An all-electric, CNC turret punch press incorporating regenerative braking technology and energy management software in the controller was installed in mid 2005 at the Southport factory of leading commercial beverage-making equipment manufacturer, Instanta. The principal reason for the company choosing the press, a Finn-power E5, was that at average punching speeds the machine draws only 4.5 kW, which is around one third of the power consumed by a hydraulic punch presses of 200 kN punching capacity. The dramatic energy saving is a result of using capacitors to store energy from deceleration of the machine axes, and redirecting that energy to power other machine functions, rather than wasting it.

Supplied through Finn-power's sole agent, Press and Shear Machinery, the press not only minimises consumption of increasingly expensive power, but also avoids wasting and disposing of 150 litres of hydraulic oil every year.

Service is less expensive, as there are no seals or disposable filters to replace, and the risk of oil spillage has been eliminated.

In addition, the machine's elecronically controlled, servomotor-driven roller and cam arrangement for ram actuation is quieter in operation than an equivalent hydraulic press.

Instanta implements an environmental management system to BS EN ISO14001 and has long been an adherent to ecologically friendly business practices, as a brief visit to the relevant page of its web site will attest.

In any case, from a purely practical point of view, the factory was close to its maximum power consumption and a hydraulic press would have taken it over the limit, necessitating an increase in the capacity of the incoming electricity supply.

Of seven presses originally evaluated, the E5 was the only servo-electric model shortlisted, as it had a long and verifiably sound track record in this relatively new area of technology.

In addition, the machine's ability to use wheel-type tools and its proven and highly controllable upforming capability fitted in well with Instanta's wish to incorporate more strengthening ribs and decorative features into its products.

All of the stainless steel internal tanks, for example, are embossed in four to six places to support a baffle plate.

Spill trays are also embossed, allowing the fitting to be recessed so that water is not trapped.

The punch press also had to be highly productive to cope with increasing throughput, volumes having taken a sharp upturn recently with the introduction of a range of wall-mounted beverage makers alongside the counter-top types.

Over 7,000 beverage makers per year are currently produced and each contains 15 to 20 sheet metal parts.

Said operations director, David Wilson, 'We were surprised at just how quick the E5 was - it has exceeded our expectations.

The machine eats work, so much so that we are always ahead now and hold buffer stocks of our sheet metal parts.

'Before the Finn-power was installed, the factory worked to the pace of our old CNC turret punch press, as its speed was limited and if the machine stopped, the factory stopped.' All parts at the Southport factory are produced on the Finn-power E5 from 2.5 x 1.25 m or 2 x 1 m sheet, avoiding having to guillotine them into smaller sizes, as was necessary with the old punch press, and allowing larger batches of components to be nested and produced in one uninterrupted punching, nibbling and forming cycle.