# Does a servo press use less electricity than a mechanical power press?

Canonical: https://senseible.earth/answers/servo-vs-mechanical-power-press-energy

Usually yes. A mechanical press keeps a heavy flywheel spinning between strokes, so its motor draws power even when idle. A servo press draws power mainly during the stroke. The saving is largest where presses wait between parts. Meter kWh per thousand parts on both before deciding.

## What to measure

- kWh per shift from a clamp meter or sub-meter.
- Parts produced in the same shift.
- Idle time between strokes.

## Beyond electricity

Servo presses can cut scrap and die wear with better stroke control, which also lowers the material footprint per good part.

## What Senseible does here

Senseible reads fuel invoices and electricity bills and applies IPCC 2006 factors and the CEA grid factor (0.710 kg CO2 per kWh), so you can compare Scope 1 and 2 before and after a change from the documents themselves.

- [Servo vs hydraulic injection moulding](https://senseible.earth/answers/servo-vs-hydraulic-injection-moulding-energy)
- [Idle machines and base load](https://senseible.earth/answers/idle-machines-base-load-electricity)

Sources: [Bureau of Energy Efficiency](https://beeindia.gov.in), [CEA CO2 Baseline Database](https://cea.nic.in/cdm-co2-baseline-database/?lang=en)

Last reviewed 2026-10-23.