FKI Molds a Greener Future for Plastic Machinery
2024/09/02 | By Andrew Hsu | FONG KEE INTERNATIONAL MACHINERY CO., LTD.Founded in 1953, Fong Kee International Machinery Co., Ltd. (FKI) has built a strong reputation for its commitment to ESG principles, innovation in intelligent manufacturing, significant investment in R&D, and exceptional after-sales service. With 90% of its products exported to over 100 countries, FKI has expanded its product line from its foundation in plastic extrusion machines to include blow molding machines, blow film machines, sheet extrusion machines, lamination machines, and cast film.
Currently, FKI focuses its R&D efforts on automation, customization, and intelligent manufacturing, aiming to enhance the value of its equipment and strengthen its international competitiveness. With global awareness of environmental protection on the rise, FKI has prioritized improving process efficiency, reducing pollution, and meeting the growing demand for energy-saving and carbon-reducing technologies.
In its machinery designs, FKI emphasizes full automation and incorporates systems for trimming waste after product molding. This material is automatically conveyed to a crusher and then returned to the hopper, where it is mixed with new material in equal proportions to continue production, achieving a zero-waste production process.
Another key innovation from FKI is its self-developed full-electric blow molding machine servo system, which features a servomotor that reduces power consumption by 83% compared to traditional hydraulic systems. The machine also improves heater efficiency by 50%, increases mold transfer speed, and significantly enhances control precision. The overall power consumption of this system is reduced by 46% compared to traditional hydraulic motors, leading to a corresponding reduction in CO2 emissions.
In 2023, FKI took a significant step forward by collaborating with the Smart Machinery Promotion Office of the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) to implement the " Intelligent Full-Electric Blow Molding Machine Integration Development and Validation Project." This initiative aims to enhance the added value of FKI's equipment through the integration of artificial intelligence.
As part of this program, FKI introduced an intelligent prognostic diagnostic system that leverages expert experience alongside advanced technologies such as spectrogram processing, feature acquisition, and deep learning algorithms. This system is designed to provide comprehensive health evaluations and abnormal alerts, thereby significantly reducing the mean time to repair (MTTR). By preventing the failure and damage of critical machine components, the system helps avoid product quality variations and unexpected downtime losses, ultimately ensuring more reliable and efficient production processes.
In 2022, FKI took a significant step towards sustainability by partnering with suppliers to reduce wood usage in packaging by approximately 30%, all while ensuring the safety of its goods. Building on this momentum, FKI made a strong commitment to energy conservation in 2023 by initiating the construction of a solar power system. The first phase, with a capacity of 500KW, is slated to begin operations in early 2024, with a second phase of 350KW expected to come online in 2025. Once fully operational, the system will boast a total generating capacity of 850KW, leading to an estimated annual reduction of at least 600 tons of carbon emissions.
Beyond its solar initiative, FKI has also upgraded its factory and office lighting to energy-efficient LED systems and ensured that the air dust collection equipment in its painting line meets environmental standards. The company further underscores its commitment to environmental stewardship through responsible waste management, recycling metal scraps, waste oils, and plastic raw materials by collaborating with professional recyclers. These actions collectively demonstrate FKI's dedication to sustainability and its proactive approach to reducing its environmental footprint.
FONG KEE INTERNATIONAL MACHINERY CO., LTD.
No. 168, Chengpei 1st Rd., Yuenkang Dist., Tainan City 710, Taiwan
Tel: 886-6-253-2157, 253-7211/4
Fax: 886-6-253-3079, 253-0277
E-mail: susanwei@fki.com