According to Akron, Ohio, USA, NPE2009 may become the "greenest" NPE show in history. In response to the desire of processing companies to cut their excess costs, machinery manufacturers will use energy efficiency and energy conservation as selling points.
Officials of major injection molding machine manufacturers said that the deterioration of the economic environment is prompting processing companies to change their minds. And the United States President Barack Obama wants the United States to become a green technology pioneer's grand goal is another driving factor.
In the United States, the cost of electricity in New England and California has always been the highest, so processing companies in these regions are very concerned about the power consumption of their machinery. Power costs in the Midwest Industrial Area, which is mainly generated by coal-fired power plants, are relatively cheap. However, this situation may change because the government has classified carbon dioxide as a category of greenhouse gas management—a move that may increase the price of coal-fired power.
Last month, the US Environmental Protection Agency announced the inclusion of carbon dioxide and several other greenhouse gases as substances that have caused serious damage to public health. U.S. President Barack Obama has proposed to establish open markets through aggregate control and emissions trading systems for companies to purchase and sell emission allowances.
The energy issue has now become a top priority for the U.S. government. Similarly, this will also be a major theme for NPE exhibitions held in June at the McCormick Exhibition Center in Chicago, Illinois.
Even so, many plastics processing companies have historically viewed energy as an obscure point in management costs. David Bernardi from Ube Machinery Inc. called it "energy psychology." Processing companies will detail the costs of reviewing resins, labor, and parts purchased, but they will largely ignore the cost of energy as a separate expense category—they will only pay electricity bills mechanically once a month.
But Bernardi and other machinery industry officials said molders are paying more attention to energy use. Most entrepreneurs expect that in the long run, energy prices will only develop in one direction.
Bernardi, senior manager of sales and marketing at Ube, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, said: “In the future, energy costs will not drop. This part of the cost will only increase, and you cannot eliminate it.
Bill Duff, national sales manager for Negri Bossi USA Inc. (Booth number S50020), headquartered in New Castle, Pennsylvania, United States, said: "[Energy] is critical for parts of the United States, but I think the whole The industry has recognized that energy costs will only increase in the future.” The Negri Bossi's Janus machine to be introduced at the NPE is a hybrid machine equipped with an energy regeneration system that will slow down each cycle fixture. Store electricity for later use.
David Purcell, injection molding machine manager at Wittmann Battenfeld Inc. in Torrington, Conn., said that energy conservation is an “important topic” in the plastics industry right now.
Purcell said: "In an unfavorable economic environment, companies are trying to reduce all manufacturing costs, so it is important to be able to save the overall cost by saving electricity or other utility costs used in the manufacturing process. No doubt, now Every single cost stream in the manufacturing process has become an important cost reduction target."
Arburg's president Friedrich Kanz also agreed. He said: "I think that companies have a lot of space for cost savings. As long as we start thinking seriously and do our homework, we will find that we can actually cut a large part of the cost, so the energy issue is really very important."
Arburg will launch an Allrounder press on NPE with all-electric and hydraulic models, and a hybrid press called Allrounder H (Hidrive) that combines electric and hydraulic zeros. Parts can save 40% energy.
One of the problems with machinery industry managers is that it is difficult to count the actual power usage of each device. Purcell said: "This is a vague zone. No one knows what the exact figure is, so it has become one of the most neglected aspects of the cost breakdown review."
All 11 injection molding machine industry officials interviewed by this report believe that customers increasingly value energy-saving data when they purchase machines. Craig Reynolds, Business Line Manager for PET Systems at Husky Injection Molding Systems Co., Ltd., headquartered in Bolton, Ontario, Canada, said: “Overall, energy efficiency is undoubtedly becoming an increasingly important buying criterion because it is a factor in molder cost control. One of them is the part that can make a difference."
He said that it is not easy to calculate the cost of electricity for each injection molding machine. You must take into account all relevant factors - including product handling, dryers, heating and air conditioning systems, etc. He said: "You have to think about it completely and think about whether you can get the benefits of cost reduction."
Reynolds revealed that Husky is taking steps to help press customers update their old machines, thereby increasing productivity and energy efficiency.
Of course, in advocating energy conservation, all-electric press suppliers naturally have to spread their energy efficiency to their machines, claiming they are much higher than hydraulic presses. This argument has caused the opposition of a few companies that have not yet produced all-electric machines, including Husky and Boy Machines Inc.
Tom Geddes, national sales manager of MHI Injection Molding Machinery Inc., a BenQ Moulds manufacturer in Bensenville, Ill., said: “The all-electric machines exhibited at this year's NPE will be greatly increased. The driving factors are natural. It is low energy consumption."
Boy will exhibit its latest E-Series energy-saving presses at NPE 2009 and operate hydraulic pumps via servo-hydraulic motor drives. The motor only transfers power to the hydraulic pump when needed, and stops powering when pumping is not required. Boys, headquartered in Exton, Pa., will demonstrate the operation of these components on a 99-tonne 90E press.
Boy company claims, compared with Boy's standard hydraulic pump, the new pump can save 50%, and can also reduce 20% of the noise.
Robert Koch, president of Boy Company, expects that the entire industry will inevitably move toward more energy-saving regardless of what the government takes. He said: "Consumers are very volatile, but the company's thinking is different. The current economic climate requires companies to be more environmentally friendly and more efficient. Therefore, regardless of government policies and oil prices, they will continue on the road to energy conservation. ."
So, are manufacturing companies taking practical actions to help improve the environment or cut costs?
According to Jerry Johnson, general manager of Toyo Injection Molding Machines of Markua USA Inc., based in Rockaway, New Jersey, USA, “The aspects [customers] value customers when buying machinery are different: Is this machine environmentally friendly? Can it be your own province? Money and improve the quality of the parts produced?"
In this regard, Bob Columbus, sales manager at JSW Plastics Machinery Inc., said that this is a stereotypical cliché: "I don't think customers value environmental protection. What they value most is to increase efficiency and productivity and help them use less electricity. ”
However, Stephan Braig, CEO of Engel Machinery Inc., based in York, PA, believes that environmental advocacy has its own impact.
Braig said: “The demands of large retailers such as Wal-Mart have become increasingly stringent and require their supply chain to minimize their carbon footprint. Even some auto companies have the same trend.”
In some states where the electricity bill is higher, the power company will provide refunds for customers who purchase all-electric presses. Peter Gardner, head of sales for the Niigata (S12056) presses at DJK-Global Group, based in Wood Dale, Ill., said that sometimes, refunds are enough to cover the difference between all-electric presses and hydraulic presses.
Gardner said that we can see news about energy saving every day, such as plug-in cars, solar power and wind power. He said: "The importance of energy conservation is increasingly apparent."
The American Plastics Industry Association will promote the green future of plastics at NPE. With the support of the US Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office, energy, sustainability, bioplastics, and nanocomposites will be highlighted in an emerging technology pavilion at the NPE.
Paul Caprio, president of KraussMaffei Corp., said: “People are very interested in biodegradable products.” He revealed that the company, headquartered in Florence, Kentucky, will deliver an injection molding machine to a customer for bio-resin. Laboratory test use.
KraussMaffei will exhibit its AX all-electric presses at NPE. The company claims that the machine can save 60% energy compared to hydraulic presses.
At present, all-electric machines account for about half of the US injection molding machine market. However, Caprio said that electricity consumption is only one factor in the total cost of parts and components, accounting for about 10%. KraussMaffei always maintains open mind when recommending applicable technology types to customers.