Baumüller (www.baumuller.com) is proud to announce its latest servo drive-based technology, which could cut the power use by presses and injection-molding machines by up to 80 percent.

These machines have usually been driven hydraulically because they need more power compared with other industrial applications. But conventional techniques for hydraulic pressure control are inefficient, particularly as the power requirements of presses and injection-molding machines can fluctuate widely. For instance, injecting and closing operations require more hydraulic oil and much higher flow rates than in dwell pressure applications that involve high pressures but lower flow rates.

These machines are either traditionally controlled by valve-controlled drives, comprising of a constant-volume and motor pump, or by variable electro-hydraulic pumps, also driven by standard motors. The two approaches suffer one disadvantage: the motor and pump combination continuously operates at full speed and it does not allow for the fluctuations in the power requirements of the machine. The results in inefficient use of power in a partial load range, significantly increasing the machine’s lifecycle costs and energy.

The company’s answer is to combine those of electrical power control with the advantages offered by hydraulic power transmission using servo drive technology to dynamically control the speed of a constant-output pump. Through this, the technology efficiently operates with high precision, significantly reduced levels of heat and noise, and offering an above-average dynamic response. The technology retains the hydraulic power transmission’s advantages such as cost-effective and robust drive elements, low inertia and high power density.

According to Baumüller, the new servo pump technology typically cuts power use over 30 percent than conventional systems and that, in extended phases of low-power demand, saving energy up to 80 percent is possible.