A new option developed by Netstal for its hybrid injection moulding machines is claimed by the machinery manufacturer to bring new sustainability benefits to both moulders and the machines.
Netstal, part of the KraussMaffei Group since 1992, said the adaptive system pressure reduction option lowers the power consumption of the machine, while maintaining at least the same productivity and reducing the CO2 footprint. As a result, the retrofittable feature is said to pay for itself in a short time.
The idea behind it is that the optimum operating pressure in the hydraulic system does not always have to be the maximum pressure. In order to handle peak loads without any problems, the hydraulic system of Netstal’s hybrid injection moulding machines has been designed for a maximum operating pressure of 250 bar. But in some cases, less is amply sufficient.
This is where the benefits of the new feature kick in, said Daniel Wipfli, product manager at Netstal.
“In automatic mode, the adaptive control system determines the optimum point at any time and adjusts the system pressure accordingly. With the same or even increased productivity, the energy consumption for providing the system pressure is reduced to a minimum," he explained, which contributes to lower CO2 emissions and reducing the ecological footprint of the user. Investments in more sustainable production are subsidised in some countries which can serve as an added inducement. Regional energy costs and sustainability scheme differ, so the payback period will vary, but is generally only a few months.
Lower pressure, and hence a lower load on the components can extend the life of the machine and improve machine availability as maintenance intervals can be planned more efficiently.
"For customers, we are happy to calculate the individual savings potential and show how they can manufacture identical products at a lower cost and with a smaller CO2 footprint," said Wipfli. He also pointed out that machines fitted with the feature would command higher prices on the used machine market when traded in.
Adaptive system pressure reduction is optionally available for all hybrid Netstal injection molding machines running the latest aXos version (release 8.6.0).