WEG’s Hydraulic Units Offer Energy-Reducing Power Solution

As manufacturing professionals can tell you, hydraulic-powered equipment actually requires a certain amount of electrical energy to run. The electric motor helps circulate the hydraulic fluid. When the equipment does not need to move, the electric motor keeps circulating the fluid at rated speeds. This causes excessive wear and tear on the motor and can heat the hydraulic fluid up.

The Solution

WEG has developed energy-reducing power solutions for hydraulic equipment. This solution involves adjusting the speed of the electric motor depending on its state of operation. It speeds up when the hydraulic fluid is needed to move the equipment. When the equipment is not moving, the electric motor throttles back to a lower speed. The hydraulic fluid keeps moving, but also at a lower speed. This maintains the state of readiness without running the motor and hydraulic fluid at the same rate of speed.

Its Benefits

One of the hallmarks of this solution is its energy efficiency. When a part needs to be changed or a truck leaves a dumper, there is no need for the motor to run at full speed. Instead, it idles back, saving electricity. In many applications, this can save a large percentage of electrical cost as well as wear and tear on the motor and equipment.

Another benefit of this solution is the ease of installation and no need to replace the motor or starter. This solution can be retrofitted on existing equipment with little effort. With limited changes to the equipment, it is a cost-effective solution that saves money on every operating cycle.

An Example

A good example of how this energy efficient solution works is when it is applied to an injection molding machine. An engineer applies WEG‘s exclusive software application to the PLC of the variable speed drive. The software regulates the speed of the motor via the PLC. It can vary the speed depending on what the equipment is doing such as opening, closing, injecting, cooling and dosing. Power savings happen on almost every cycle with this solution.

If WEG’s new energy-reducing solution applies to one of your problems, contact us today! We look forward to speaking with you about your power needs.