Utilities are part of the machine selection. A former that is correct on cavities will still stall if air pressure falls mid-shift or the transformer was sized to the brochure photo.
Read these cells on the cup-machine page
| Family | Air | Nameplate power | Supply |
|---|---|---|---|
| FS full servo | 2.5–4.0 m³/min | 95–120 kW | 380V / 50Hz / 3P |
| HSS | 2.5–4.0 m³/min | 80–105 kW | 380V / 50Hz / 3P |
| LS hydraulic | 2.5–4.0 m³/min | 65–90 kW | 380V / 50Hz / 3P |
Heaters are often 60–70% of kWh. The nameplate is the connection size, not the average bill. A 100 kW hydraulic press that averages ~55 kW is still a 100 kW feeder design. Put the compressor and dryer on the forming loop, and a separate chiller on the mold. Hall air-conditioning is not process water.
Worked check — one FS plus a sheet line
Budget the former at the top of 4.0 m³/min if you also run a stacker from the same header. Add the extruder’s own air users instead of hoping the cup-machine cell covers them. If the site is 60Hz, say so on the quote form before motors are ordered. Rewinding after shipment is not a 35-day fix.
What fails in the first month
- Pressure gauge at the compressor reads 0.8 MPa while the former sees 0.5 MPa through a long, undersized pipe.
- No dryer, so water marks PET cups and rusts valves.
- One transformer shared with an older hydraulic press that starts at the same minute.
Utility data we need
- Voltage, frequency, and available kVA
- Existing compressor flow and whether it is dried
- Distance from compressor to the former
- Chiller tons already installed, and water temperature
- Other machines that start on the same feeder
Frequently asked questions
Is 2.5 m³/min enough for every cup machine?
It is the low end of the 2.5–4.0 m³/min band on our cup-machine pages. Deep multi-cavity tools and a stacker on the same header need the high end, measured at the machine not at the compressor outlet.
Does full servo remove the air compressor?
No. Servo replaces hydraulic drive power. Forming air, clamping, and part blow-off still use compressed air.
What supply should the building have?
380V / 50Hz / three-phase is standard. 60Hz and other voltages are built to order. Tell us the real voltage before the motor is wound.
Can one compressor feed the extruder and the former?
Only if the dryer and receiver cover the former’s 2.5–4.0 m³/min while the extruder and packer are also blowing. Do not add the nameplate flows and then buy 70% of that.