraulic direct drive systems. The churns at the UK site are used to convert wood pulp into viscose, and seven out of ten have had their drive systems replaced since 2017.
A legacy best left behind
The churns, as well as their original drive systems, are nearly 70 years old. Moreover, they are located in an ATEX IIC T6 area.
“On the original drives, you had a legacy FLP (flameproof) motor driving a self-change two-speed gearbox, which provided a slow-speed mode of 12 rpm and a fast-speed mode of 60 rpm,” says Shaun Asbridge, Electrical Design & Development Engineer. “But ATEX wasn’t even applicable when the gearboxes were installed, and so there
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“The latter was a no-go because of the size of motor needed to get the required power at such a slow speed, as well as the high speed required,” says Asbridge. “When we came through it all, the hydraulic option was the only suitable option.”
An elegant answer to specialized needs The solution now being implemented on Futamura’s churns is built around the Hägglund CA hydraulic motor. The Hägglunds CA has an ATEX IIC T6 rating, and the drive units containing the pumps and power supply are installed in a non-hazardous area some distance away. The drive supplies the right amount of working torque, and its built-in torque limiting function protects against overload.
More efficient than the old drives, the solution replaces a 22 kW motor with a 15 kW pump. Through variable displacement, it also efficiently solves the problem of two speeds. “There’s a valve on the motor that engages or disengages the pistons to achieve the two speeds,” Green explains. “Compared to the old electromechanical solution, it’s a lot more compact.”
Less space – and far less noise Asbridge backs Green up when it comes
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