Before installing any industrial knotless net machine, the electrical layout has to be settled first-because the answer changes completely depending on whether you buy an extrusion-type or a Raschel knitting-type unit. A knotless net machine is not a single power profile: small LDPE/PP extrusion lines draw 25–60 kW installed, EPE foam fruit-net extruders sit around 28–45 kW installed (roughly 6–8 kWh per hour of real running load), while Raschel warp-knitting knotless machines run on a 3–11 kW main motor plus a 0.37–1.5 kW inching motor.
Extrusion-Type Knotless Net Machine
The extrusion knotless net machine melts LDPE, PP, or HDPE and pushes it through a rotating die head. Power is dominated by the screw drive, barrel heaters, die-head heater, traction, and winder.
Typical installed power by screw size:
Φ50 mm line: 25 kW installed, ~10–12 kg/h
Φ65 mm line: 35–60 kW installed, 20–40 kg/h
Φ80 mm line: 50 kW installed, 30–40 kg/h
EPE foam net (Φ75 mm): 40 kW installed, real draw ~6–8 kWh/h
Large PE/PP mesh line (Φ90–120 mm): 90–150 kW installed
Voltage is almost always 3-phase: 380 V/50 Hz (Asia, Europe, Africa), 415 V/50 Hz (India, Australia), or 460 V/60 Hz (North/South America). Single-phase residential power cannot run any industrial knotless net machine extruder.
A practical rule: installed power is the worst-case peak (all heaters + motors at full load); actual running load is 40–60% of installed because heaters cycle on/off via PID control.
Raschel Knitting-Type Knotless Net Machine
The knitting knotless net machine uses no barrel or heaters-only servo/inverter-driven main motor, inching motor, yarn let-off, and take-up. Power is far lower:
135–150" width: 3 kW main + 0.37 kW inching
170–220" width: 5.5 kW main + 0.75–1.5 kW inching
260–340" width: 7.5–11 kW main + 1.5 kW inching
Real operating draw: 5.8–9.3 kW depending on width and RPM
These machines also need 3-phase supply (380–420 V/50 Hz or 440 V/60 Hz) but no heavy current cabling-6 mm² copper per phase is usually enough versus 25–35 mm² for a Φ65 extruder.
Site Electrical Checklist
Before a knotless net machine arrives, prepare:
3-phase supply with stable voltage (±5%); voltage drop >10% causes heater and inverter faults.
Dedicated breaker sized to 1.2× installed power (e.g., 60 kW line → 125 A breaker at 380 V).
Earthing ≤4 Ω; extruders with barrel heaters are sensitive to ground loops.
Compressed air (0.6–0.8 MPa) for pneumatic cutters and die cooling-not electric, but part of utility planning.
Cooling water pump (0.75–2.2 kW extra) if water-cooled sizing tank is used.
Why the Difference Matters for ROI
A Raschel knotless net machine at 6–9 kWh/h costs roughly USD 0.6–0.9/h in electricity at USD 0.10/kWh. A Φ65 extrusion knotless net machine at 15–18 kWh real draw costs USD 1.5–1.8/h. Over 6,000 annual running hours, that gap is USD 5,000–7,000/year-enough to change which machine pays back faster in your region.
In short, specify the exact model and screw width before sizing your panel. A knotless net machine is never "just plug and play"; the extrusion family needs heavy 3-phase cabling and breaker capacity, while the knitting family is closer to a large CNC in electrical demand. Always ask suppliers for the "running load" not just "installed power" when you budget your workshop's main incoming line.