The high monthly cost of contract nitrogen for soldering operations inspired Milwaukee Electronics to search for a more cost-effective solution. In-house nitrogen generation using a TNX Membrane High Capacity N2 Generator produces the nitrogen they need at a fraction of the cost, saving thousands of dollars per year. They expect to achieve a return on their investment in just 18 months and will enjoy savings on nitrogen for years to come.
“Milwaukee Electronics is always trying to expand and get new business, and Fluid-Aire Dynamics has made that possible with the addition of the nitrogen generator. I would recommend it to anyone that uses nitrogen because it saves so much money, time and effort.” - Kevin Hison, Maintenance Technician
The Challenge: The High Cost of Contract Nitrogen
Milwaukee Electronics manufactures printed circuit boards (PCBs) and other electronic components for various industries, including aerospace and defense, medical devices, heavy equipment and more. At their Milwaukee location, soldering for many components is completed using an SMT soldering machine from Nordson. A nitrogen environment is maintained inside the machine to improve the quality of the solder joints and reduce oxidation.
To meet production demands, the company went through five or six large canisters of nitrogen a month at an average monthly cost of $1,000. Kevin Hinson, the Maintenance Technician for the Milwaukee facility, wanted to find a way to cut costs and reduce the logistical challenges of dealing with the large canisters each month. He was also concerned about the volume of N2 gas wasted as the canisters sat in storage.
The Solution: A High-Capacity Membrane Nitrogen Generator
To address these concerns, the company decided to look into in-house nitrogen generation. They worked with Tim Martin at Fluid-Aire Dynamics, who evaluated their processes and nitrogen use and recommended a solution.
They ultimately chose a TNX Membrane High Capacity N2 Generator from PneuTech. The unit is able to produce 3.2 SCFM (standard cubic feet per minute) of nitrogen gas at 99.5% purity, with higher flow rates possible at lower purity levels. This more than meets the flow and purity requirements for the SMT machine and gives them room to grow. A cabinet-style membrane generator is compact and modular; if their nitrogen demand increases in the future, they can simply add another membrane module.
The membrane generator is fed by a 25HP compressor, which also powers the rest of their manufacturing operations. They also have a second 25HP backup compressor. Fluid-Aire Dynamics provides preventative maintenance service for all of their compressed air (and now nitrogen) equipment.
Results: Dramatic Cost Savings and Total Control Over Nitrogen Output
The membrane generator was installed in February 2024, and the company expects it to pay for itself in roughly 18 months. Operational costs, including installation and maintenance, are estimated at $800/year for the first two years and just $400/year after that. That means that they will soon be saving more than $11,500 per year on nitrogen generation.
In addition to the cost savings, Kevin also appreciates the time saved by not having to deal with heavy nitrogen canisters every month. The modular design gives them the flexibility they need to expand operations in the future.
In the meantime, Fluid-Aire Dynamics will continue to provide service for their air compressor and nitrogen equipment. When it’s time to retire their older air compressor, they plan to replace it with a PneuTech compressor from Fluid-Aire Dynamics.
