Intelligent and energy-efficient drive solutions for plastics machines
Greater productivity, lower energy consumption, maximum precision for injection molding, extrusion, and blow molding processes
Why Baumüller in the plastics industry?
Baumüller is your technology partner for sustainable and high-precision drive solutions in the plastics industry. Our electric and servo-hydraulic drives enable maximum energy efficiency, high dynamics, and precise process control in all common plastics processes. With many years of expertise, innovative control software, and state-of-the-art automation platforms, we help machine builders increase productivity, reduce waste, and meet the requirements for resource-efficient manufacturing. We develop innovative and customized solutions according to your requirements, which can be used as individual components or complete systems and give you a decisive competitive advantage.
Numerous companies in different areas of the plastics sector have been relying on the innovativeness and competency of Baumüller for years. Baumüller also plays an important pioneering role in the development of high-torque motors and servo pump solutions. Whether for injection molding, extrusion, thermoforming, or blow molding systems, Baumüller offers perfectly coordinated systems for maximum efficiency in any production environment.
This has enabled us to advance the development of electric, hybrid, and servo-hydraulic plastics machines in recent years and provide our customers with the right drive solution for their specific application. We use simulation to provide support early on in the design phase in order to find the right drive system topology for the customer's machine. This ensures you receive the most economically and technologically viable drive solution for your machine. We also offer intelligent drive functions and a large, global service network that your end users can count on.
Dr. Daniel Ammer, Head of Development at PlastiVation, the German subsidiary of Tederic:
“Baumüller has served us very well from day one. Using simulation, Baumüller was able to prove that our concept was technically feasible even before the machine was built, and supported us very early in the design and concept phase in selecting the optimal drive topology. For the hybrid injection molding machine, we had to accommodate all the drive units together, and Baumüller's portfolio made that possible perfectly.”
Write us a message, our sales experts will be happy to advise you.
Challenges in plastics processing – and how we solve them
Energy efficiency and rising energy costs
Rising energy prices and ambitious sustainability targets pose major challenges for machine builders. Our electric drive systems minimize energy losses, increase efficiency even in the partial load range, and enable extremely precise control of torque and motion sequences. This allows you to permanently reduce operating costs and improve the CO₂ balance of your plastics production.
Sustainability & recycled materials
Modern plastics processors are increasingly relying on recycled materials and thin-walled applications. Precise temperature control, exact dosing control, and flexible motion control functions ensure that even demanding materials can be processed with consistent quality. Baumüller technologies help companies reduce material usage and produce in a resource-efficient manner.
Digitalization & Industry 4.0
Digital twins, intelligent control functions, and networked automation platforms enable optimal process design and lean commissioning. Baumüller software gives you complete transparency regarding machine conditions, allows you to use predictive maintenance approaches, and permanently increases the availability of your systems.
Practical examples & references
Successful projects demonstrate how machine builders worldwide are using Baumüller to implement energy-efficient systems, reduce waste, and digitally transform production processes. Our intelligent drive functions, precise controllers, and servo-hydraulic solutions increase machine performance and provide measurable competitive advantages.
Over 1.2 million caps produced at K 2025
Baumüller supplies a highly dynamic and compact drive system for the hybrid INNOVA 250 injection molding machine by Tederic
- A strong balance of performance and efficiency
- Optimal energy consumption through DC link connection
- Simulation of the toggle mechanism
Drive intelligence protects the heart of the extruder
Baumüller supplies a special drive system for extrusion machinery manufacturer Mikrosan that prevents costly damage
- The specialties of an extruder
- The ’Shock Detection’ function
- Long estimated partnership
Precise plastic parts in record time
Baumüller supplies a highly dynamic and compact drive system for BOY Electric injection molding machines from Dr. Boy GmbH & Co. KG.
- Minimal installation space for precise injection molded parts
- Patented back pressure measurement without additional components
- Servo motors for increased dynamics
High-precision and powerful with direct drive technology
Working with Baumüller, Bemaco Engineering developed a highly productive plastic blow-molding machine with fully electric clamping unit
References:
Intelligent and efficient drive solutions for the plastics industry
A particular strength of the Baumüller Group is Drive Intelligence: the integration of numerous functionalities directly in the servo drive.
Injection control in the drive
The injection control via two gantry axes is calculated directly in the servo drive with a cycle time of 125 µs, eliminating any fieldbus dead times. This leads to greater precision in the core process of injection. In multi-layer applications in particular, the load on the machine controller is also reduced. Communication between the two gantry axes occurs at high speed, This allows the force to be divided uniformly and controlled very precisely.
Even in the event of errors, both axes always act synchronously, i.e., performing the same movements at the same time. Mechanical damage can therefore also be avoided through highly dynamic fault management. The in-drive injection control is also available for single-axis injection systems.
Your benefits:
- High dynamics and precise switching from speed to injection force control
- Increased precision in the core process of "injection"
Efficient energy monitoring
Baumüller offers drive-integrated energy monitoring, which enables the energy consumption of individual axes, such as the clamp, the electric screw drive, or the injection axis, to be determined using software. This eliminates the need for power meters and optimizes the system’s overall cost-efficiency.
Your benefits:
- Drive-integrated solution measures autonomously and in real time
- Transparency of energy flows as a basis for efficiency optimizations
- Cost-effective alternative to external sensors
Sensorless, patented pressure control
In tricky error cases, such as EMC interference, incorrect parameterization, or incorrect wiring of a pressure sensor, the drive-integrated servo hydraulics software detects reliably:
Compared to conventional line break monitoring, which only responds to a missing signal offset, the new patented Actual Pressure Estimator software function can detect implausible pressure sensor signals regardless of their level. Thanks to a detailed servo-hydraulic model calculated in real time within the servo drive, the system pressure can be estimated based on current and speed. Despite the sensor defect, the machine completes the machine cycle and moves to the ideal service position.
Your benefits:
- Movement of the machine to the ideal operating position despite sensor failure after plausibility check of the sensor values
- Sensorless machine production for price-sensitive and less complex end products
Shock detection machine protection function
A machine protection function has been developed specifically for plasticizing drives and recycling machines, which ensures that overload or blockage is prevented if foreign objects enter the screw or shredding shaft. Early shock detection protects components such as keyed connections and the gearbox, thus extending the mechanical service life.
Your benefits:
- Increased machine availability and productivity
- Particularly short response times thanks to drive-integrated solution
- Economic alternative to the use of overload clutches
Drive solutions by machine type
Injection molding machines
Highly dynamic drives ensure precise injection and clamping movements, shorter cycle times, and stable process sequences – ideal for demanding geometries and challenging material combinations.
Extrusion machines
Direct drives and intelligent control functions ensure uniform melting, reliable dosing, and energy-optimized production. Perfect for profiles, pipes, films, or recycled materials.
Blow-molding machines
The servo pump solution from Baumüller is the optimal solution for reducing energy consumption in blow molding machines. In particular, water-cooled motors and converters impress with high compactness and faster heat removal.
Thermoforming machines
Fast motion sequences, precise heating zone control, and intelligent process control increase productivity and improve material utilization. The compact and flexible b maXX 5300 modular system offers many advantages here.
Blown film machines
We offer highly efficient drive systems that help reduce emissions. High-precision synchronous motors provide very high efficiency even in the partial load range and are therefore well suited for blown film machines.
Calender machines
The use of direct drive technology enables the production of very high-quality films, as the elimination of the gearbox reduces torque fluctuations even at low speeds.
Baumüller's product and technology portfolio
Direct drives & motors
Our energy-efficient direct drives offer maximum precision and dynamics for all plastics processes. Gearless designs reduce wear, improve smoothness, and enable compact machine layouts – ideal for modern extrusion and injection molding systems.
b maXX servo drives | Servo motors | Main drives | Torque motors
Servo-hydraulic solutions
With servo-hydraulic drive systems, we combine the advantages of hydraulics with the efficiency of electric servo technology. Intelligent pressure and flow control reduces energy consumption, increases repeatability, and extends the service life of existing hydraulic systems.
Automation & software solutions
Our control systems, function libraries, and motion control algorithms ensure optimal temperature control, precise dosing, and high repeatability. In addition, IOT modules and communication standards such as OPC UA enable seamless integration into networked production environments.
Visualization & HMI
User-friendly, web-based HMIs enable intuitive operation and quick diagnostics. Thanks to flexible display sizes and modern UI concepts, machine operators can keep track of all relevant process data at all times.
Write us a message, our sales experts will be happy to advise you.
Sustainability & circular economy
We support plastics processors in reducing material usage, safely processing recycled materials, and implementing energy-efficient production processes. State-of-the-art simulation and optimization tools can be used to permanently reduce resource consumption, CO₂ emissions, and operating costs.
Services & support
From virtual commissioning and engineering services to maintenance and retrofitting, Baumüller supports you throughout the entire machine life cycle. With data-based service concepts and global support structures, we increase the availability and service life of your systems in the long term.
