Chris Butler, Divisional Engineering Manager at Essentra Components, discusses the success behind Essentra’s hydraulic machine replacement programme.
Essentra Components has begun phase two of its hydraulic injection moulding machine replacement programme after 2021’s first phase saw 21 new machines installed across EMEA, US and APAC.
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Essentra goes electric
The second phase is expected to see 20 new electric injection moulding machines installed throughout 2022. 39 hydraulic machines have been replaced to date, either at the end or final stages of their lifecycle. These machines will continue to create Essentra’s range of plastic-based components using materials such as LDPE, HDPE, Nylon, TPE and EPDM.
The new machines are producing an Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) of 70-80% with run-time increasing by 50 per cent. In fact, across nine measured metrics (including efficiency, productivity and energy savings) all benchmarks have improved since the start of the replacement programme.
With the initial goal to replace its entire portfolio with a more energy-efficient fleet by 2031, Essentra now expects the overhaul to be completed closer to 2028.
The new machines are proving their worth with energy savings cycle-to-cycle being reported of between 21 per cent and 31 per cent across the four sites in the UK, Brazil, the US and China. The changes have resulted in an average CO2 reduction per machine of 2.41 tonnes, which equates to roughly 45 tonnes per year in total.
Due to global logistical challenges, Essentra expects the newer machines to be in place by June of this year. These new machines, some already in development and some yet to be ordered, will be replacing machines across the UK, the US and Spain. Phase three is scheduled for June this year in order to counteract possible future lead time extensions and mitigate any potential disruptions in deliveries and installations.
Essentra has managed to deliver seven more machines than originally budgeted for, and is beginning to see the benefits in reduced energy consumption, improved quality performance and reduction in cycle times. With the benefits being felt across the entire business, the components manufacturer has prioritised and increased the original scope to reduce its original timeline by two years. Whilst this is ambitious, the reduction of carbon emissions is a key focus for the business and indeed the sector.
The original budget for the second phase has been increased by £500,000 to meet the growing demands of the business and the need for new equipment.
In total, Essentra expects to invest close to £7m on the initial three phases, with a further £10m to be invested over a ten-year period.