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Compressed Air System Auditing
Your manufacturing company probably utilizes various process improvement techniques to keep quality levels high, avoid wasted time and boost your output to keep customers happy. Even when using optimized processes, however, your enterprise could fall short if there are unaddressed issues related to your specialized systems. A compressed air system audit can provide insights that would otherwise go unnoticed.
An audit reveals details related to your company's current air consumption. By using that data, technicians can look for areas of improvement and determine what changes you could make for the best results. It's also possible that your current setup is not ideal for your application. In that case, the audit sheds light on how to make smart investments that increase profitability.
Improving Safety Through a Compressed Air System Analysis
Regular audits of your system reduce risks and the likelihood of accidents. Then, your employees stay safer as you protect your facility from damage caused by preventable malfunctions.
For example, a frayed air hose presents a significant threat to safety, especially if it ruptures before being addressed. Hose damage can also cause drops in system pressure, leading to performance declines or internal damage to air-powered tools and devices.
Obtaining a thorough check of your system also identifies pressure gauge problems. This component is usually one of the most reliable indicators of issues that pose safety risks. However, if it doesn't work properly, it could conceal a buildup of pressure in the tank that goes on to cause a fire or explosion.
Repeated cycling and abrasion can damage a compressor system's internal wiring, too. However, getting a professional to analyze performance can alert you to abnormalities that pose electrical threats.
Enjoying Better Efficiency With an Air Compressor System Audit
Improved efficiency helps your company's bottom line by targeting wasted costs. Even a minor system tweak could translate to reduced expenses and improved performance. Having your system audited gives you a data-backed starting point so that you know precisely where weaknesses exist without guessing. This evaluation can also highlight previously unknown problems, such as leaks.
The Compressed Air and Gas Institute (CAGI) found that, on average, $3.2 billion dollars in energy costs are wasted annually by compressed air systems in the United States alone. In a single month, a 1/4" leak in your air compressor will result in a loss of 3 million cubic feet of air in a 100 PSIG system; a 107,000 kWh energy loss at power levels of 18 kW/100 cfm. If your electric rate is $0.10 per kW, this means you lost $10,700 to a 1/4" leak in a single month. If that leak goes undetected for a year, multiply $10,700 by 12, and you get an annual loss of $128,400. This nightmare of a scenario can easily be avoided through compressed air system auditing.
The Value of Data
Compressed air system auditing services from C.H. Reed can help you identify cost-saving opportunities that you may not be aware of, hidden within your compressed air system. Our factory-trained certified compressed air technicians utilize Structured Compressed Air Data Analysis and Reporting (SCADAR) data logging technologies. They're compatible with systems regardless of age, size, or brand. Our approach optimizes compressed air performance by:
- Examining your air usage
- Verifying CFM output
- Identifying artificial demands and production inefficiencies
- Identifying inappropriate usage
- Identifying and reducing pressure drops
- Detecting and eliminating leaks
- Recovering wasted heat
- Proper and routine maintenance improvements
- Utilizing compressed air controller technologies (where applicable)
- And much more
More specifically, SCADAR shows technicians the amounts of productive versus unproductive power associated with a compressed air system. Those statistics indicate potential areas of improvement, allowing for proactive changes to happen.
In addition to power-related metrics, including voltage and current, SCADAR assesses moisture, temperature, flow, and pressure. It checks individual components and how well they all work together to contribute to a correctly functioning system.
Without unbiased, evidence-based data on how your air compressor (or vacuum pump) is performing, any vital decisions you make to your system will be based on "guesstimates" and possibly inaccurate calculations. A compressed air system analysis, or air audit, will help provide a baseline on how your current air compressor is operating and help identify the hidden life cycle costs in your system. The data compiled from the audit can be used to make the necessary adjustments and corrections in your system, leading to lower energy and operating costs, on top of improved reliability and overall performance.
Why Partner With Us for Compressed Air Audit Services?
C.H. Reed has more than 70 years of industry experience and our footprint extends across the entire Mid-Atlantic region. If an audit shows your machine could benefit from preventative maintenance or repair services, we can provide either or both.
Moreover, if investing in a replacement air compressor is the most appropriate approach, our sales specialists can work with you to identify which compressed air option is right for you. From rotary-screw, reciprocating, centrifugal, oil-free compressors, vacuum pumps, air treatment equipment, and much more, C.H. Reed has the industry expertise to help you make the best decision.
We look forward to helping your industrial systems and your company achieve peak performance. Replace guesswork with data. Contact us today to schedule a compressed air system audit.
Contact our team of experts today!
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