How Switching To Hydraulics Can Reduce Energy Costs

Reducing running costs remains a common challenge for all manufacturers and energy consumption – power, water and other operating  resources – is a key consideration when calculating ‘total cost of ownership’. Initial outlay for hydraulic machines can be less than switching to all-electric, often at another cost; conventional applications are traditionally more energy intensive. But there are other alternatives highlight Sumitomo (SHI) Demag, the specialists in injection moulding machines and systems.

A growing number of injection moulders who want to save on energy costs are turning towards hydraulic machines equipped with a servo drive. Sumitomo (SHI) Demag reports that over half of the hydraulic machines they have delivered to customers in the last year now feature the company’s activeDrive hybrid technology, which reduces energy consumption by up to 60%.

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“The market for hydraulic machines remains buoyant, especially in the UK and across Europe,” observes Nigel Flowers, Managing Director at Sumitomo (SHI) Demag. “While it’s true that there’s a shift towards all-electric machines for precision work, hydraulic machines still remain a popular choice for general purpose moulding. Thanks to applications like activeDrive, hydraulic machines deployed in all sectors, including precision and automotive, can benefit from variable-speed drives, bringing energy-savings in closer alignment to that of all-electric injection moulding systems.”

For injection moulders with plenty of life left in their hydraulic machines, activeDrive can be easily retrofitted to Sumitomo equipment, even those from two-decades back. “We can quickly assess the feasibility on a case-by-case basis,” says Nigel. “The actual process itself is straightforward and the cost minimal compared to the immediate energy savings. We fit a frequency converter to the machine pump and modify the controller. This has no impact on output or quality.

“With sustainability high on everyone’s agenda, it’s important that every customer has access to a viable energy-efficient option that matches their operational requirements,” adds Nigel. Sumitomo’s Systec Servo plugs an important gap and offers an alternative to all-electric. Launched just 12-months ago, it has proved extremely popular with Sumitomo’s loyal customer base; one out of every two hydraulic machines dispatched and installed by the team is now equipped with this energy-saving servo drive. “To have achieved a 50% switch in such a short timeframe demonstrates that customers are eager for a quick solution to cut their energy bills,” exclaims Nigel.

Sumitomo’s Systec hydraulic injection moulder is built to suit customer’s needs and combines the advantages of servo technology with hydraulic pump control. This is especially attractive for partial load operations typical of general purpose moulding applications, where activeDrive guarantees optimum performance for every phase of the machine cycle. Whereas standard hydraulic pumps will run at a fixed speed continuously, the frequency-controlled servo motor automatically matches the amount of oil volume required for the output task being undertaken. If no additional flow is required, the pump simply stops operating. As a result, hydraulic machines equipped with activeDrive can be up to 60% more energy efficient, depending on the application.

Managing partners Norbert and Sven Borscheid and Carlo Wenig of the German-based plastics manufacturer Borscheid  + Wenig  GmbH has adopted this technology and is extremely satisfied by the hybrid’s performance. So much so, they are about to take delivery of a new Systec 50-310 machine featuring activeDrive, which the partners advocate further supports their company environmental policy. “It offers a good price/performance ratio, energy-efficiency, and considerably reduces cycle time,” they say.

Toggle joints also play a vital role in energy savings and machine durability. The Systec features a toggle clamping unit, offering a force ranging from 1,600 to 20,000 kN.  In real terms, a larger hydraulic machine will have larger pipes and pumps and will use considerably more oil when opening and closing a mould, explains Nigel. “Converting to a mechanical system significantly reduces the time it takes to lock the mould. For larger machines this can equate to 50% in energy savings and 30% for smaller systems.”

What’s more, an activeDrive equipped machine is almost as quiet as an all-electric.“This makes for a much more pleasant working environment,” claims Nigel. Hydraulic injection moulding machines used to emit noise levels of over 70dB, which is why operators wear ear-defenders. With activeDrive, it’s down to 60dB. That’s equivalent to a normal conversations or a household air conditioning unit, and well below the recommended industry standard of around 68dB.

While the argument for all-electric machines is a compelling one, hydraulic machines are far from redundant. Zero energy waste is the real target, and thanks to technologies like activeDrive, fully hydraulic machines are closing the energy-efficiency gap, boosting business profits, without compromising on product quality or cycle times.

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag contact:

Nigel Flowers, Managing Director
T+44 (0)1296 739500 F +44 (0)1296 739501
E nigel.flowers@dpg.com W uk.sumitomo-shi-demag.eu