UK Moulder Records 24.6% Hot Runner Energy Reduction with GÜNTHER BlueFlow®

A UK-based plastics manufacturer has recorded a 24.6% reduction in total hot runner energy consumption after comparing a GÜNTHER BlueFlow® system with a competitor’s technology under like-for-like production conditions.

Putting Energy Efficiency to the Test

Energy costs remain one of the biggest ongoing pressures for injection moulders, prompting manufacturers to test suppliers’ efficiency claims on the shop floor rather than relying solely on specifications.

For the comparison, the manufacturer fitted a four-drop valve gate GÜNTHER BlueFlow® system to a mould with the same footprint as an existing tool running a competitor’s hot runner system. Both tools were used to produce identical polypropylene caps with a wall thickness of approximately 1.6 mm and a part volume of 9.46 cm³. Cycle times were 14.8 seconds.

To maintain consistent test conditions, both tools ran on the same injection moulding machines and used independent temperature controllers from the same third-party manufacturer. Barrel temperatures for both tools were set between 225°C and 210°C, while the hot runner temperatures were set at 210°C.

Each temperature controller was fitted with an energy monitor, allowing consumption to be measured directly rather than estimated. During a one-hour measurement period, the competitor’s system consumed 764 Wh, compared with 576 Wh for the GÜNTHER BlueFlow® system.

Thick-Film Heater Technology

The BlueFlow® system uses GÜNTHER’s thick-film heater technology. The thinner heater design enables improved heat transfer and reduced energy consumption through an ultra-fast thermal response. Combined with GÜNTHER’s patented bi-metallic titanium shaft technology, the nozzles are designed to provide a more even temperature profile and reduce heat loss between the hot runner and mould tool, while also supporting leak-free operation.

GÜNTHER states that its nozzles can typically deliver energy savings of up to 50% when measured in isolation. However, engineers at the moulding company wanted to assess the complete system under production conditions. The test therefore measured total hot runner energy consumption, including the manifold.

Total Consumption Reduced by 24.6%

“We wanted to see if the energy savings from the GÜNTHER BlueFlow® nozzles stacked up against the other tools we were using with a different hot runner supplier, and the tests confirmed a 24.6% reduction in total hot runner energy consumption,” said the manufacturer’s Injection Moulding Chief of Development.

“This was our first time using a GÜNTHER system, and we’ve found the valve gate design straightforward to maintain.”

GÜNTHER also provided a brief training session for the manufacturer’s in-house toolroom team. This covered how the shaft seals within the mould inserts, how valve pins can be adjusted or replaced, and how worn or damaged gates can be replaced by exchanging PM inserts.

The practical handover was intended to help the in-house team maintain the system and sustain its efficiency during production.

Measuring Performance Under Production Conditions

The results add to the comparative data available on hot runner energy consumption. As energy costs continue to rise, more moulders are assessing supplier options against measured shop-floor performance alongside the specifications provided by equipment manufacturers.

Gunther UK supplies hot runner systems to the plastics industry and has been the exclusive UK and Ireland agent for the GÜNTHER Hot Runner Technology group since 1988. The company provides technical support for injection mould tooling projects across the UK.

Manufacturers interested in comparing the performance of GÜNTHER BlueFlow® with their existing hot runner systems can contact Gunther UK to discuss their application.

Read more news from GÜNTHER here.

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