A leakage test at a mattress making facility was done over one weekend. The facility had no main flow meter, so the testing was done using a flow meter made from a set of calibrated orifices when there was no production. The compressed air auditor did the test, and tallied up the orifices β and […]
New high flow gas pressure regulators
ControlAir LLC hasΒ announced the introduction of the Type 1227 and Type 1230 High Flow Gas PressureΒ Regulators to its gas regulator product offering. The Type 1227 and Type 1230 Gas Pressure Regulators are direct-operated, pressure-reducing regulators suitableΒ for use with compressed air, natural gas, or an assortment of other inert gases. These gas pressure regulators helpΒ maintain consistent […]
VMAC makes 2020 list of Best Workplaces in Canada
VMAC is being recognized as one of the Best Workplaces in Canada, joining the top 50 organizations in the nation. To be eligible for the Best Workplaces in Canada list, organizations must be Great Place To Work Certified in the last 12 months, which requires coworkers to complete a confidential Trust Index Survey. In the […]
Why is pressure vessel safety important?
By Ron Marshall The pressure vessel authorities in your state or province have set rules for the installation of pressure vessels. Like most regulations these rules have been put in place because someone has been killed or badly injured in the past by an unplanned explosion caused by a failed pressurized device. Sometimes plants install […]
Compressed air fail: Pressure regulators
By Ron Marshall A newly constructed manufacturing plant had a policy to always install high quality pressure regulators for each one of their thousands of production machines. Each regulator was adjusted to the machine input requirements β and the pressure gauge marked it indicate the allowable range of adjustment. Despite this effort, some production machines […]
Vacuum manufacturer Leybold celebrates 170th birthday
Traditionally, companies can only be sustainable if they are innovative. The vacuum specialist Leybold succeeded with its combination of tradition and innovation over the course of its history. With this in mind, Leybold is proud to honor this important milestone by celebrating its 170th birthday in 2020. Without the tireless work and commitment of several […]
Plant shut down? Try repairing some leaks!
Unplanned plant shutdowns are a killer on the bottom line, requiring lots of patience and the use of scarce reserve funds. As with anything, the pain is rarely permanent, and the most we can do is grin and bear it β and also try to keep ourselves productive. It is a time for future planning […]
Compressed air fail: Compressor response
By Ron Marshall A food processing plant invited a compressor vendor in, to conduct a compressed air assessment. The goal here was to determine the plantβs system efficiency for a possible compressed air improvement project. The vendor placed data loggers on the compressed air system to measure the plant pressure and power. The data logging […]
Compressed air fail: Dryer dewpoint controls
There is always much talk about the need to fix compressed air leaks and inappropriate uses in a plant β but sometimes the wasted flow is hidden inside components such as compressed air desiccant dryers. A small chemical processing facility is located in an area of the world where temperatures in winter drop down below […]
Why are compressed air thermal readings important?
Heat is not the friend of any compressor. Overheating can shut down your compressor, cause excessive water and oil to pass downstream, can kill air dryers, and prematurely age system components. For this reason, it is a good maintenance step to monitor the temperature at various points in the system. This can help you flag […]
