10/30/2025

How modern temperature control technology reliably increases energy efficiency - and pays for itself within the first few years thanks to the targeted use of technology.

The seamless integration of temperature control units into higher-level systems is becoming an increasingly important aspect. Thermo-6 units are equipped as standard with an OPC UA interface, enabling simple, fast, and reliable communication as well as the increasingly important exchange of data with other systems. (Image: Thermo-6 Interface)
In addition to OPC UA, the Series 6 also supports all common interfaces such as digital interfaces, CAN, and Profibus. This allows customers to optimally adapt the temperature control units to their individual requirements.

Challenges when implementing energy-efficient solutions in the temperature control process 

Unnecessarily high flow rates can be avoided by determining an optimum operating point for the respective process. This also reduces energy waste and maximises efficiency while maintaining process quality.
Energy-efficient temperature control is achieved through the interaction of an efficient temperature control unit and an optimally designed system, including the injection mould. In addition to the choice of hydraulic connection - serial or parallel, whereby flow meters are used in parallel circuits to maximise process reliability - this also includes other important factors such as connection length, line diameter and their insulation.
Essentially, it is about the pressure drop - one of the decisive factors for energy-efficient temperature control. If the pressure drop is reduced, the pump has to overcome less hydraulic resistance, thus requiring less power and saving energy.
While the pressure drop changes linearly with the pipe length - i.e. double the length = double the resistance - the situation is much more extreme with the pipe diameter. The so-called 4th power rule applies here. This means that the pressure loss is inversely proportional to the fourth power of the internal diameter. In concrete terms, this means that if the internal diameter of a hydraulic line is doubled from 5 mm to 10 mm, the flow resistance drops by a factor of 16 - i.e. to just 6.25 % of the original value.

Thermo-6 - developed for maximum efficiency 

In order to realise maximum efficiency at unit level too, HB-Therm has consistently implemented these physical principles in the Series 6. What applies in theory - such as the influence of pressure loss and flow behaviour - has been implemented in to the unit in order to measurably increase efficiency and effectiveness during operation. 
The following technologies have been specifically implemented:

• Tankless hydraulics: With a circulation volume of just 1.4 litres, this results in low water and energy consumption. (Image Thermo-6 Hydraulic)
• Control accuracy: Thanks to the low circulation volume, the control is particularly agile, which means that the temperature can be reached and reliably stabilised more quickly and efficiently when the setpoint is changed. 
• Control speed: The ultrasonic flow meters detect even the smallest changes almost instantaneously, allowing the control system to react immediately, effectively compensate for fluctuations and ensure a high level of process reliability - backed by a lifetime guarantee.
• Resistance-optimised hydraulics: The pressure losses inside the unit have been reduced to a minimum thanks to a targeted unit design - including generous, even cross-sections, smooth transitions and the consistent use of radii instead of sharp edges throughout the hydraulics.
  The result is significantly higher efficiency, a lower pump speed and noticeably reduced energy consumption.
• Direct-Drive pumps: For applications up to 100 °C, the use of "Direct-Drive" pumps avoids eddy current losses. The result: an additional 20 % lower energy consumption compared to already energy-efficient speed-controlled pumps. (Image Proven Technology)
• Indirect heating: The forced flow ensures efficient and controlled heat transfer with precise temperature control, particularly due to the low mass. The optimised heating concept minimises energy losses and maximises reliability - backed by a unique lifetime guarantee.
• Optimised heat concept: Optimum insulation of the unit keeps the heat energy inside it and reduces power loss. In addition, the more ventilation slots a unit has, the greater the waste heat or power loss. (Image Thermo-6 size61/62)
  This means that the temperature control process requires less pump energy, the water and heating energy requirement is significantly reduced and at the same time less energy is required for temperature control.

Optimising energy consumption in injection moulding 

Automation and smart control systems for process optimisation offer the opportunity to simplify even complex processes in an energy-efficient manner and to monitor and intelligently evaluate data. The use of such automated solutions is becoming increasingly important, especially in times of a shortage of skilled workers and advancing digitalisation. Temperature control units will be increasingly closely connected to the production system, whether for information exchange, data acquisition or other processes - a development that is already becoming apparent among leading solution providers.
At HB-Therm, smart controls with intuitive control panels and automated solutions are part of the basic equipment - at no additional cost. (Image Energy-Control) These systems not only offer dynamic adjustment of the temperature control performance or greater safety, but also continuous data recording and monitoring to optimise energy consumption. 
A central element of energy-efficient temperature control is finding the optimum operating point, i.e. the precise control and adjustment of the pump characteristic curve. A speed-controlled pump is used to achieve the desired flow rate while minimising energy consumption. The "Energy-Control Assistant" enables the activation of preset eco modes in order to minimise the energy consumption of the units by automatically determining the optimum operating point. 
The following pump operating modes are available: 

• with automatic monitoring stage 
• with constant pump speed 
• with constant flow rate 
• with constant temperature difference

Role of continuous monitoring of the temperature control process for energy efficiency 

Continuous monitoring of temperature control processes is a key factor in increasing energy efficiency. It enables the continuous monitoring of relevant parameters such as temperature, flow rate, pressure and other process-critical variables. By analysing this data, adjustments can be made in real time to continuously optimise the use of energy with maximum process reliability. (Image Data Recording)
In energy-efficient operating modes, such as with a constant temperature difference (Delta-T control) or constant flow rate, precise monitoring is crucial in order to approach the optimum operating point with sufficient tolerance. The high-precision ultrasonic flow meters help to quickly recognise changes and thus reliably contribute to compliance with the set parameters. 
HB-Therm has integrated various monitoring levels into its units, which can be flexibly adapted to the respective process requirements - from coarse to medium to ultra-fine monitoring. These graduated setting options ensure that deviations are recognised and corrected at an early stage before process reliability is impaired. In addition, hose rupture detection helps to prevent devastating consequences at an early stage in the event of an emergency by actively monitoring relevant data. (Monitoring image)
A lack of monitoring inevitably leads to rejects - one of the most costly forms of energy wastage. Rejects not only mean increased material and time expenditure, but also unnecessary energy consumption.

Technology as the key to greater overall efficiency 

The latest generation of Thermo-6 temperature control units has been specially designed to minimise energy losses and achieve maximum energy efficiency.
The increase in energy efficiency is achieved, for example, through the standard integration of speed-controlled pumps in combination with the "Energy Control" software assistant. This helps to find the optimum operating point for each application. 
Standard pumps with a fixed standard speed are no longer used at HB-Therm - and for good reason: they are consistently inefficient and no longer meet today's requirements for efficiency, process stability and flexibility.
The requirements vary from process to process and cannot be met with a fixed speed. Each application has individual requirements in terms of flow rate, temperature control and control behaviour. The use of standard solutions therefore inevitably leads to increased energy consumption, higher wear and limited flexibility. If you consider the entire life cycle of temperature control units over more than ten years, these effects add up considerably - in most cases, the savings realised even significantly exceed the original investment costs. A win-win situation for customers and the environment.

Conclusion

Energy-efficient temperature control - an often underestimated factor!

Optimised temperature control processes are crucial for energy efficiency and quality assurance in injection moulding. Precisely operating, speed-controlled temperature control units with modern control technologies significantly reduce energy requirements. Seamless integration into production networks via OPC UA and smart software assistants such as "Energy-Control" enable continuous monitoring of key process parameters and automatic determination of the optimum operating point. Tankless, pressure loss-optimised hydraulics reduce energy requirements, while ultrasonic flow meters increase process reliability and indirect heating systems and optimum insulation minimise heat loss.