Energy efficient elastomer injection

molding machinery
by Volker Krell, Desma
Rubber and silicone injection molding machines consume
energy in many different ways. The main consumers of current
are the electrical pump that drives the hydraulic system, electrical heating and the temperature control of circulating fluid
media. Smaller consumers such as a vacuum pump, material
feeding, control systems, etc., play a minor role.
Hydraulic system
Since the cycle time of the rubber and silicone injection molding process is very different compared to thermoplastic injection processing (i.e., longer, different injection and clamp force
requirements), not all advancements found in the thermoplastic industry can be applied to elastomeric equipment.
Today, it is common within the industry to use variable
capacity hydraulic pumps (figure 2). This technology provides
a reduction in overall energy consumption during long cycle
times compared to older technology, i.e., fixed displacement
pumps (figure 1).
To improve efficiency on fixed displacement pumps, frequency converters can be installed (figure 3). When energy
consumption is low (i.e., during a long cure time), the number
of revolutions of the pump is reduced, thus reducing energy
consumption. Energy reduction, when measured at the pump,
yields savings of between 30% (process cycle of a small crosssection article) to 50% (process cycle of a larger cross-section
part).
As frequency converters do not require major machine
modifications, existing elastomeric machines can be upgraded.
Traditional payback of low-priced frequency converters is approximately three years under normal operating conditions.
Figure 1 - fixed displacement pump

Basic servo technology

Servo hydraulics use one fixed displacement pump(s) driven
by a servomotor to control the hydraulic pump on an injection
molding machine (figure 4).
Desma ServoGear
To adapt conventional servo technology for the needs of the
rubber and silicone industry, new generation Desma machines
like the Benchmark S3 are equipped with the ServoGear hydraulics (figure 5). This technology includes multiple pumps
and servos for maximum efficiency.
ServoGear hydraulics were developed with two pumps per
driving axis (figure 6). Similar to a gearbox in vehicles, it is
possible to reach big forces at low speeds, as well as high
speeds at low forces. If little oil volume is required (e.g., with
dwell pressure after injection), only a small pump is required.
This is comparable to the first gear of a car when starting on a
hill. If higher speeds are necessary, the big pump is used (i.e.,
for injection). If fast movements are needed with low hydrauFigure 3 - variable capacity pump with
variable speed drive

Figure 4 - fixed displacement pump with

servo-drive, conventional technology

Figure 2 - variable capacity pump

18

Figure 5 - fixed displacement pump with

servo-drive, Desma ServoGear solution

RUBBER WORLD

Figure 6 - ServoGear hydraulics for

two axes

lic pressure (i.e., in case of mold movements), both pumps can

be used in conjunction to provide the necessary volume and
pressure. This way, the drives are optimally used without the
risk of overload (high torque at low speed).
If simultaneous hydraulic movements are required, an
additional axis is provided with a servo-drive with two
pumps.
Heating
Heating of mold plates with electrical cartridge heaters is the
biggest energy consumer of an elastomer injection molding
machine. Peak demand of these heaters takes place during the
initial mold heat-up phase. This occurs from ambient temperature to the desired molding temperature. Once the mold has
reached the proper temperature, typically only 20 to 30% of
the heater's capacity is needed to maintain temperature.
To reduce energy use, special insulating material between
the electrical heating platen and clamping unit is commonly
utilized. Furthermore, insulation applied to the outside of the
heating platens and molds can reduce energy consumption
while simultaneously improving the temperature distribution
of the tool. Insulation applied to the outside of the molds,
however, can be easily damaged and problematic during the
cleaning of these molds.
Fluid temperature control units
for injection unit components
It is common on rubber or silicone injection molding machines
to utilize stand-alone temperature control units that heat or
cool fluid media (figure 7). These units have several consumers of electrical energy; an electrical drive consisting of motor
and pump, plus electrical heating or cooling elements for the
fluid medium.

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The electrical heating and cooling elements in these fluid

temperature control units are typically operated at full capacity
only before or after production. During the production cycle,
desired temperatures can be maintained with only 15-25% of
the maximum heating capacity. This is to facilitate start-up to
achieve proper processing temperatures or to shut down production and bring system temperatures down to an acceptable
level. Since heating and cooling times do not take too long, a
measurable reduction in energy consumption in this area is not
reasonable.
Fluid temperature control units for
cold runner technology
The temperature control needs of cold runner manifolds require a different approach. Normally, water temperature control units are used for cold runners. After reaching constant
operating conditions, the heating or cooling energy required to
maintain these temperatures is minimal. Pump efficiency and
a good flow rate are very important. Instead of reducing the
driving capacity, it is more advisable to use a pump with a high
degree of efficiency. Internal testing has shown a distinct difference in cold runner manifold performance even when using
a pump with an output of 8 liters/minute (2 gpm) compared to
a pump with an output of 15 liters/minute (4 gpm) of flow
volume.
Energy management
The total connected load of an elastomer molding machine
should be monitored and managed. Overall energy costs can
be decreased by reducing the peak energy consumption during
peak demand times. An advanced control system allows you
to understand the electrical use and requirements of the press
and manage accordingly. Utility costs during peak load vs. off
hours can be significantly different. The tools available on the
Desma modern control systems provide the necessary data to
make for informed decisions (table 1).
Figure 7 - basic fluid temperature control
unit
10 1 = Pump
2 = Valve cooling
3 = Heating
11 4 = Heat exchanger
5 = Level switch
6 = Thermostat
12 7 = Filling nozzle
8 = Overflow
9 = Outlet nozzle
13 10 = Machine
11 = Cooling water
8 12 = Cooling water
13 = Machine

2
1
5

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Figure 8 - open nozzle cold runner

Table 1 - Desma control system screen data

showing energy consumption monitor
Output quantity
Number of cavities
Cycle time
Production period (h)
Cycles per hour
Injection counter
Shift counter
Cycles per shift
Energy consumption
Last shot

Material savings
A significant saving in costs and energy can be achieved by the
economical use of raw material. Independent studies indicate
that between 15 and 35 kWh of energy are required to produce
1 kg (approximately 2.2 lbs.) of raw material. Considering this
fact, from an environmental standpoint alone, it quickly becomes clear the enormous savings potential in the efficient use
of materials in injection molding.
As the main part of waste (and thus the waste of material)
arises from the vulcanized runners in the mold, it becomes
obvious that the advantages of cold runner technology should
be considered for most molding applications. Independent
from material savings, the machine and mold configuration
can also be simplified.
First lets define a cold runner system. A cold runner, for
silicone or rubber molding, is a temperated manifold that
mounts between the injection unit and the mold cavity plates.
The manifold has precision machined channels that distribute
unvulcanized rubber to coordinates below or above the mold.
During the process cycle, rubber is injected into these channels
and is maintained at a below vulcanization process specific
temperature. This is achieved by the use of fluid temperature
control units (reference above section) circulating media
throughout the manifold. Injection pressure from the injection
unit forces the elastomer through the manifold and then into
the tooling. The compound that remains unvulcanized per
cycle, compared to a vulcanized runner distribution system,
Figure 9 - direct injection with
FlowControl CRB

20

pcs
pcs
s
pcs
pcs
pcs
[kWh]
[kWh]

Set
1,000
1
300
0:0

Act
107

0
22:21
12
1,000
107
Off
16
16
314,426.13
2.50

equates to the net raw material savings.

There are several cold runner technologies for rubber and
silicone molding. A few examples are open nozzle and valve
gate cold runner design.
The open nozzle design has passageways between the temperated manifold and the mold (figure 8).
A valve gate design has mechanical actuators at each interface between the mold and the temperated manifold. These
valves open and close and allow for a complete and defined
break point between the mold and the cold runner. Figure 9 is
an example of the Desma FlowControl valve gate cold runner.
The notable feature of the valve gate cold runner vs. the open
nozzle cold runner design is the fact that the valve gate design
offers the potential to achieve zero waste via direct gating on
the article.
Process optimization and cure time reduction
An optimal molding process can be achieved by using an accurate machine with a flexible control system and by correctly
setting the process parameters. Properly sized injection units,
heating platens and fluid temperature control units play a large
role in defining an efficient molding process. Once defined,
adjustments in process should only be made to account for
unavoidable fluctuations in raw material, or minor process
adjustments.
Cure time calculators are available to further define the
exact vulcanization time for a specific articles cross-section
based on each specific compound. In addition, process optimization systems help the molder find the optimal operating parameters of the rubber injection molding machine. As machine
output is increased, material and energy consumption per
molded article is reduced.
Particularly, thick-walled articles realize the benefit by increasing mechanical energy (shear heat) applied to the elastomer during the delivery of the compound into the mold. Basically by accelerating the start of the cure cycle, one can
achieve a corresponding reduction in cycle time. The use of
the FlowControl+ technology can help reduce cure time.
The basis for the function of the FlowControl+ nozzle is
shown in figure 10.
The FlowControl+ nozzle is attached to the injection unit
vs. a basic open or standard nozzle. The FlowControl+ has
the ability to dynamically open, close or adjust the orifice di-

RUBBER WORLD

Figure 10 - FlowControl+ image

Figure 11 - Desma 968.400 ZO B750 (S3)

ameter at the interface of the mold. This adjustability creates

process possibilities by varying the viscosity of the elastomer
during the filling process and increasing frictional heat.
For example, at the beginning of the injection phase it is
possible to inject a slightly colder compound while the nozzle
is fully opened (orifice diameter large) and then reduce the
nozzle opening to heat the compound. During the final phase
of injection, the orifice can then be adjusted back to the fully
open position, if required.
On a rubber injection molding machine with a FlowControl+ nozzle, the vulcanization times can be reduced considerably. As a result, the savings during the cure cycle compared

to an open nozzle can equate to a 20% to 70% reduction. The

exact savings, however, depend on article geometry, the compound (i.e., can the compound handle the excessive shear heat
at the nozzle?), and the physical and dynamic requirements on
the molded part. In certain cases, the amortization of the investment costs for the FlowControl+ can be less than one
year.
The Desma 968.400 ZO Benchmark 750 S3 (figure 11),
presented during the K 2010 in Dsseldorf, Germany, included
many of the above features. This machine will also be on display at the Cleveland 2011 Rubber Expo, October 11-13.

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