Naples, Fla. — Fred Pratt is not a wasteful man.
So it's a good thing he works with SyncroSpeed motor controls, which are set on eliminating energy waste in the plastics industry.
“Plastics processors paying for waste every day,” Pratt said at the 2016 Plastics News Executive Forum, Feb. 15-17 in Naples, Fla. “Every kilowatt of useless operating power is $800 per year.”
On polymer processing machines, 66 percent of energy is used at the injection mold. That's also where a lot of energy is wasted, according to Pratt, business development director.
“People don't switch the machine off when it's not being used,” he said. “They're waiting for the next shift to do it or for a mold change. But you can save a lot of energy that way.”
Adjusting motor speed control is “the most efficient energy saving retrofit for hydraulic presses,” Pratt explained. “You're matching supply to demand — only using how much power is needed at that time.”
SyncroSpeed was developed by CCS Technology, an engineering firm based in Coventry, England. The systems can reduce pressure losses, improve pump operating efficiency and reduce loads on oil cooling systems, all while helping processors save 25 to 50 percent on energy consumption.