Higher Efficiency and Temperatures in TCUs
At Fakuma, Wittmann’s temperature control unit (TCU) displays featured a prototype Tempro capable of achieving 200°C (392°F) in process temperature and the application of EcoDrive motors.
The Wittmann Group’s emphasis on energy-efficient auxiliary equipment at Fakuma was made evident by its showcasing of vacuum pumps, dryers and temperature control units (TCUs) featuring variable-speed EcoDrive technology.
The company’s display included a prototype Tempro Plus D200 capable of achieving 200°C (392°F) of process temperature. The latest development in the Tempro Plus D series features stainless steel design, a microfilter, an EcoDrive pump and Wittmann 4.0, the company’s Industry 4.0 offering.
An additional display featured a Tempro plus D L120 paired with the company’s WFC 120 digital water flow controller for molds. Targeting larger tools, the system features a 4-kW EcoDrive pump, with a flow rate of more than 200 L/min. Introduced in 2021, the Tempro plus D L120 targets larger molds with high heating capacity and large flow rates in the cooling channels.
Featuring a maximum heating capacity of 36 kW, the Tempro plus D L120 makes fast heating after a mold change possible. To achieve rapid cooling, the Tempro plus D L120 is optionally equipped with a frequency-controlled pump. Known as the SpeedDrive pump, this system has an output of 4 kW and can handle a maximum flow rate of 300 L/min, while generating maximum pressure of 5 Bar (approximately 72 psi). The system enables users to set parameters — including motor speed, flow rate, pump pressure and differential temperature — with the automatic adjustment of parameter settings within tolerances.
Wittman says it developed this TCU in response to the market’s desire for fast heating of large molds. What is heated quickly must also be rapidly cooled, and Wittmann says it achieves that through a direct-cooling system. This TCU utilizes a ¾-in. proportional cooling valve with a flow rate coefficient of 100 L/min, instead of conventional magnet-cooling valves. The proportional valve applies a step motor to continuously open and close the valve sequentially, which helps maintain constant temperature control. As an example of its cooling performance, Wittmann says the Tempro plus D L120 can achieve a differential temperature of 60°C (140°F) between the mold water and cooling water, thanks to a cooling performance of 175 kW. An optional stainless-steel, vortex-flow measurement device is available for the TCU, with a measurement range from 20 to 400 L/min.
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