Posts By: Anina Diener

In the Food & Beverage Industry     Calling all Food or Beverage Manufacturing Companies! How to know the right amount of compressed air your facility needs: There are many ways and methods that can be used in determining how much compressed air is needed to supply your food or beverage manufacturing plant and believe it when we tell you – Getting a properly sized compressed air system is very important. Why do we say that? Undersizing an air compressor will cause the compressed air system not to work. Both oversizing and undersizing compressors can lead to large budget constraints… Read more »

You’ve made a sizable investment into your air compressor, so you’ll want to get the most life from it that is possible. Here are some simple steps that will help you achieve years of trouble-free operation. Follow instructions – It may seem obvious, but reading the manual for your air compressor is a small time investment with big payoff. You’ll learn the maintenance schedule as well as operating guidelines for your compressor. With this information, you can extend the life of your equipment and minimize downtime. Check oil levels daily – For compressors that use oil, check oil before every use…. Read more »

What are the main differences between refrigerated and desiccant air dryers? Refrigerated Air Dryers A refrigerated air dryer chills the compressed air to 33 – 40 degrees Fahrenheit at which water vapor is condensed into a liquid and is then expelled from the system via a water-trap and automatic drain. The cool dry air then is typically re-heated to around room temperature before exiting the dryer and going to your production lines. This helps reduce condensation on the compressed air piping. There are two types of refrigerated dryers; cycling and non-cycling. Non-Cycling Air Dryers: Non-Cycling air dryers allow the refrigeration circuit… Read more »

Changing the oil on your rotary screw air compressor is important for the life of the machine and can avoid large repair costs. On top of checking it regularly to ensure it’s topped off, you should change it at regular intervals. The length of this interval depends on the type of oil being used in your machine. Rotary Screw Air Compressor or Rotary Vane Air Compressor** Standard Oil every 8000 hrs or 12 months Food Grade Oil every 2000 hrs or 3 months If you don’t change your oil as above a few things can happen to your compressor: Buildup… Read more »

I bet as a business owner, or even as a great employee, you are always thinking of ways to improve your company’s efficiency. Compressed air is used in many different industries all over the world for a variety of critical operations. Read on to learn 11 tips for reducing air consumption and energy costs. Remember, compressed air is not only your 4th utility, but also your most expensive utility. 1. Eliminate pressure drop: A few of the major contributors to pressure drop are inadequate pipe sizes, undersized and dirty filtration, excessive filtration, inadequate storage, and air compressor maintenance issues. 2. Install low… Read more »

1. Loop type distribution system – In most cases a loop type distribution system is beneficial. Loop type compressed air systems allow the air to flow in any direction to get to the demand in the path of least resistance. Typically you can multiply the capacity of straight line piping by 1.5 for loop type compressed air distribution systems. For example: If a 2” pipe is rated for 500 CFM at 125 PSI that same length of pipe in a loop system would be rated for 750 CFM at 125 PSI. 2. Feed the loop type piping from a dry… Read more »

There are 2 key aspects to sizing your piping correctly: max system CFM requirements and minimum required operating pressure. Max CFM A study needs to be completed to determine what the max demand in the system (in CFM) is going to be. This needs to be a worst case scenario, with even momentary uses being considered Momentary uses of compressed air are considered any usage of your air for a period of time that is less than a minute. Examples of these momentary uses are; dust collector blow down valves, large air cylinder/ ram actuation, sometimes diaphragm pumps, and etc.These… Read more »

We all know what it is to go from room to room at home turning off all the lights that the kids left on. We are sensitive about the thermostat setting at home during the winter, keeping it lowered at night or when not home for an extended period. We fix the drippy kitchen faucet, or the toilet that runs continually. These are examples of cost cutting measures to keep our utility bills more affordable. But what about your compressed air system at your place of business? Compressed air is your fourth, and most expensive, utility. Minimally, it costs you electricity to… Read more »

Have you ever been down for what seems like “no reason whatsoever”? Even if you haven’t, ask yourself if you have you been doing regular service on your compressed air system. Servicing your compressed air system is important because it helps prevent downtime and having decreased productivity for reasons that could have been avoided. Air compressor maintenance is simple, necessary, and inexpensive in comparison to the downtime and repairs needed on a machine and/or system that hasn’t been maintained. So how often should your air compressor(s), dryer(s), and oil/water separator(s) (air compressor oil separator) be serviced and what does that… Read more »

It’s a common belief that refrigerated type compressed air dryers are a great piece of equipment that will remove all the moisture from compressed air keeping your distribution system dry. While this is true when the dryer in good working order, condensate can still develop if the temperature of the compressed air drops below the dew point it was originally dried at. Refrigerated compressed air dryers are designed to reduce the dew point of compressed air to a normal range between 33 and 42 degrees depending on the application and operating condition. This means that all the raw liquid and… Read more »

Updated Dec 9, 2016 Your air compressor is vital for keeping production in operation and key equipment running, so handling preventative maintenance in a timely manner is important. By scheduling regular air compressor maintenance with a reliable local service company, you prevent lost productivity and downtime that comes with not doing regular upkeep of your compressed air system and equipment. Check out our preventative maintenance plans! There are also checks that you can do yourself to help save you service costs and prevent the need for emergency repair. Daily: Check oil levels Check oil pressure Inspect for air and oil… Read more »

Air includes water, so moisture is always present in your compressed air to varying degrees depending on humidity and temperature. An accumulation of water can cause moisture to get pulled back into the compressed air stream. This can be especially problematic when you are using a compressor to spray paint because water can cause negative visual and texture effects on the finish sheen. Other uses where moisture is a real nuisance include sand and other material blasting, pneumatic tools, CNC machining centers, robotics, air cylinders, valves, and many other applications. When a compressor draws in air, the air is compressed… Read more »