As with any piece of mechanical equipment, all air compressors will require some form of routine, standard type maintenance. To ensure continuous, efficient, and reliable performance (while avoiding interruptions and unexpected downtime), it is recommended to go beyond standard maintenance and implement an air compressor preventative maintenance program.
Air Compressor preventative maintenance programs are designed to identify potential problems in a compressed air system before they occur and impose unexpected, expensive, emergency repairs.
Preventative maintenance is viewed as an economical solution to increase an air compressor’s reliability compared to pricier, reactive repair situations in the event of unexpected failures.
Example: A Service Engineer identifies a cracked drive belt during a scheduled, routine inspection of a customer’s air compressor. The belt can be replaced immediately, as opposed to a costlier scenario where the drive belt snaps unexpectedly, the plant loses air, and production stops as on-site maintenance personnel work vigorously to identify and resolve the problem and try & source a replacement belt, most likely outside of normal working hours.
Preventative Maintenance Programs for Air Compressors
No matter how small or large a compressed air system is, it’s vital to perform preventative, planned maintenance services on a routine basis. The benefits of air compressor servicing include:
1. Preventative Maintenance Avoids Downtime
For many businesses around the world, equipment downtime (i.e. breakdowns) is the largest source of lost production time. According to the analyst firm, Aberdeen Research, 82% of companies have experienced unplanned downtime over the last three years. This downtime can cost a company, depending on the size of production, up to £100,000 an hour! Along with lost production, downtime can result in loss of customer trust and business. Failing to plan timely, preventative maintenance, on top of standard maintenance, can run the risk of encountering air compressor performance issues with greater frequency. To avoid the costly risk of downtime, regular, planned maintenance is recommended, even when an air compressor appears to be running flawlessly.
2. Preventative Maintenance Avoids Costly Emergency Repairs
If a compressor breaks down, it will need repairing as soon as possible. Not only can downtime cost hundreds of pounds a minute, but emergency repair costs to have a compressor fixed can be very high. When compressor inspections and maintenance are performed on a regular schedule, it allows issues to be identified before they happen, avoiding the inconvenience & cost of having to invest in third-party emergency repair services.
3. Preventative Maintenance Lowers Energy Costs
As mentioned, preventative maintenance allows problems to be identified before they occur and cause disruption to production. This enables a compressor to run smoother and more efficiently; translating to less electricity used to power the equipment. For example, generating 5 cfm of compressed air requires approximately one kilowatt of electricity. By increasing a system’s efficiency through proper and routine maintenance, significant energy savings can be achieved. Simply put, preventative maintenance plays a direct role in decreasing monthly electric bills.
4. Preventative Maintenance Increases Compressed Air System Life
A huge benefit of preventative maintenance is that it increases the life and reliability of a whole compressed air system, not just the air compressor. When calculating the upfront costs of a complete compressed air system, a return on investment (ROI) should be sought to increase productivity. Without regular inspections, check-ups, and system tweaks, a system’s reliability and efficiency decreases, lessening the returns that may otherwise be achieved.
5. Preventative Maintenance Lowers Total Cost of Ownership
Most of the costs involved in generating compressed air aren’t the up-front purchase price of a compressed air system, but the energy it takes to operate the equipment, over a period of time. When calculating the true lifecycle cost of a compressed air system, 12% is the initial purchase price, 12% is system maintenance, and 76% is spent on electricity to power the system. As stated above, investing in preventative maintenance for your system can help increase system efficiency. With 76% of the total lifecycle cost of a compressed air system being the electricity it takes to operate it, an inefficient system will only increase this percentage more.
6. Preventative Maintenance Provides Peace of Mind
Preventative maintenance programs provide peace of mind; knowing that a compressed air system is being properly cared for and monitored, day in and day out. Knowing that a system is running smoothly, avoiding interruptions, and saving money. No matter what industry, whatever daily challenges occur; an unreliable air compressor shouldn’t be one of them.
Contact Airia for Reliable Compressed Air Preventative Maintenance.
Covering the UK Southern Home Counties, Airia can help achieve optimal compressed air system performance with a customised ‘AirPlan’ planned maintenance program. With in-house and factory-trained certified service engineers available 24/7, combining insightful industry knowledge and streamlined maintenance practices. Airia ensures compressed air systems deliver reliable, efficient, and quality compressed air; eliminating downtime and saving money. All brands, models, sizes, and types of compressed air systems are covered
Rely on compressed air? Partner with the industry experience, knowledge, and expertise to keep production up and running. Eliminate guesswork – contact Airia to set up a preventative maintenance program today.