Saving Energy in Metal Decorating

  • Presentation of alternative technologies and ways to save gas
  • Explanations based on best practice examples
  • Consistently positive feedback from customers
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The webinar presented alternative technologies and possibilities for saving gas.

Saving energy is one of the most pressing challenges of our time. The spiralling gas prices, in particular, are driving production costs to previously unknown heights for many companies. Against this background, Koenig & Bauer MetalPrint offered its customers a webinar on ways to reduce their consumption of gas. The level of participation and feedback after the three online sessions was overwhelming.

Metal decorating is an exacting industry sector with a high energy consumption. The drying ovens that every coated metal sheet must pass through are primarily heated with gas. When it comes to saving energy and purifying exhaust air, Koenig & Bauer MetalPrint has consistently pursued every available opportunity and developed numerous solutions over the years. Back in 1974, for example, it introduced integrated exhaust air purification, and developments culminated in the HighEcon exhaust air purification system in 2009. The HighEcon drying oven, which was launched in 2014 with a newly developed KXB burner, picked up a coveted METPACK Innovation Award that year, not least for its enhanced efficiency allowing gas cost savings of up to 70 per cent compared to older systems.

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The HighEcon drying oven permits gas savings of up to 70 per cent .

Best practice examples to illustrate the potential

The webinar presenters Olga Martin and Dominik Wewior illustrated the possibilities for reducing energy consumption by using a number of best practice examples. Customers can complete a questionnaire to obtain a precise gas consumption calculation for their specific application. Where an older system is still in use, the savings potential of an upgrade to a new system is highlighted.  

The webinar also addressed alternatives to natural gas. Faced with increasing gas prices and uncertainty regarding the reliability of an adequate supply, some customers are looking for alternatives in order to escape dependency risks. Generally speaking, it is indeed feasible to heat the drying oven with other fuels such as LPG, biogas or hydrogen. In this regard, suitable sources of energy were presented, and their individual benefits and drawbacks were highlighted.