Accumulators have many applications. In the manufacturing industry, they can help make production more efficient.
In this case study, a series of custom accumulator stands with valving were designed and built. Each stand has a 2.5 gal and 5 gal accumulator and a valve manifold with a D08 and a D03 valve on top.
The customer, currently, operates presses that each have their own 100-gallon reservoir with 5Hp electric motor, pump, and valves. Each press uses low pressure for rapid advance and rapid return along with high pressure for the clamping/pressing function. The presses have a cycle time that is 20% motion and 80% clamping – while the mold is filled and for cure time within the mold.
The goal is to make the hydraulics as efficient as possible and eliminate excess heat and energy consumption. There is now one reservoir, a 10Hp motor & pump for 6 presses, though each press has an accumulator and valve stand. The larger accumulators store the low-pressure oil and the smaller accumulators store the higher pressure oil. This will eliminate a tremendous amount of heat currently generated by the current systems as well as operate on about 1/3 of the electrical energy of the current systems combined and uses 15% of the oil volume.
Accumulators can store energy and make machines more efficient, especially, when the machine only uses hydraulics for a percentage of its cycle time.
