Tag: preventive maintenance

Any Machine Is A Smoke Machine If You Operate It Wrong Enough

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While most folks think this old adage applies only to personnel not being familiar with the OPERATION of machinery, it’s also a reminder that ‘operating it right’ necessarily includes keeping up with regularly scheduled preventive maintenance. This includes pretty much anything with moving parts and components in a system that fluids might flow through. But today, I’m going to focus on certain parts of a typical industrial compressed air system. Failing to change oil in an industrial air compressor, for example, will “let the smoke out” just as fast (and sometimes faster) than anything a day-to-day operator can do to it.

The folks at Compressed Air Challenge are dedicated to (and this is right from their website) “helping you enjoy the benefits of improved performance of your compressed air system.” Their “Best Practices For Compressed Air Systems” stresses the importance of:

  • Proper maintenance as a means to ensure operational efficiencies and systems reliability.
  • Continuous checks for preventive maintenance items.
  • Implementing a detailed system maintenance program, including schedules of required maintenance, and records of its performance.

And that’s just from the introduction. It goes on to list the major components that should be included in this program: the compressor, heat exchanger surfaces, lubricant, lubricant filter, air inlet filter, motors, belts, and air/oil separators. The steps for properly maintaining these components range from standard housekeeping practices, to mechanical operations that are typically performed by trained operators, to services that might be best handled by qualified manufacturer’s representatives:

  • Cleaning: The air compressor itself, and any heat transfer surfaces, have to be kept clean & free of contaminants. Moving parts generate heat, and dirt, scale, corrosion, etc. are essentially insulation that’ll prevent that heat from being dissipated.
  • Lubrication: It’s critical to service the lubricant & any lubricant filtration per the manufacturer’s specifications. Again – not doing this is one of the best ways to “let the smoke out” of any machine.
  • Power transmission components: Regular inspection, including alignment checks, of belts & couplings is probably the 2nd best way (next to lubrication maintenance) of keeping the moving parts of the air compressor, and its drive, in good working order.
  • Intake filter: An air compressor will try to compress anything that’s drawn in with its air intake. If it pulls in particulate, that can damage internal surfaces, especially moving parts with tight tolerances to each other, like pistons & cylinders, scrolls & casings, rotary screws & chambers, impellers & volutes, etc., depending on the type of compressor. Plus, anything that makes its way into your compressed air header will also have a chance to foul up your pneumatic tools & devices, and get on anything that you use compressed air to blow off.
  • Motors & drives: Simply put, if you can’t turn the shaft of the compressor, it won’t compress any air. Periodic checks of electric motor windings, bearings, ‘soft start’ capacitors, phase converters, etc., are among the basic maintenance items that operators can inspect.

In addition to the compressor itself, the air distribution system should be properly maintained as well:

  • Filtration: The intake filter is there primarily to protect the compressor. Many times, the aforementioned tight tolerances between the moving parts in the air end will result in (hopefully) small amounts of particulate being carried over into the compressor discharge. There’s usually a main particulate filter, along with a dryer (for entrained moisture – the intake filter won’t do anything about that either), and possibly even a coalescing filter for oil & oil vapor. Good engineering practice calls for servicing those filters when the differential pressure across them reaches a certain value (5psid is a common one), but those elements, being relatively inexpensive, can also be replaced during regularly scheduled downtime as well.
  • Leak detection & repair: Leaks make the compressor run harder, so any reduction in the amount of compressed air leakage will, by definition, reduce the wear & tear on the compressor. EXAIR makes it easy to find them with the Ultrasonic Leak Detector.
  • Filtration Part 2: Don’t forget about contaminants that can enter the system downstream of the compressor, too. Iron pipe headers are subject to internal corrosion, which can result in rust particulate. Environmental pollution can enter if flanges or fittings are broken & made up during maintenance. Point of use filtration, like EXAIR Automatic Drain Filter Separators, can keep this debris (and any moisture that’s not removed by the compressor’s dryer) out of your pneumatic tools & products.
EXAIR has a number of Accessories and Optimization Products to help you get the most out of your compressed air system.

Compressed air is expensive enough without throwing in a bunch of easily preventable repair costs. Schedule time for maintenance, or it’ll schedule the time for you…and it may even send you a ‘smoke signal’ when it’s ready. If you’ve got questions about getting the most out of your compressed air system, we’ve got answers.

Russ Bowman, CCASS

Application Engineer
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The Importance Of Preventative Maintenance

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The first brand-new car I ever bought was a 1995 Ford Escort wagon. I was playing in a band pretty much every weekend (and the occasional weeknight), and my digital piano case fit perfectly in the back – I took it with me to make sure when I went to test drive it. Over eleven years, I put just shy of 200,000 miles on it, and, aside from gas, oil, and tires, had a little under $1,000 in repair costs.

There used to a legendary warning about not buying a car made on a Monday (since the auto workers were presumably recovering from the weekend) or a Friday (since they were equally presumably distracted by getting ready for the weekend). Some folks only buy a particular make of automobile (or shun another) because that’s the make their favorite race car driver (or least favorite) drives. I don’t know what day of the week that Escort was made, and I couldn’t tell you which race car drivers are loyal to the Ford Motor Company, but I CAN tell you that I followed the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule to a “T”. And I’m pretty sure that had a LOT more to do with that little red wagon’s longevity than a bunch of auto workers’ attention to detail (or lack thereof) or who’s popular on the NASCAR circuit.

The same is true for many components that make up your compressed air system. You’re going to want to change the lubricating oil in your compressor on a regular basis (as recommended by the manufacturer) for the exact same reasons you change the oil in your car’s engine. You need to replace particulate elements in compressed air filters, same as you need to periodically replace your car’s air filter.

For point-of-use devices – like most EXAIR compressed air products – preventative maintenance largely comes down to replacing those particulate elements in your filters. Products like our Air Knives, Air Wipes, Air Amplifiers, E-Vac Vacuum Generators, Reversible Drum Vacs, and Vortex Tubes all have relatively small passages that the air has to flow through, so it’s critical to their performance to supply them with clean air. In fact, if you DO supply these products with clean air, they’ll run darn near indefinitely, maintenance free. That’s why all of our product Kits include a Filter Separator with a 5 micron particulate element, and a centrifugal element for moisture removal.

Good engineering practice calls for point of use filtration and moisture removal, such as that provided by EXAIR Filter Separators.

One question we get on a pretty regular basis is, how often do you have to change the particulate element in our Filter Separators. Good engineering practice calls for replacing that element when the differential pressure across the filter reaches 5psi. Now, you can measure the pressure on either side of the Filter Separator and change the element when the outlet pressure drops 5psi from the inlet. If you can shut down long enough to do so, that’s an efficient way to do it – that ensures you get the most ‘bang for your buck’ from that element.

Of course, those elements don’t cost all that much – but shutting down a production line, for even the few minutes it takes to replace an element, can get VERY costly. Facilities that run 24/7 will usually plan some downtime for periodic maintenance on SOMETHING…and they’ll just replace their Filter Separator’s particulate elements during those downtimes.

If you’ve got questions about getting the most out of our products – and, by extension, your compressed air system – give me a call.

Russ Bowman, CCASS

Application Engineer
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Top Ten Preventive Maintenance Items For Compressed Air Systems

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Anything that has moving parts is, sooner or later, going to need maintenance.  One popular school of thought is “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”  One major problem with that is, when it DOES break, you HAVE to fix it before you can keep using it.  That’s where preventive maintenance comes in: you get to choose WHEN you work on it.  This allows you to do that work at planned times that are convenient, and that have the least impact on your operations.

Patrick Duff, a production equipment mechanic with the 76th Maintenance Group, takes meter readings of the oil pressure and temperature, cooling water temperature and the output temperature on one of two 1,750 horsepower compressors. Each compressor is capable of producing 4,500 cubic feet of air at 300 psi. The shop also has a 3,000 horsepower compressor that produces 9,000 cubic feet of air at 300 psi. By matching output to the load required, the shop is able to shut down compressors as needed, resulting in energy savings to the base. (Air Force photo by Ron Mullan)

Compressed air systems not only have moving parts, they have parts that air moves through.  Periodic preventive maintenance can not only keep your system running; it’ll keep it running efficiently, meaning it costs less to operate.  Different types of air compressors in different environments will have different specific requirements, but following is a decent general list of ten items it might make sense to stay on top of:

  1. Intake vents. The air your compressor pulls in is going to go through some pretty tight passages.  Particulate can do some damage in there, and some of it will end up in your system where it’ll wreak havoc on your air operated equipment too.  Take care to keep your air compressor’s intake vents clean.  Many manufacturers and service professionals recommend a weekly inspection, and cleaning as needed.
  2. Lubrication.  Don’t be fooled by the term “oil-less” in an air compressor’s description.  This often means that there’s no oil in the air end.  The drive end is going to have bearings & moving parts that are lubricated.  Again, the compressor manufacturer will likely include periodicity and procedure for this in the manual.  This should include period oil (and oil filter) changes or grease renewal.
  3. Motor bearings.  Many air compressors are either direct coupled or belt driven by an electric motor.  Checking the temperature with a contact thermometer, or monitoring for changes in the ultrasonic signature (EXAIR Model 9061 Ultrasonic Leak Detector is a quick & easy way to do this) can give you indication of pending bearing failure.
  4. Belts.  Drive belts have a finite life span.  Vibration can also affect their tension and alignment.  If you have a belt driven compressor, check these out on a regular basis to make proper adjustments to the motor slide base.
  5. Lubrication, part 2. A friend of mine had a car that leaked oil.  He carried a couple of quarts with him…it was so bad that he had to add some every few days.  He called this replenishment system “self-changing oil”.  It isn’t.  Finding and fixing oil leaks is critical from both operational and housekeeping perspectives.
  6. Dryer.  Most industrial air compressors have a system that removes moisture from the compressed air before discharging into the system.  Different types of dryers require different types of maintenance.  Desiccant and deliquescent dryers, for example, will require media changes from time to time.  Refrigerated and membrane dryers will have parts like condensers or cartridges that you have to keep clean.  Keep up with the manufacturer’s recommendations, and you’ll have one less thing to worry about.
  7. Air leaks.  Air is free.  It’s literally everywhere, in great abundance.  COMPRESSED air is expensive, which makes leaks costly.  Good news is, compressed air leaks, like failing motor bearings (see #3, above) generate an ultrasonic signature, so you can get even more use out of an EXAIR Model 9061 Ultrasonic Leak Detector.  Find & fix leaks, and start saving money today.

    In addition to compressed air leaks, there are many industrial maintenance applications for Ultrasonic Leak Detectors. Contact an EXAIR Application Engineer for details.
  8. Filtration. Almost all pneumatically operated products work best with clean, moisture free air.  The compressor’s intake vents (see #1 above) and dryer (see #6 above) are there, primarily, to protect the compressor and the distribution system, respectively.  Good engineering practice dictates the need for point-of-use filtration.  EXAIR Automatic Drain Filter Separators have 5-micron particulate elements, and a centrifugal element to ‘spin’ out moisture.  Our Oil Removal Filters have coalescing elements to catch any trace of oil, and provide additional particulate filtration to 0.03 microns.  As filter elements capture debris, they start to clog, which reduces downstream pressure.  You should change these elements when the pressure drop across a filter reaches 5psi.
  9. Condensate drains.  Even the best dryers allow trace amounts of moisture into the compressed air system…even more so if the humidity in the area is high.  Properly designed compressed air distribution systems will have strategically placed drain traps to collect this moisture and rid the system of it.  They can be automatic, timed, or manual.  Inspect them periodically for proper operation
  10. Compressed air operated products.  Last but not least, make sure you keep up the maintenance on the tools and equipment that your compressed air system is there for in the first place.  Worn or damaged parts can increase consumption…and present very real safety risks.

EXAIR Corporation manufactures quiet, safe, and efficient compressed air products to help you get the most out of your compressed air system.  If you’d like to find out more, give me a call.

Russ Bowman, CCASS

Application Engineer
EXAIR Corporation
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The Importance Of Air Compressor System Maintenance

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It should go without saying, but proper operation of anything that has moving parts will depend on how well it’s maintained.  Compressed air systems are certainly no exception; in fact; they’re a critical example of the importance of proper maintenance, for two big reasons:

*Cost: compressed air, “the fourth utility,” is expensive to generate.  And it’s more expensive if it’s generated by a system that’s not operating as efficiently as it could.

*Reliability: Many industrial processes rely on clean or clean & dry air, at the right pressure, being readily available:

  • When a CNC machine trips offline in the middle of making a part because it loses air pressure, it has to be reset.  That means time that tight schedules may not afford, and maybe a wasted part.
  • The speed of pneumatic cylinders and tools are proportional to supply pressure.  Lower pressure means processes take longer.  Loss of pressure means they stop.
  • Dirt & debris in the supply lines will clog tight passages in air operated products.  It’ll foul and scratch cylinder bores.  And if you’re blowing off products to clean them, anything in your air flow is going to get on your products too.

Good news is, the preventive maintenance necessary to ensure optimal performance isn’t all that hard to perform.  If you drive a car, you’re already familiar with most of the basics:

*Filtration: air compressors don’t “make” compressed air, they compress air that already exists…this is called the atmosphere, and, technically, your air compressor is drawing from the very bottom of the “ocean” of air that blankets the planet.  Scientifically speaking, it’s filthy down here.  That’s why your compressor has an inlet/intake filter, and this is your first line of defense. If it’s dirty, your compressor is running harder, and costs you more to operate it.  If it’s damaged, you’re not only letting dirt into your system; you’re letting it foul & damage your compressor.  Just like a car’s intake air filter (which I replace every other time I change the oil,) you need to clean or replace your compressor’s intake air filter on a regular basis as well.

*Moisture removal: another common “impurity” here on the floor of the atmospheric “ocean” is water vapor, or humidity.  This causes rust in iron pipe supply lines (which is why we preach the importance of point-of-use filtration) and will also impact the operation of your compressed air tools & products.

  • Most industrial compressed air systems have a dryer to address this…refrigerated and desiccant are the two most popular types.  Refrigerant systems have coils & filters that need to be kept clean, and leaks are bad news not only for the dryer’s operation, but for the environment.  Desiccant systems almost always have some sort of regeneration cycle, but it’ll have to be replaced sooner or later.  Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on these.
  • Drain traps in your system collect trace amounts of moisture that even the best dryer systems miss.  These are typically float-operated, and work just fine until one sticks open (which…good news…you can usually hear quite well) or sticks closed (which…bad news…won’t make a sound.)  Check these regularly and, in conjunction with your dryers, will keep your air supply dry.

*Lubrication: the number one cause of rotating equipment failure is loss of lubrication.  Don’t let this happen to you:

  • A lot of today’s electric motors have sealed bearings.  If yours has grease fittings, though, use them per the manufacturer’s directions.  Either way, the first symptom of impending bearing failure is heat.  This is a GREAT way to use an infrared heat gun.  You’re still going to have to fix it, but if you know it’s coming, you at least get to say when.
  • Oil-free compressors have been around for years, and are very popular in industries where oil contamination is an unacceptable risk (paint makers, I’m looking at you.)  In oiled compressors, though, the oil not only lubricates the moving parts; it also serves as a seal, and heat removal medium for the compression cycle.  Change the oil as directed, with the exact type of oil the manufacturer calls out.  This is not only key to proper operation, but the validity of your warranty as well.

*Cooling:  the larger the system, the more likely there’s a cooler installed.  For systems with water-cooled heat exchangers, the water quality…and chemistry…is critical.  pH and TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) should be checked regularly to determine if chemical additives, or flushing, are necessary.

*Belts & couplings: these transmit the power of the motor to the compressor, and you will not have compressed air without them, period.  Check their alignment, condition, and tension (belts only) as specified by the manufacturer.  Keeping spares on hand isn’t a bad idea either.

Optimal performance of your compressed air products literally starts with your compressor system.  Proper preventive maintenance is key to maximizing it.  Sooner or later, you’re going to have to shut down any system to replace a moving (or wear) part.  With a sound preventive maintenance plan in place, you have a good chance of getting to say when.

If you’d like to talk about other ways to optimize the performance of your compressed air system,  give me a call.

Russ Bowman
Application Engineer
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Image courtesy of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet, Creative Commons License