By Ron Marshall When Sarahβs phone rang for the third time that week about water in the compressed air system, she assumed she already knew where the problem was. The maintenance supervisor reported water collecting in filter bowls, operators complained that pneumatic cylinders were becoming sluggish, and one production line had experienced quality problems because […]
Air Preparation
Every compressed air audit should start with a block diagram
By Ron Marshall When engineers begin a compressed air audit, there is often a strong temptation to install instruments immediately. Pressure loggers are connected, power meters are hooked up, flowmeters are positioned, and data begins accumulating. It feels productive, but there is a risk: if you do not first understand how the compressed air system […]
Compressed air fail: Look for your numbers
By Ron Marshall Mike had walked past his compressors thousands of times. Two rotary screw compressors were installed in the corner of the plant, humming away just as they always had. He knew how to start them, how to stop them, and who to call when something didn’t sound right. Beyond that, the control panel […]
Your compressor may not be the problem β but your data might be!
By Ron Marshall When a compressed air system struggles, the compressor usually gets blamed first. Pressure is dropping at the far end of the plant. Production tools are slowing down. Another compressor is running more often than expected. The energy bill is climbing. The first reaction of management is often predictable: βWe need a bigger […]
FRLs for compressed air prep and care
When a pneumatic system suffers a catastrophic failure, such as a blown seal, a ruptured airline, or a seized cylinder, the maintenance team must respond instantly to treat it. These unexpected ailments reduce productivity, increase costs, and work your millwrights ragged. Many pneumatic systems experience chronic unwellness, much as we humans do with cardiovascular disease; […]
When a remote compressed air audit reveals big savings
By Ron Marshall When the phone rang in the summer a few years ago, Ron knew the project would be unusual. A sawmill nearly 1,000 miles away needed a compressed air assessment, but an injured knee made flying impossible. Normally, a project like this would require airports, hotels, and days spent carrying instruments through the […]
Compressed air fail: The 40-kW wake-up call
By Ron Marshall George ran the compressed air system at his plant for eleven years. If you would have asked him last spring how it was doing, heβd have shrugged and said, βFine.β Two screw compressors, sharing the load, humming along the way they always had. Nobody calls a meeting about compressed air until something […]
Is your air dryer quietly wasting energy?
Mark had always considered himself a capable plant manager. He knew his way around the facility, understood the production demands, and trusted his maintenance team to keep things running. As far as he was concerned, the compressed air system was doing its job. The air was dry, production wasnβt complaining, and the compressors were humming […]
Stop the silent thief: Save money with compressed air efficiency
Walk through almost any manufacturing plant and youβll hear it, the steady hum of compressors, the hiss of air tools, the pulse of production. To many, it sounds like business as usual. But to someone who understands compressed air systems, that same sound can also mean one thing: Money leaking away! Compressed air is often […]
Are you paying something for nothing? Check your compressor control!
By Ron Marshall In many industrial plants, the real cost of compressed air isnβt just the air being used on the production floor, itβs the energy consumed when the compressor is running β but not producing useful air. Choosing the wrong operating mode for your compressor can be surprisingly expensive. Itβs a bit like sitting […]
