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Building off its condition monitoring system (CMS) introduced at K 2016, Wittmann Battenfeld introduced the Health Factor capability, which indicates the health status of the main hydraulic units, from which the condition of the pumps can be deduced.

In an injection molding machine, the clamping unit, ejector, injection unit, and the injection and metering systems are driven by the main hydraulic units, which are in turn powered by the servo-pumps, making them key to consistent, quality production.  

Health Factor uses internal real-time process parameters of the drivetrain, as well as historical trend values, to determine status and performance. Wittmann notes that if the performance indicator falls for a single unit, that means that only that unit is showing wear. If, however, the performance indicators decrease for all units, that indicates a general pump or wear issue.

In addition to allowing repair and maintenance work to be planned more effectively, Health Factor lets molders sharpen their focus to a specific unit or pump. The operator can also order any required parts and schedule downtime in a way that minimizes production disruption.

When announced at K 2016, the full CMS suite monitored the drive function of the hydraulic system, including vibrations in the pump drive, power usage and system pressure. In servo-hydraulic machines, CMS diagnoses oil quality on the basis of temperature, particulate presence and water content. In all-electric machines, it assesses the quality of the gear oil.