A stitch in time...can save you money: Compressed Air Maintenance
When presented with a quotation to have your compressed air equipment serviced, it can be very easy to see that cost as unnecessary rather than essential. This is because you are not seeing how much it will cost you to not have it done and it’s worth knowing that there is the potential for it to be considerably more.
BCAS has laid out some of the key benefits of keeping on top of your air compressor maintenance schedule.
Energy efficiency
Dirt and grime build up on numerous key components of a compressor such as filters, coolers, vents, belts and bearings. This build-up will cause equipment to run sluggishly, at a higher temperature and consuming more power. With compressed air accounting for an average of 30% of a plant’s energy usage, the additional costs this will cause will be significant.
Employee safety
Servicing is an opportunity to identify and mitigate any Health & Safety risks caused by faulty machinery. In fact, for many applications and organisations, the frequency of servicing is a key element of their Health & Safety responsibilities. Visits by professional engineers also offer the chance for unsafe working practices to be highlighted and eradicated.
Improved reliability
Preventive maintenance makes it possible to detect problems at an early stage before they cause serious system damage and lead to costly and time-consuming repairs. Far better to avoid a breakdown than to pay for replacement equipment and emergency repairs – or worse still, to have to deal with the consequences of disruptions to operation and missed delivery deadlines.
Less equipment downtime
Maintenance work can be planned to take place at a time that does not interfere with your production schedule. Not only is this more convenient, but typically, servicing takes less time than a major repair or complete equipment replacement, both of which can be a consequence of a missed maintenance visit.
Extended equipment life
Running a compressor with dirty filters, with too little oil and with faulty parts will cause unnecessary and additional wear on your machine. Regular servicing is therefore one of the very best ways to increase your asset’s life expectancy.
As we navigate our way through these challenging economic conditions, we are all looking for ways to reduce costs. This may include implementing measures to improve energy efficiency, shopping around for cheaper materials or cutting back on non-essential services. But postponing the planned maintenance of your compressed air equipment is a false economy and is likely to result in higher costs in one way or another.
For guidance on the best servicing schedule for your particular set-up, contact BCAS.