Extrusion International 4-2023

37 Extrusion International 4/2023 Energy Efficiency such as an Engine Development One of Moretto's strategic devel- opment drivers is energy efficiency guaranteed through its products. A long journey in which the aware- ness of customer needs, the compa- ny's commitment and the develop- ment of the necessary technology have combined perfectly to create a virtuous path that has led to innova- tive solutions, in line with the needs of the current economic context. The manufacturing industry sec- tor has among its highest costs the electricity, and equipping itself with solutions capable of significantly reducing these costs is an indispens- able competitive advantage. The OTX hopper is the result of sophisticated mathematical simula- tions that allows the analysis of the geometry, fluid dynamics, thermo - dynamics and material flow of the plastic granule with the support of the super computer Leonardo, an exceptional computer capable of 22 trillion operations per second. OTX ensures a regular material flow, guaranteeing correct drying of each individual granule being processed. In addition, the optimisation of the process parameters has enabled the hopper size, technological airflow and treatment time to be reduced by 40% for the same hourly output. The reduction of hopper size has been possible by the energy efficiency of OTX, which improved by 66% at the same production capacity. Because OTX is not a simple hopper but a con- centrate of 7 patents that ensures a perfect execution of the drying pro- cess with full control of all working parameters. OTX can be considered a 'Hopper Machine' in its own right by virtue of its features. The use of a smaller hopper allows the application of a smaller dryer. Moretto has developed the HYPER FLOW turbo project capable of gen- erating up to 2,400 mc/h of techno- logical air with the aim of creating a machine capable of using as little en- ergy as possible. As an example, the HYPER FLOWversion, available on 17 models, is a revolution of dryer proj- ect on the 800 series and the entire X Dryer 20 series range. A 1,200 mc/h generator with side channel pumps in continuous operation consumes 16.5 kW/h. A HYPER FLOW turbo- compressor for the same perfor- mance consumes 4.8 kW/h, guaran- teeing energy savings of 11.7 kW/h and economic savings of € 35,800 per year. This is just the last part of a project development and innova- tion that have covered over 32 years which can be summed up: X Technol- ogy; No water for cooling; Electrical movememt of the exchange valves; Total energy recovery; OTX Hopper; Moisture Meter; Hyper Flow Turbo- compressor. Leonardo Cluster has contributed to this energy efficiency challenge by enabling us to offer customers’ solutions that are indispensable for all companies. Tangible energy efficiency that frees up significant resources for development and growth. The Human at the Centre Following the signals of the mar- ket, Moretto has oriented its busi- ness model, investing in the Human- Machine relationship, one of the most important levers to be always competitive and innovative. This has allowed the Veneto-based company to consider the centrality of man within its reality for the transition towards the so-called 'Industry 5.0'. With the previous model of 'Industry 4.0', the focus was on digitalization and the interconnection of systems, while now the focus is on the devel- opment of technologies that simplify the interaction between human and machine. Humans improve their skills and the effectiveness of their actions by technology, reducing the repeti- tiveness of operations and improv- ing the user experience. The human being maintains an essential role in planning, organizing and managing production activities with the sup- port of automated machinery and state-of-the-art robots. The full inte- gration of human talent and technol- ogy enables the company to produce innovative, state-of-the-art products that meet customers' needs in terms of quality and reliability. The central role of human is at the base of Moretto's philosophy, which for years has endowed its most tech- nologically advanced products with theethicalOMS&Ptrademark,whose symbol is represented by Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian man, an expres- sion of the values of creativity and genius that also characterize the ac- tivity of the Massanzago-based com- pany. These values guided Moretto towards the development of an of- fer that enhances the creativity and intelligence of human capital, which has always been the driving force be- hind the company's innovation and success. The Digitalization that Improves the After-Sales Service In addition to the central role of man, the digitalization of processes and services is another cornerstone The revolutionary OTX hopper (Original Thermal eXchanger) developed by Moretto