Case Study
Optidrive 'blows' away the competition
Problem
Large and heavy hydraulic pumps requiring regular servicing were powering extrusion screws on SMC blow moulding machines.
Solution
The company wanted to replace the pumps with an electric motor and drive solution. This resulted in a more reliable solution that was also compact, lightweight and required no maintenance.
SMC CORPORATION
Prior to specifying Optidrive, the SMC blow moulding machines featured an extrusion screw powered by a hydraulic pump. Whilst this proven technique was very reliable, it was large, extremely heavy and required regular servicing.
Accordingly, SMC Corporation were looking to replace the hydraulic pump with an electric motor and drive solution that would maintain excellent reliability whilst being compact, lightweight and require no maintenance.
SMC Corporation already had an established relationship with Xcel Drives, the Invertek distributor in Thailand, and had been using the Optidrive Size 1 on all of their conveyor systems for over 12 months with no problems. This proven reliability, the easy to use interface and ability to provide worldwide support for the Optidrive, were key factors in securing the business for Invertek Drives.
Optidrive is now used, in power outputs ranging from 15kW to 90kW, on all of the 150 plastic blow moulding machines that SMC Corporation export around the world each year.
