From Venturi to Central Vacuum System: How BECKER Helped Carville Plastics Reduce Energy Consumption with a Central Vacuum System:
A Central Vacuum Case Study for the Plastics Industry
Rising energy costs and increasing production demands mean that plastics manufacturers are under growing pressure to improve efficiency and reduce operating costs. One area with significant optimisation potential is vacuum generation, particularly where compressed air and venturi systems are still in use.
This case study outlines how BECKER UK Ltd supported a UK-based precision plastics manufacturer in the South of England in transitioning from an inefficient venturi-based vacuum setup to a centralised vacuum system, delivering substantial energy savings, reduced maintenance requirements and a rapid return on investment.
Watch the Case Study Video:
Watch the full case study video to see how BECKER UK Ltd helped a precision plastics manufacturer reduce energy and maintenance costs through the implementation of a central vacuum system.
The Application: Vacuum in Precision Plastics Manufacturing
The manufacturer operates as a contract producer of high-precision CNC-machined plastic components, supplying demanding sectors including medical devices, life sciences and diagnostics.
Vacuum is used extensively across the facility to securely hold and position plastic plates and fixtures during CNC machining operations. As production volumes increased and product complexity evolved, a reliable and energy-efficient vacuum supply became increasingly critical.
The Challenge: Energy-Intensive Venturi Vacuum Systems
Prior to working with BECKER, a vacuum was generated locally at the machine level using compressed air via venturi systems. While simple in principle, this method of vacuum generation is inherently inefficient and places continuous demand on compressed air infrastructure. As the number of CNC machines requiring vacuum increased, the limitations of the existing setup became clear:
- High energy consumption
- Increasing compressor load
- Rising maintenance costs
- Limited scalability for future growth
To address these challenges, the manufacturer approached BECKER to evaluate whether a more efficient vacuum solution could be implemented.
The BECKER Approach: Site Survey and System Evaluation
BECKER specialists conducted a comprehensive site survey, analysing vacuum demand across the production facility, compressed air usage, energy consumption and maintenance requirements.
The survey identified that a central vacuum system would significantly reduce energy usage while improving reliability and long-term operational efficiency. BECKER proposed replacing the decentralised venturi units with a single centralised vacuum solution supplying vacuum to 22 CNC machines via a ring main.
The Solution: Central Vacuum System with BCV Claw Technology
BECKER designed and installed a customised central vacuum system tailored to the specific requirements of plastics machining applications. The system consists of:
- Four BCV 300 claw vacuum pumps
- Integrated VARIAIR frequency inverter drives
- Central VARIAIR Controller+ for intelligent system management
Claw vacuum technology was selected due to its oil-free, contact-free compression chamber, making it extremely reliable and well-suited to continuous industrial operation. Compared to compressor-based venturi systems, the claw pumps require significantly less maintenance and offer improved long-term performance.
The variable speed drive (frequency inverter) VARIAIR control system continuously adjusts pump speed in line with real-time demand, ensuring that only the minimum energy required is used at any moment.
Installation Strategy: Minimising Disruption to Production
To ensure uninterrupted production, the installation was planned and executed using a two-phase approach. This allowed the existing vacuum generation method to remain operational while the new central vacuum system was installed and commissioned. As a result, disruption to the manufacturing process was kept to a minimum, and the transition to the new system was completed smoothly.
The Results: Reduced Energy Use and Fast ROI in Plastic Manufacturing
Following commissioning, the manufacturer achieved:
- Significant reductions in energy consumption
- Lower annual maintenance costs
- Improved system reliability
- A return on investment in under two years
The central vacuum system also provides a scalable platform capable of supporting future production expansion and changing application requirements.
Central Vacuum Solutions for the Plastics Industry:
With energy prices continuing to rise, central vacuum systems are becoming an increasingly important efficiency measure for plastics manufacturers. BECKER supports the plastics industry with vacuum pumps, compressors and complete system solutions designed around real production environments. Each year, approximately 120,000 BECKER devices and systems are installed worldwide, helping manufacturers reduce energy consumption, improve reliability and lower the total cost of ownership.
Looking to improve Vacuum Efficiency in Plastics Manufacturing?
If your facility still relies on compressed air or venturi technology to generate vacuum, a central vacuum system could deliver significant energy savings. Contact BECKER today for a complimentary site audit and discover how a tailored vacuum solution could benefit your plastics production.
