May 5, 2020 - Automatic Feed Company, Napoleon, Ohio, announces its drives and controls upgrades for coil processing equipment, which increase production output while lowering energy usage and costs. One customer’s recent switch from DC to AC drives on their cut-to-length line and stacking equipment has achieved a 76% cost and power consumption savings.

Automatic Feed has invested in evaluating and comparing the energy consumption of DC versus AC drives, finding that DC drives consistently use power inefficiently even when a press feed line is idle and not in production. Through this data collection capability, AFCO can demonstrate to customers the potential for energy savings, as well as the efficiency of their current power supply, prior to investing in an upgrade. This capability lets customers “see” power fluctuations, spikes and dips, all of which can affect equipment performance.

Along with direct cost savings from reduced power consumption of the upgraded equipment, the customer facility can also gain power efficiencies and lower demand for total incoming power. This newly available power capacity enables customers to increase production without having to invest in additional equipment to generate higher levels of incoming power.

AFCO’s experience in AC drive upgrades offers the following benefits:

• Reduces overall power consumption
• Reduces total cost paid for energy
• Frees up KW hours in the facility
• Improves efficiencies in power consumption
• Can reduce the number of power drops for existing equipment