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
Thin-wall packaging requires very short cavity filling times. For drive systems, this means enabling very high injection speeds. Tederic subsidiary PlastiVation was tasked with leading the development of the INNOVA 250 injection molding machine from Munich, in collaboration with the development team at Tederic in China. This move allowed Chinese injection molding machine manufacturer Tederic to expand its portfolio to include machine solutions for packaging applications. The INNOVA 250 delivers high performance and enables extremely short cycle times through parallel movements. With powerful Baumüller drives and a compact design, the machine combines high production speeds for thin-wall articles.
It is impossible to imagine our daily lives without injection-molded parts. Food packaging in particular – such as closures, screw caps, cups, or pails – is popular worldwide. However, consumers, costs, and sustainability are forcing the industry – and consequently machine construction – to save more material and energy. This means parts are becoming increasingly thin-walled. In Europe, there are already renowned manufacturers of injection molding machines for such thin-wall packaging applications. The technology is also catching up in the Asian market. In 2023, Dr. Daniel Ammer, Head of Development, therefore began searching for a drive system partner on behalf of Tederic to jointly drive forward and implement the development of an electro-hydraulic hybrid injection molding machine. The goal was clear: “The INNOVA 250 needed to be up and running by K 2025, and we successfully achieved that!” The machine’s task is to produce high-quality, very thin-wall packaging parts in under three seconds. “We met and delivered on all our goals during the development period. Over 1.2 million caps were produced at K 2025 – without any downtime or incidents,” reports Dr. Daniel Ammer in retrospect.
A strong balance of performance and efficiency
Tederic’s INNOVA 250 impresses with high-performance injection speeds, which are necessary for very thin-wall molded parts
Tederic is a leading Chinese provider of injection and die casting machines and is listed on the Chinese stock exchange.
More than 1,000 Tederic employees serve customers worldwide. To date, Tederic products are in use in more than 130 countries and regions across various industries: automotive, household appliances, construction, logistics, medical, electronics, etc.
To establish a stronger presence in the packaging sector, the German Tederic subsidiary PlastiVation was tasked with developing a new machine: “The INNOVA 250 had to be cost-effective yet technologically advanced. Therefore, we spoke with several drive manufacturers to find the right solution for our concept. We had various mechanical specifications and reference cycles. We set out with these and ultimately chose Baumüller. The company supported us very well right from the start. 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 drive units, and Baumüller’s portfolio made this perfectly possible,” explains Ammer.
The drive system solution consists of energy-efficient DS2 synchronous motors for the servo-hydraulic axes and the electric screw drive, a DST2-135 direct drive for the clamping unit, the b maXX 5300 modular system, as well as mains rectifiers and capacitor modules. The servo-hydraulic axes are controlled highly dynamically directly within the servo drive via the Servo Hydraulics technology module.
Optimal energy consumption through DC link connection
The INNOVA 250 impresses with a very fast injection speed, realized via a hydraulic accumulator. “A hydraulic concept with an accumulator means that we do not draw oil directly from the pump, but rather charge a hydraulic accumulator, allowing us to achieve very high flow rates and outputs. The accumulator decouples this peak power requirement from the power supply and reduces the machine’s connected load. Furthermore, this load balancing enables the direct processing of recuperated, regenerative energy from the other axes, especially the clamping unit. This was very important to us because we want to consume the energy within the system rather than wasting it as heat,” the Head of Development continues.
Charging the hydraulic accumulator is realized via energy-efficient servo-hydraulics and optimized charging software. Another servo-hydraulic system is used to control the auxiliary hydraulic axes, such as the ejector.
Efficient synchronous motors from the DS2 series are used for the servo-hydraulics as well as for the electric screw drive.
The DS2-132 synchronous motor, in combination with energy-efficient servo-hydraulics and optimized charging software, enables a loss-optimized design of the drive system
Simulation of the toggle mechanism
Baumüller was particularly impressive technologically when it came to sizing the clamping unit: “Sizing a motor for the toggle is not trivial because there is a non-linear transmission ratio. Using Baumüller’s ProSimulation tool, the requirements could be mapped exactly, allowing the drive components to be perfectly sized. Later measurements on the machine showed that the model reflects reality very well,” emphasizes Ammer.
The air-cooled b maXX 5300 modular system – featuring integrated safety functionality and mains rectifiers that distribute and optimally utilize energy – controls the electric drive axes very precisely and is installed in an extremely compact space.
The air-cooled b maXX 5300 modular system – featuring integrated safety functionality and mains rectifiers that distribute and optimally utilize energy – controls the electric drive axes very precisely and is installed in an extremely compact space
The clamping unit is powered by a DST2-200 direct drive with an internal splined shaft from Baumüller’s standard modular system. This allows the spindle to be connected directly inside the motor shaft, reducing the machine footprint.
“Both the design and the commissioning worked very well. The controllers come with default settings that are non-susceptible to faults. We were able to achieve the required accuracies for our high-performance system very quickly. For the clamping unit, we activated a function that switches to sensorless control operation in the event of an encoder error, braking the clamping unit to protect both the mold and the machine,” reports Dr. Daniel Ammer.
Baumüller supported the Tederic subsidiary PlastiVation with drive sizing and was also present on-site in China for the initial commissioning of the hybrid injection molding machine to ensure efficient and smooth installation.
The clamping unit is fully electric; a DST2-200 direct drive with an internal splined shaft from Baumüller’s standard modular system was integrated directly onto the spindle without increasing the overall length, allowing braking energy to be utilized within the system
Perfect teamwork
Dr. Daniel Ammer, Head of Development at Tederic’s German subsidiary PlastiVation:
“From a process perspective, the machine fulfilled everything required of it. Tederic was very satisfied with the exhibition at K 2025. There was significant interest, in particular from price-sensitive markets. Such a machine must run 24/7, and we now have to prove that. The system is market-ready. The next stage is the presentation at Chinaplas 2026. The machine was designed and completed with a European mindset. It represents the best balance of performance and efficiency. Our collaboration with Baumüller was seamless, straightforward, and based on a partnership of equals. Given their industry expertise, working with them was simply a pleasure!”
Conclusion
The hybrid INNOVA 250 injection molding machine, engineered in Germany, is cost-effective yet energy-efficient, fast, and precise. It allows for the production of very thin-wall plastic parts for the packaging industry with a cycle time of less than three seconds. The very close, cooperative partnership between Tederic and Baumüller has brought forth a compact drive system that benefits from high performance, precise control, and a space-saving structure. Thanks to consistent on-site support, both in China and Munich, and extensive industry know-how, a coherent drive concept was created for a new development that caused a stir and generated great interest at K 2025 after less than two years of development.
The electro-hydraulic hybrid INNOVA 250 injection molding machine from Tederic was presented for the first time at K 2025 and attracted significant attention. Over 1.2 million caps were produced at K 2025 – without any downtime or incidents
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