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According to Michelle Ruiz, field engineer for ExxonMobil Fuels & Lubricants, Spring, Tex., Mobil DTE 10 Excel is a zinc-free, highly refined mineral oil with a low traction coefficient and shear-stable, high VI that allows it to run cooler and more efficiently than standard hydraulic fluids. It is formulated to provide both reduced internal friction among the oil molecules and less variation in viscosity with temperature. In other words, it flows easier at lower tempera- tures, such as at machine startup, and "thins out" less at elevated temperatures, as when the oil warms up during continued press operation. She adds, "It is designed for a balance of mechanical efficiency—maximum pump rota- tions from energy input—and volumetric effi- ciency—maximum fluid transferred from energy input—which tend to counteract each other but can be balanced by reducing internal leakage. That translates into up to 6% greater pump efficiency, in controlled bench testing with a typical vane pump, than with ExxonMobil's Mobil DTE 20 series oils. Ruiz notes that Mobil DTE 10 Excel is also designed for long oil- and filter-change intervals, to keep systems running clean up to three times longer than conventional mineral-based oils. TESTING AT MOLDERS EVCO Plastics, DeForest, Wis., is a $150 million custom injection molder with over 1200 employees and 170 machines at nine plants in the U.S., Mexico, and China. It has pursued energy-saving projects such as more efficient LED lighting and a new air-handling system. The company has even considered solar panels. As explained by Bernie Degenhardt, automation and maintenance manager, discus- sions with EVCO president Dale Evans raised the question of why the firm couldn't look for savings at the most basic level of its operations, such as the hydraulic oil that powers most of its machines. Injection molders and other plastics processors may think of hydraulic oil (when they think of it at all) as a necessary evil rather than a resource for improving their manufacturing efficiency. Perhaps they should think again. Experience at one prominent molder indicates that a premium shear-stable, high-viscosity- index (VI) hydraulic oil can be well worth the additional cost in energy savings and reduced downtime for oil changes and valve maintenance. And it can make machines run quieter, to boot. A NEW WAY TO SAVE ENERGY Mobil DTE 10 Excel is a family of premium hydraulic oils that has been used for over 10 years in high-load applications such as large foundry presses and off-highway vehicles. However, 2017 marked its debut as a certified source of energy savings, having been tested at eight U.S. injection molders and one metalworking machine shop). By Matt Naitove Executive Editor Comparison of high-efficiency Mobil DTE-10 Excel hydraulic oil with Mobil DTE-20 series oil, showing energy savings during mold filling and screw recovery. Switching Hydraulic Oil Saves Energy & Machine Downtime Test at leading molder shows a high-viscosity, zinc-free oil improves pump efficiency and runs longer, cleaner, and quieter. This 300-ton 1996 toggle press was tested with the new oil in an environmentally controlled lab where the machine's power factor is isolated from that of other equipment. Cycle Phases (1) Eject Parts (2) Clamp Close (3) Tonnage Lock-Up (4) Injection Velocity (5) Screw Recovery (6) Cooling Time (7) Decompress (8) Clamp Open Injection Molding Cycle Power, kW 200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 2.2% Continuous Operation Energy Savings DTE 10 Excel 46 DTE 25 Cycle Sequence = 37.4 seconds (1) (2) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) Energy Savings 3.6% Energy Savings 4.1% (3) 24 JANUARY 2018 Plastics Technology PTonline.com H Y D R A U L I C O I L Close -Up On Technolog y