Warmer weather is a welcoming change after the bizarre winter and spring swings in the Region, but it also brings a new set of challenges for manufacturers. Many in Northwest Indiana depend on industrial compressors to keep production flowing, and with summer comes a new set of rules to follow to ensure compressed air equipment stays running in top shape.
“Around this time of year we tend to see machines overheating due to the hot temperatures and poor maintenance upkeep,” said Brittany Fisher, Director of Marketing Communications for CompressAir. “There’s also carryover from spring, where coolers get clogged with dust, dirt, cottonwood, and pollination.”
According to Fisher, one of the first things anyone using an industrial compressor should do is ensure it is clear of all debris. This goes hand in hand with regular maintenance such as oil and air filter changes.
“We always stress to our customers the importance of keeping up on their equipment’s preventative maintenance schedule,” she said. “That helps prevent any type of problem from happening internally. With your car, it’s important to change the oil every 7,000-10,000 miles, with your compressor you change the oil and air filters every 2,000 hours.”
Combine that with swapping out the oil, air, and separator every 8,000 hours and your machine will stay efficient even with production up and running.
Another unique challenge of the summer months is condensation buildup, especially considering the Region’s humid summers. Left untreated, water buildup can harm energy efficiency, damage your product, or ruin your production equipment. Handling this potential hazard is the second task on Fisher’s to-do list.
“Sometimes our customers will find too much moisture in their pipe lines,” she said. “Adding a dryer to their compressor application and verifying proper drain operation will help with this.”
Sometimes the problem is more fundamental, with piping layouts harming efficiency, or ambient temperatures in the compressor room leading to overheating. Identifying these problems is not easy for the average user, but is another big step that manufacturers need to take for their seasonal preparations.
CompressAir offers a solution to the problem with what they call Air System Audits. Their experts identify any problem or wasted energy in an entire compressed air system. Some systems waste as much as 50 percent of their energy through bad piping, leaks, and other inefficiencies. By fixing those errors, you can save just as much in operating costs.
To learn more about CompressAir or to schedule an Air System Audit, visit compressair.net.
