Thermoplastic overmolding of metal inserts is an energy-intensive process due to plastic melting and the high pressures involved. As part of the master's thesis, the thermoplastic overmolding cycle is presented, including a detailed description of all phases within the cycle. The sources of electrical energy consumption are identified from the perspective of machine equipment and process parameters. A review of the scientific literature is used to identify the effects of process parameters on the electrical energy consumption of the injection molding machine. Based on key performance indicators, a set of influential process parameters is selected for practical investigation. The methodological section of the thesis presents the equipment used for energy measurement and the procedure for processing output data for the analysis of specific electrical energy consumption. Parameter presets aimed at reducing energy consumption and cycle time are implemented. Energy consumption measurements are conducted, along with an analysis of parameter influences using the Design of Experiments (DoE) method, enabling an assessment of the potential of process parameter optimization for reducing energy consumption. The potential savings are evaluated for a specific machine as well as for the company’s overall production.
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