����ý

When Stefan Filthaus wanted a demonstration of Wittmann Battenfeld’s iMAGOxt cloud-based energy management software, he literally needed to just cross the street. Wittmann’s German technical center in Meinerzhagen sits one minute by car or foot, according to Google Maps, and just 60 meters up (and across) the Werner-Battenfeld Strasse from Filthaus’ eponymously named company, Filthaus GmbH.

Stefan Filthaus (standing) shares the iMAGOxt dashboard with Wittmann’s Rainer Grießmann. Source: Wittmann

“The clarity and simple operability of the software dashboard convinced me at once,” Stefan Filthaus, managing partner at the company, says of the iMAGOxt demo delivered by his neighbor. “I could see at a single glance how the energy management system functions, and what it can achieve.”

Featured Content

How Vacuum Drying Is Revolutionizing Plastics Processing READ MORE

3 Ways to Reduce Costs in Your Plastics Process Cooling Systems READ MORE

AI-Driven Capabilities Advance Efficiency and Quality in Your Molding Environment READ MORE

In ����ý for more than 30 years with 26 injection molding machines under its roof, Filthaus’ primary markets are split roughly between packaging and technical parts. Packaging products include screw-top and slide-fit containers with matching lids, as well as double-walled jars and measuring scoops for food products, cosmetics and chemicals. Polypropylene (PP) is the primary material, along with some biobased plastics and in-house recycling of production scrap.

The technical parts division servers a variety of industries, including medical technology and health care, as well as the building and furniture industries. For this ����ý, more than 100 different types of plastic are being processed, including some in multicomponent molding.

Filthaus estimates that on average energy consumption accounts for 20% of the company’s total unit costs. In addition to being a key internal efficiency indicator to track, Federico Colombo, in sales for the Wittmann Digital division that markets iMAGOxt, says transparency into the company’s energy usage is a “marketable asset” overall, and in some cases, a prerequisite for winning and keeping ����ý. “iMAGOxt is a perfect decision-making guide for actions to reduce energy consumption and CO₂ footprint,” Colombo says, noting that Filthaus’ customer base includes several major corporations that require all their suppliers to provide the CO₂ footprints of products delivered.

In addition to the software, iMAGOxt includes current-measurement sensors, which send their readings to the cloud-based platform. These sensors are installed on the individual pieces of equipment that will have energy consumption measured, and they can do so whether the presses and auxiliaries are from the Wittmann Group or another supplier. In addition, energy consumption data can be output for complete production cells vs. individual pieces of equipment. Wittmann notes that iMAGOxt works with customers to determine where measurement will be most effective in reaching individual goals.

Filthaus decided to treat each injection molding production cell as a separate unit since the calculation of the product carbon footprint must be based on the total consumption of the cell.

In addition to the injection molding cells, two cooling systems and two large air compressors were integrated into the energy-monitoring system, with the main connection also defined as a separate measurement point. In all, Filthaus and Wittmann set up 30 individual measuring points for power consumption. The software visualizes the individual consumption figures in either kilowatt hours or tons of CO₂ emissions, providing these per kilogram of material processed in both cases. Filthaus, which installed a photovoltaic system in 2024, says these values are invariably lower on days with strong sunlight. The web-based software allows all the data to be retrieved via cellphone or any other online device without the need for a separate app.

Providing real-time visualizations also makes Filthaus’ employees more cognizant of energy usage. “Are there any temperature controllers or conveyor belts switched on although they are not needed at present? Has someone forgotten to switch off the light? The evaluations delivered by iMAGOxt reveal that even small actions contribute substantially to overall efficiency,” says Filthaus.

After spiking in July 2022 in response to the Russia/Ukraine conflict, industrial electricity prices in Germany have been declining but remain higher than the EU as a whole. “To remain competitive, we must compensate for rising energy prices by reducing our energy consumption,” Filthaus says. “With iMAGOxt, we are now able to carry out more precise financial evaluations of each production process.”

These injection molded containers and lids are examples of the types of packaging Filthaus supplies. Source: Filthaus