Gennerally up to 70% of the electricity consumed by injection molding machine is never used in the molding process. It's wasted. The wasted electricity (energy) by injection molding machine brings some problems: heating the machine's hydraulic oil, noise, and wear and tear on the machine's hydraulic system. The hydraulic oil in an injection molding machine gets hot, and would cook if not for a cooling tower.

The end effect is that you pay to pump the oil (with the machine's pump motor), then you pay to cool the oil (with your cooling tower). Thus you need to pay for a high electric bill. Meanwhile you get a hot and noise machine. Surely this is not the desirable result you want. But it's the reality when you are using injection molding machines.

Are there any measures to solve this? Do you need to pay unnecessary energy bill for that wasted electricity? Do you need to endure a hot and noise machine?

Fortunately you can do something! AC drive (frequency inverter) can be applied for injection molding machine. Through AC drives (frequency inverters), you can control the motor's speed, save the energy consumed. Also you will get cooler hydraulic oil, and prolong the liftime of injection molding machine.

Gennerally the power supplied by the power utilities is fixed-frequency, the pump motors in injection molding machines turn at a fixed speed. If the pump motors are turning at a fixed speed, the pumps are turning at a fixed speed. If the pumps are turning at a fixed speed, they pump a fixed volume of hydraulic oil.

If machines always operated at full capacity (clamp open, close, injection and screw charge at 100% with no cooling time), there would be no problem. However, injection molding machines rarely operate at full capacity. Most injection molding machines pump more oil than they need. Much of the electricity consumed is wasted when it doesn't operate at full capacity. 

Frequency inverter and the system controller are used for injection molding machine to only pump the oil needed. The system controller monitors the machine's controller and generates a signal that corresponds to the needed volume of hydraulic oil. Thus with these 2 equipments, if the machine does not need the oil, don't pump it in the first place.


 

The advantages of this system on injection molding machine include energy saving, better repeatability (it is easier for the machine to control the lower volume of oil), quieter machine operation, lower oil temperature, less demand on the cooling tower and less wear and tear on the machine.

Generally the AC drive (frequency inverter) system is a wise investment for a particular machine/mold/manufacturer combination. You will get those advantages we mentioned above.

Applying AC drive (frequency inverter) system is suitable for situations below:
1. Manufactures in areas with high electrical costs
2. Long cooling times
3. Large machines
4. Older machines

The final outcome of applications of frequency inverter (variable speed drive) for injection molding machine will be very positive.