The road to the energy-optimized injection molding cell is often stony. A saving plan can be drawn up when there is transparency about the individual consumers.

The most varied measures help to save energy, but not all of them are equally profitable for every company.

16:9

Spritzgießen

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Verfahren

Temperiertechnik

Nachhaltigkeit

Umweltmanagement

Energieeffizienz

Industrie 4.0 für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Industrie 4.0

Elektrische Antriebe für Spritzgießmaschinen

Antriebe

Elektrische Antriebe

Spritzgießmaschinen

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Maschinen und Komponenten

Transparency as a Basis for  Energy Efficiency

With its recent Gold Medal from Ecovadis and 73 points, Arburg has made it into the top five per cent of the world‘s most sustainable industrial companies.

Proud of the Gold Medal from Ecovadis: Gerhard Böhm, Arburg Managing Director Sales and After Sales, and Samira Uharek, Sustainability Manager at Arburg.

Unternehmen

kunststoffe.de

Gold Medal for Sustainability Program

The managing partners Juliane Hehl, Michael Hehl, Renate Keinath on the human side in SMEs, practicing crisis resilience and ethical corporate responsibility.

 The managing partners (from left) Juliane Hehl, Michael Hehl and Renate Keinath (in the background the two previous generations).

Doriat, Clemens, Dr.

Wirtschaft

Management allgemein

“Employee Intelligence Was, and Still Is, in Demand with Us”

PET has so far been the only packaging plastic that, as a recycled material, can be processed back into food packaging on an industrial scale.

To establish not only a bottle-to-bottle and bottle-to-cup, but also a cup-to-cup and cup-to-bottle cycle, separate material streams are needed for food and non-food packaging.

Werkstoffprüfung, mechanisch

Messtechnik

Werkstoffprüfung

Polyethylenterephthalat

Kunststoff Werkstoffe

Thermoplaste

Kunststoff-Rezyklat

Kreislaufwirtschaft

The Packaging Material of the Future

Time to take stock: in what condition and with what agenda is the industry presenting itself after two-and-a-half years of a difficult climate? We have conducted a survey: insights into the dominant themes of the age.

Preview of K 2022: Kunststoffe Questionnaire on the Situation in Injection Molding Machine Construction

Steuerungen (Hardware und Software)

Automatisierungstechnik

Messe K-Kunststoffmesse

kunststoffe-international.com

Steuern, Regeln

Software

Digitale Transformation

Innovationen und neue Technologie

Mess-, Steuer- und Regelgeräte

Qualitätssicherung

Qualitätssicherung Kunststoff

Kunststoff-Recycling

Kunststoff-Aufbereitung

Harsh Realities

This year, the world’s leading trade show K has succeeded in presenting practical solutions for greater resource efficiency on a broad front. A first foray through the trade show grounds.

K 2022 gave numerous practical examples showing visitors how recyclates can be reliably processed with digital aids.

State-of-the-Art Injection Molding Solutions for Greater Resource Efficiency.

State-of-the-Art Injection Molding Solutions at K 2022

Solar / PV

Energieerzeugung

Erneuerbare Energie

Schaumspritzgießen

Mehrkomponenten-Spritzgießen

Condition Monitoring / Prozessüberwachung

Instandhaltung

Spritzgießwerkzeuge

Werkzeuge für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Biokunststoffe

Handling, Handhabungstechnik

Elastomer-Spritzgießen

Oberflächentechnik

Digitalisierung

Silikonkautschuk

Kautschuk / Elastomere

Compoundieren

It Can Be Done!

Arburg has now packed numerous digital services into an app for smartphones and tablets. Among them: assistance in saving energy.

Via the customer portal, the individual apps – from the Arburg host computer system (ALS) to the ordering function – can also be operated using a smartphone.

Review of the Arburg Anniversary Days from March 8 to 11, 2023

Hydraulik-Komponenten

Maschinenelemente

A Machine Park in the Pocket

New process technologies, new machines – a selection of what will be on show at Fakuma 2023.

Making its debut at Fakuma 2023 is the next representative of the hybrid Hidrive series with new machine technology: an Allrounder 520 H in the “Premium” performance variant.

Solutions for Injection Molders

Over past months, many in-house workflows and development processes have slowed down and also changed. Nevertheless, time has not stood still, also not in injection molding technology. The debate and development have been shaped by two themes: digitalization and the circular economy. Below are some examples of developments and projects that underpin this trend.

Two displays are seamlessly integrated into the continuously 3D-formed instrument panel

Innovative Injection Molding in Times of Pandemic

Künstliche Intelligenz für die Qualitätssicherung

Industrie 4.0 für die Qualitätssicherung

Folientechnik (IMD, IML, FIM, u.a.)

Spritzgieß-Sonderverfahren

Spritzgießsimulation

Simulation

Schnecken und Plastifiziersysteme

Machine Learning / Künstliche Intelligenz für die spanende Fertigung

Industrie 4.0 für die spanende Fertigung

Lasermarkieren

Laserbearbeitungen

Inline- / Online-Messsysteme

There Is More beyond the Horizon

Plastics continue to be essential, also in future vehicles. But the industry has to rethink how to deal with them at the beginning and end of a vehicle’s life.

Plastics continue to be essential, also in the vehicles of the future. That being said, the industry needs to rethink how to deal with them at the beginning and end of a vehicle’s life.

Recycling

Automotive

Fahrzeugbau

“Until Then, the Industry Has to Work with Its Inherited Problems”

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag continues to expand all-electric platform and extends its high-speed IntElect S series.

IntElect S all-electric high-performance injection molding machine.

Short Cycles, High Material Throughput

How in-process or downstream injection molding improves the quality of high-volume 3D-printed parts.

The mobile injection molding „Robin“ can be used as a supplement to large-volume 3D printing.

Technik Trend

Additive Fertigung

Mobile Injection Molding Complements Large-Volume 3D Printing

Direct recycling of cured thermosets as fillers in the injection molding process increases resource efficiency due to material recycling.

Recycling of sprue loss through shredding, blending with virgin material and direct recycling.

Direct Recycling of Cured Thermosets as Fillers in the Injection Molding Process

Duroplast-Spritzgießen

Duroplaste

KFZ-Zulieferer

Dienstleistungen

Sprue Recycling Conserves Resources

Arburg presents its expertise on important topics such as sustainability, digitalization, energy efficiency and automation at the Anniversary Days.

The new Allrounder 470 H hybrid machine (here in the “Comfort” version) is setting the stage for a new machine technology that is particularly energy-saving, resource-efficient, production efficient and user friendly.

Verbände, Institutionen, Messen

Unternehmen und Unternehmer

In-House Trade Show with Special Signs

Where the managing directors see the greatest challenges in the future.

Michael Wittmann, Managing Partner of the Wittmann Group and Managing Director of Wittmann Technology

Strategie und Organisation

Schröder, Susanne

Materialhandling

“We Need Openness in All Directions”

CO2 Footprint of Injection Molding Machines

Arburg Devises an Informative Product Carbon Footprint Calculation

Arburg has been dealing with the issue of sustainability and resource efficiency for a very long time. The machine supplier is being integrated more and more by its customers into evaluations of climate-change activities along the supply chain.

Arburg has been dealing with the issue of sustainability and resource efficiency for a very long time. The injection molding machine supplier is being integrated more and more by its customers into evaluations of climate-change activities along the supply chain. Drawing on ISO TS 14067:2015, which specifies how to quantify the carbon footprint of a product, Arburg studied ways to determine the product carbon footprint (PCF) and specific energy requirements of its injection molding machines.

Under the European Union’s “Green Deal”, companies are being actively encouraged to reduce the carbon emissions from their activities and products. In order to meet strict legal requirements and the goal of zero net emissions of greenhouse gases from production by 2050, companies will have to significantly increase their energy and resource efficiency in the future. Accordingly, sustainability is a major strategic issue for many European plastics converters at the moment.

The German Climate Change Act goes one step further in legislating for a 65 % reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030 and for greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045. The Greenhouse Gas Protocol, an internationally recognized accounting standard for greenhouse gas emissions, classifies emissions into three areas called “Scopes”. Injection molding machines are considered Scope 3 assets, which cover indirect emissions from upstream and downstream business activities. As a machine manufacturer, Arburg actively engages in carbon accounting in order to obtain reliable and comparable indicators and help achieve the ambitious climate targets. Its commitment here is borne out by the above-average “B” grade which the company earned in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP).

In contrast to the annual corporate carbon footprint (CCF), the product carbon footprint (PCF) addresses the quantities of greenhouse gases emitted and removed over the entire service life of a product. Reported in units of CO2 equivalents, PCF is an important metric in life cycle assessment. The guidelines on quantifying and reporting it are set out in international standard ISO TS 14067:2018.

For injection molders, the first relevant question is the machine’s carbon footprint, from when it is being made to when it arrives at the plant. In its cradle-to-gate analysis, Arburg examined the period from extraction of raw materials to the manufacturing phase through to the machine leaving the factory gate. However, this period accounts for only 5 % of the machine’s CO2 emissions. On a cradle-to-grave basis, i.e. over the machine’s entire life, the bulk of PCF is generated during the use phase at the customer’s factory, plus emissions that arise during its distribution and disposal.

Arburg records the CO2 emitted in four process steps that lead to the finished machine:

<ul><li>painting or coating,</li><li>mechanical machining and processing,</li><li>electrical production, and</li><li> assembly.</li></ul>

The raw materials used and the requisite electric power can be apportioned to the various steps in this process sequence and the other phases in the product life cycle (Fig. 1).

The parts list for an injection molding machine could number up to 11,000 individual items if every screw were to be accounted for. To help it better manage this figure, Arburg divides the raw materials into eight materials groups. On this basis, an Allrounder injection molding machine consists of over 55 % plastic-coated cast iron and a further 35 % of steel and sheet metal (whether heat-treated, painted, plastic-coated or untreated). Plastic parts, drives and electronic components account for just 7 % of the total weight.

These materials groups differ substantially in terms of the CO2 emissions generated during their production. However, a weighted average value or emissions factor can be determined commensurate with the distribution. The emissions factor for an Allrounder is 1.83 [kg CO2 equivalent per kg product]. The CO2 equivalent for the complete injection molding machine therefore is obtained by multiplying the emissions factor by the product weight specified in the data sheet (Table 1).

This means that the manufacture of a hybrid Allrounder 570 H with a clamping force of 2000 kN and a net weight of 8300 kg generates raw materials-related emissions of around 15,190 kg CO2. The corresponding figure for a 3300-kg Allrounder 370 with a clamping force of 600 kN is around 6040 kg.

Electricity-Related Emissions  during Production

Electricity consumption during the production phase also contributes to the PCF. Standardized calculations are based on an electricity requirement of 878.94 kWh per 1000 kg of product and an emissions factor of 0.366 [kg CO2 equivalent per kWh] for the German electricity mix in 2020 (Table 2).

On that basis, the electricity requirement is 2900 kWh for the Allrounder 370 H, with a CO2 equivalent of about 1160 kg. The corresponding figures for the Allrounder 570 H would be an electricity requirement of 7295 kWh and emissions of 2670 kg CO2.

However, this calculation cannot be directly applied to Arburg. The reason is that the company manufactures around 60 % of its own machine components exclusively at its central production site in Lossburg, Germany, using a mix of carbon-neutral renewable energies such as photovoltaic, wind and geothermal energy as well as combined heat-and-power plants. Since 2016, the electricity purchased regionally has come entirely from sustainable sources. The emissions factor for Arburg’s electricity mix is just 0.17, instead of 0.366.

In concrete terms, this means that the electricity-related CO2 equivalent for the Allrounder 370 H is actually just 490 kg, instead of 1160 kg, and, similarly, 1240 kg, instead of 2670 kg, for the Allrounder 570. Thus, as a result of the company’s high degree of vertical integration and the sustainable electricity mix, the electricity-related emissions generated by an Arburg machine during its manufacturing phase are some 53 % lower than the German average.

Adding the raw materials- and electricity-related emissions together yields a total CO2 equivalent for a “cradle-to-gate” analysis of 6530 kg for the Allrounder 370 H and 16,430 kg for the Allrounder 570 H (Table 3). By comparison, each person in Germany generates an average CO2 footprint of around 12,000 kg per year, with this figure varying according to such factors as personal consumption, mobility, housing and nutrition.

Some 95 % of an injection molding machine’s PCF arises during its use phase. However, the level of emissions it actually generates in daily use depends on numerous factors. Crucial determining factors are the choice of polymer, the product design and the construction of the injection mold. A key parameter here is the specific energy requirement, which is the quotient of power consumption and material throughput and is expressed in units of kWh per kg. As a rule of thumb, the shorter the cycle time and the higher the shot weight, the lower is the specific energy requirement and the better is the CO2 equivalent.

The specific energy requirement is critically affected by the type of drive, i.e. whether electric, hybrid or hydraulic. Other contributory factors are whether single- or dual-circuit pump technology or hydraulic accumulators are used and whether options such as servo-electric metering or ejection are included.

Any feature which enables simultaneous, dynamic and fast movements and thus shortens cycle times benefits the carbon footprint in use. The same applies to the screw diameter and installed power: the greater the shot weight and the lower the power consumption, the better. In summary, machine equipment tailored specifically to the requirements and processes can substantially reduce the energy requirement. Arburg supports its customers in this area through its wealth of expertise in application technology and process engineering and by exploiting the advantages of modular machine technology.

Measuring the Energy Requirement under Euromap 60.2

The Euromap 60.2 Recommendation is used for determining the energy consumption of an injection molding machine in a customer-specific process. It facilitates objective comparisons of different machine designs by measuring and documenting the average power consumption under standard conditions for a defined accounting period. The readings depend both on the machine technology and on the utilization rate and the type of application. For example, the specific energy requirement for small production runs of technical molded parts is significantly greater per se than for the production of fast-moving packaging items (Fig. 2).

The results show that electric machines require around 50 % less energy than standard hydraulic machines. And the lower the material throughput, the more significant the differences are. But energy-optimized hydraulic machines, too, can significantly reduce the carbon footprint.

While working on a practical application, Arburg examined various scenarios involving hydraulic and electric machines from the S and Alldrive series in three sizes – 370, 570 and 820 – and clamping forces of 600, 2000 and 4000 kN. A distinction was made between an hydraulic drive featuring dual-circuit pump technology (T2) and an electric drive from the “Comfort” performance range.

Two items were produced, namely a PA66-GF30 technical item in a cycle time of 30 s at 50 % plasticizing capacity and a PP packaging item in a cycle time of 5 s at 100 % plasticizing capacity (Table 4). The CO2 emissions were calculated on the basis of the German electricity mix.

The electric Allrounder 820 A, operating at a throughput of 115.2 kg/h, emitted 1.07 kg CO2 per kg plastic when molding the packaging item. The 370 electric model emitted almost twice as much (2.13) when injection molding the technical item at a throughput of 4.2 kg/h. For the hydraulic Allrounder 370 S, this value was as high as 4.43.

These figures apply to the practical example. Other applications may yield different figures. The actual power consumption depends in each case on the duty cycle, capacity utilization and the efficiency of the connected consumers. These factors are influenced in turn by the injection molding process. In general, however, it may be said that the energy requirement for both types of drive decreases as material throughput increases. In any event, an electric machine generates around 50 % fewer CO2 emissions. The same result is obtained when the CO2 emissions are all calculated on the basis of material throughput.

Not included in this analysis are the CO2 emissions generated in the production of the plastic pellets or other consumers such as peripheral equipment for providing mold-temperature control or shop air-conditioning (waste heat and cooling). The energy requirements and thus the CO2 emissions from the peripheral equipment increase sharply, particularly for technical items, and even exceed those of the injection molding machine on a proportional basis. A further interesting parameter is the carbon footprint of a single molded part.

An informative “cradle-to-gate” carbon footprint can be calculated for injection molding machines. Raw materials have a roughly tenfold greater impact on the product carbon footprint during the manufacturing phase than does electricity consumption. Local supply chains, a high degree of vertical integration and the use of renewable energies can positively influence the footprint.

As the PCF during the use phase depends on many factors,individual case studies are required here. As a rule, the specific energy requirement of an injection molding machine decreases as its utilization rate increases. In addition, electric machines generate up to around 50 % fewer CO2 emissions than their hydraulic counterparts, the exact amount depending on the equipment and material throughput.

The goal for the future is to be able to determine a scientifically sound, holistic life cycle assessment for injection molding machines. This will require much greater effort. This is precisely what Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hans-Josef Endres and his team at the Institute for Plastics and Circular Economy (IKK) at Leibniz University in Hanover, Germany, are working on, in collaboration with Arburg and others.

ARBURG GmbH + Co KG  

https://www.arburg.com

Ausgabenartikel

Raw materials extraction through to delivery account for just 5 % of the CO2 emitted by an injection molding machine over its entire life cycle.  

Table 3. The carbon footprint (PCF) of the machines up to delivery to the customer is the sum of the raw materials- and electricity-related CO2 equivalents (“cradle to gate”).

Table 4. Arburg studied the CO2 emissions from three sizes of injection molding machine and two types of drive during measurements conducted in accordance with Euromap 60.2. One technical part and one packaging item were produced.

Fig. 1. Arburg’s cradle-to-gate analysis determines the CO2 emissions associated with its injection molding machines, from the constituent raw materials and the manufacturing process right through to delivery.

Fig. 2. The specific energy requirement of an injection molding machine in the use phase  depends on the equipment, type of application and material throughput. In general, the better the machine is utilized, the better is the carbon footprint.

Table 1. The CO2 emissions of an injection molding machine in terms of raw materials are simply calculated by multiplying the net weight by the emissions factor 1.83 as determined by Arburg.

Table 2. Electricity-related CO2 emissions arising from the manufacture of an injection molding machine can be calculated on the basis of the German electricity mix (emissions factor 0.366 for the year 2020).

Name - Hauptartikel

Bertram Stern is Sustainability Manager at Arburg GmbH + Co KG, Lossburg, Germany.

Read the German version of the article in our magazine Kunststoffe or at <a href="https://www.kunststoffe.de/a/fachartikel/colesssubgreater2lesssubgreater-bilanz-v-2853380" target="_blank">www.kunststoffe.de</a>