Thermo-6: Superior performance for the plastics industry
The new Series 6 unit generation from HB-Therm celebrated its premiere at Fakuma 2021 with the Thermo-6 temperature control units. The unit technology, standard equipment, energy efficiency, scope of warranty and digital services heralded a new era in temperature control technology. The success story of the Series 6 was then continued at Fakuma 2023 with the new size 62. Just one year later, at Fakuma 2024, the company will once again be presenting a more powerful version for even more demanding applications.
New expansion stage of size 62 with extensive standard equipment and lifetime guarantee on key components.
The new size impresses with higher heating, cooling and pump capacities and now covers a temperature range from 100 °C to 140 °C and 160 °C up to 180 °C. The pump capacity is up to 140 L/min, the heating capacity is 16 kW as standard and the cooling capacity is up to 120 kW @ 60 K. As with size 61, the new size 62 also utilises the familiar 4T can and synchronous pumps with their very high efficiency in the 100 °C units and the 4S pump from 140 °C upwards. The same applies to the new, more powerful 6P and 6R pumps with a flow rate of up to 140 L/min, whereby the 6P ‘Direct‑Drive’ pump also impresses with its particularly high efficiency for temperatures up to 100 °C thanks to the avoidance of eddy current losses. All pumps are frequency-controlled as standard for maximum efficiency, precision and performance. Due to their high flow rates, units with 6P and 6R pumps also use connections with larger cross-sections.
Although slightly wider in physical design, the new size 62 units are 650 millimetres less high than their Series 5 predecessors, which has a positive effect on the installation options in the area of production facilities. With their overall height, the new systems also fit very well under production systems or in the immediate production environment. The reason for the larger dimensions: The greater performance potential of size 62 in the areas of heating, cooling and pumping. Nevertheless, the full potential of this size has not yet been fully utilised. In the future, further performance classes will be targeted, which, like the current expansion of the predecessor model Thermo‑5, were only offered in size 3.
However, this does not mean that there will not be a size 63 with even higher performance for the Thermo‑6! Over time, HB‑Therm will incorporate special performance features into the standard and thus continuously develop it further.
Unique: The extended warranty
In addition to a lifetime warranty on the heater, which HB‑Therm was the only temperature control unit manufacturer in the world to offer on the previous Series 5 generation, customers of the Thermo‑6 units also benefit from a lifetime warranty on the ultrasonic flow meters. All components have been designed to be extremely robust and durable. Martin Braun, CTO of HB‑Therm, comments: "This step has been made possible by our expertise from the development of the high-temperature water units Thermo‑5 up to 230 °C!"
Building on the technology of the Thermo‑6 size 61, the size 62 units have been consistently further standardised and equipped with the familiar features such as the visual alarm via LEDs in the front base area. The low maintenance requirements also have a clearly positive effect on the maintenance of size 62.
Energy efficiency: Built-in
HB‑Therm considers the standard integration of a speed-controlled pump into the entire range of units to be an ecological commitment. With the Energy‑Control assistant, an optimum operating point can be permanently achieved even without prior knowledge. The result is up to 85 % lower power consumption. This is because a pump that does not always run at full load not only saves energy, but is also characterised by a longer service life. In addition, speed-controlled pumps can be used universally for large and small moulds, thereby reducing the variety of temperature control unit types. One unit for all tasks.
The Thermo‑6 units have a fully insulated mechanical system. The innovative hydraulic concept is equipped with various modules and simple plug-in connections and has also been optimised with sophisticated "piping". The result is not only easier handling, but also a system circuit with reduced resistance. This in turn has a positive effect on efficiency and therefore on energy efficiency and the CO2 footprint. Put simply: everything flows ideally, optimally, cleanly, undisturbed and without turbulence. You will look in vain for ventilation slots on Thermo‑6 units; no heat needs to be dissipated. Instead, the heat is kept inside, and without heat loss, energy efficiency is also much higher.
Control, analyse, manage: Everything on the large, brilliant touchscreen
One feature that immediately catches the eye is the seven‑inch touch display of the Thermo‑6. The operation is clearly modelled on modern smartphones. Operators can master the Thermo‑6 temperature control unit in no more than ten minutes. Individual settings and favourite selection modes, plain text instructions with additional QR codes, wizards for setting up the units, swiping and scrolling also make it quick and easy to find the desired operating pages on the display of the Series 6 units. Graphic and text pages make intuitive navigation easy. The expert system helps, warns, reports and thus optimises unit operation. Even complex setting procedures are very easy to handle in this way. Setters and operators can always find the exact parameter page they need quickly and with just a few clicks.
Intelligent: Networking
HB‑Therm defines digitalisation as contemporary, mobile, independent, useful and supportive. The pioneering hardware and software architecture of the Series 6 allows comprehensive access to the digital world of HB‑Therm. In addition to the standard OPC‑UA-Ethernet interface on every Thermo‑6, the digital solutions are called "Gate‑6" and "e‑cockpit".
The "Gate‑6" is an interface server that establishes the connection (gateway) to the "e‑cockpit" app and the digital services of the HB‑Therm world as well as between several Thermo‑6 and/or Thermo‑5 units and other external systems such as injection moulding machines.
The "Gate‑6" accesses the functions of the HB‑Therm Cloud via the units LAN connection. This allows the sending of analysis data, the updating of the "digital twin" in the company's "ticket" system, the generation of unit statistics and overviews as customer service, the management of a maintenance overview and the preventive maintenance of the connected units.
The "e‑cockpit" app is a mobile application for smartphones and tablets and operates in compliance with the highest security and data protection standards. Customer data is therefore always secure. "e‑cockpit" accesses a Gate‑6 and the associated temperature control units locally, but not the production machines such as injection moulding machines. It secures access to the company's "ticket" portal. Among other things, users can use this access to process error messages and warranty claims and obtain technical support. "e‑cockpit" is a centralised application that consolidates data from several "Gate‑6" interface servers and temperature control units and makes it available online. This requires a central data server and Internet access. Recorded data and settings are also only sent to HB‑Therm Support if authorised by the customer and in accordance with the highest security criteria.
Extensive standard equipment
In addition to the standard features already mentioned, the cleanroom package, an OPC‑UA interface and pump status monitoring are now also included as standard. The maintenance indicators for the components in the unit are also convenient. Depending on usage, they provide timely and targeted information about upcoming maintenance.
With its many standard features, sophisticated, durable technology and extensive digital features, the new Series 6 sets standards for the industry. The company is continuing this success story with the planned performance expansion of size 62 for Fakuma 2024. HB‑Therm is thus continuing on its path of making good things "just better".
Find out more at Fakuma 2024.
