Energy saving tools reduce production costs

Echternach, Luxembourg - FANUC will exhibit new and existing energy saving tools which can help manufacturing companies significantly reduce their energy consumption costs during production.

The need for energy-saving products has long been a theme for FANUC, especially as energy prices in Japan, where FANUC is based, have been significantly higher than the rest of the world for a long time. The company has always been aware of the importance of saving energy in order for their products to be successful. The FANUC servo motors boast almost 100% efficiency and drive controllers between 98% and 99% efficiency. FANUC servo amplifiers are very compact and need low amounts of cooling in the control cabinet. They also offer highly efficient control of the spindle motor. It is important though to specify the correct drive models as over-size ones will be less efficient, producing too much heat. Local FANUC engineers can be called on for help in this specification.

FANUC is introducing additional energy saving technology at EMO. A new Energy Monitoring Function provides a CNC screen of data showing, for all axes, instantaneous and total energy consumption and total energy regenerated during machining, enabling optimal setting of the axes.

FANUC will also introduce new large spindle motors and large servo motors at EMO which are suitable for large machine tools, large presses and injection moulding machines. High energy is required for acceleration, which is released again during deceleration. Energy Charge modules are available for large machines like these, integrated into the intermediate DC circuit between the power supply and servo amplifier. They absorb the energy released during braking, instead of allowing it to flow directly back into the mains, and make it available again to the servo motors for the acceleration process.