Process Energy:

Monitoring process energy is a simple non-intrusive method of characterising a process. Power consumption is sometimes measured in manufacturing production to gauge average consumption levels per unit mass of polymer (which can also be a useful warning of excessive work being done on the polymer), but energy monitoring is rarely used at high frequency where useful process-relevant data can be obtained. Power consumption at frequencies of up to 50Hz can be measured using portable commercially available equipment. This is of particular use in injection moulding where the individual phases of each moulding cycle can be monitored.

Process energy - low and high sampling frequency - is of interest to processors and raw materials/compound companies, and technology suppliers - this entirely non-invasive technique can provide overall energy efficiency monitoring (for the various components of the process technology such as heater and drive systems) providing incremental or cumulative power usage (hence costs/ efficiency measures, together with energy comparisons between different processes and materials), or, at high sampling frequencies, measurements equivalent to pressure and screw displacement sensors, potentially overlapping with in-process rheometry process assessments, including process repeatability monitoring.

Task 5 will utilise process energy to compare:

1. Novel, high added value injection moulding processes gas and water assisted injection moulding to conventional injection moulding.
2. Novel methods of mould temperature control such as conformal cooling channel design to conventional mould cooling strategies.