I get it — you and your staff are busy and being asked to do more with less. When this happens, things will start to slide. One of the first items on the list is maintenance, and often you can get away with this for a period of time … but eventually a critical failure […]
Why should you measure compressed air?
Portable electronic measuring instruments have been indispensable in capturing compressed air system baselines over the past number of years. Rarely are there enough permanent instruments installed at a typical industrial plant to use to get a clear picture of how well the compressors and dryers are operating. Very often, all a compressed air auditor finds […]
A compressed air rust problem?
Q: We have a problem with rust in a plant. Our downstream filters keep filling up with rust particles. Please see the attached picture. What do you think has gone wrong? A: I suspect that part of the steel piping in the plant is getting wet, likely from compressor overheating during hot days, or dryer […]
What is an air compressor’s pressure rating?
Air compressors come in many makes, styles and ratings. One of the most important ratings is the compressor rated pressure. This is the maximum pressure a compressor should operate, but as many people have found, the compressors will run above their maximum pressure, but should they? The primary issue is safety — compressors often have […]
The necessity of clean, dry compressed air
Learn some tips to ensure reliable, high-quality compressed air output at an affordable cost. By Ron Marshall, Contributing Editor It is crunch time. That important order needs to be processed by the end of the day. You are up against a deadline, and you only need a few more hours of production, and then the […]
VMAC puts the “Air” in Lincoln Electric’s Air Vantage for 20 years
Lincoln Electric’s Air Vantage system is a critical piece of equipment for many operators in tough terrain, offering a welder, generator and air compressor. But the Air Vantage wouldn’t exist without VMAC, a mobile air manufacturer that provides compact yet powerful air compressor technology. “Lincoln Electric and VMAC have successfully worked together for the past […]
A primer on compressed air leakage calculations
Question from a reader: I was wanting to estimate my compressed air leakage level in my plant. I watched my 100-hp compressor and saw that it was loaded for 87 seconds — and unloaded for 64 seconds on the weekend with no production. How would I calculate leakage flow? Answer from Ron Marshall: You are […]