Air Compressor Pump And Motor

"What are the keys to maintaining an efficient compressed air system?"

Answer:

Key #1: PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE

"What is the key to maintaining a powerful compressed air system?"   The best reply might have to get -- Preventive Maintenance.

WHAT IS PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE?

According to "Wikipedia": Preventive maintenance (PM) has the following meanings:

"The care and servicing by personnel for the purpose of maintaining equipment and facilities in

satisfactory operating condition through providing for systematic inspection, detection, and correction of incipient failures either before they occur or before they come to be major defects.

Maintenance, including tests, measurements, adjustments, and parts replacement, performed specifically in order to avoid faults from occurring."

*Source: from Federal Standard 1037C and from MIL-STD-188 and in the Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms

Preventive maintenance activities include partial or complete overhauls at specified periods, oil changes, lubrication so on. In addition, workers can record equipment information and deterioration so they know to exchange or repair worn parts before they cause system failure.

The ideal preventive maintenance program would prevent all equipment failure before it occurs.

BENEFITS OF PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE:

-Improves system reliability helping keep equipment working and/or extend the life span with the equipment.

-Decreases system downtime and actively helps prevent unbudgeted maintenance expenses from cropping up.

-Decreases the cost of having to change equipment as often.

-Records operational data that will assist you to troubleshoot an emerging problem (called "Data Trending")

Data trending will be the recording of basic operation parameters including pressures, temperatures, and electrical data. For example, a slowly increasing temperature indicates a selection of maintenance requirements including cooler core cleaning, overloading of system and possible mechanical problems. Another example might include slowly decreasing pressure, indicating increased system flow requirements, reduced compressor performance or increased system leakage. Make sure someone is taking a glance at this data with a regular basis. If the info is never reviewed then your benefit is lost.

THE VALUE OF PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE:

To figure out how valuable regular air compressor PM is always to you and also your business... you should know what your "down-time" is worth. In some operations, down-time could cost hundreds, even thousands of dollars an hour.

There are lots of misconceptions about preventive maintenance...one being which it costs too much.

This line of thinking says regularly scheduled downtime for maintenance costs greater than operating the equipment until repair is absolutely necessary...or until the equipment breaks. This could be true for a few components, try not to forget to consider the long-term benefits and savings connected with preventive maintenance that have been previously mentioned.

If regular Preventive Maintenance can help reduce unexpected downtime that leads to loss in production, some time and materials or perhaps the ruining of the expensive plant process--then it's well worth the investment. Not to mention that unscheduled shut-downs may be extended if your correct equipment parts or repair technicians aren't readily available.

"How effective can be your PM program?"

The answer is: "If your PM program isn't finding problems, it isn't really effective."

Key #2: CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE

Corrective maintenance, usually called "repair", is conducted to acquire equipment working again

or fix any problems found during Preventive Maintenance.

The primary goal of maintenance is to stop or decrease the consequences of failure of your respective compressed air equipment. PM is designed to preserve and restore equipment reliability by replacing worn components before they fail.

Key #3: ASSESSING YOUR EQUIPMENT: When to keep up so when to replace.

Here are some factors to consider when assessing your compressed air equipment:

-How critical is your compressed air equipment? If equipment fails, what may be the effect on production or safety.

-What is the age & history of one's equipment.

Equipment histories will prove that a lot of failures occur during infancy (newly installed or recently overhauled) and old-age (self-explanatory).

How often times has this equipment failed within the past?

-How much would you trust this equipment to execute as designed when scheduled to run?

-Do you will need newer technology on your own equipment?

Assessing the answers about bat roosting questions will enable you to determine whenever your older equipment needs fixing or replacing. Preventive Maintenance may help your equipment last longer, run better, and help save plenty of money in the long haul.

Key #4: KNOWING YOUR EQUIPMENT WHAT IT NEEDS:

-Every bit of compressed air equipment should come using a pair of MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS and several type of operations& parts manual. Your operators should review the equipment information whilst it handy for future reference. If you got used equipment , nor possess the manuals, contact your equipment distributor to get a copy.

- Follow taking care guidelines for your equipment.

BASIC PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE CHECK LIST FOR

RECIPROCATING (PISTON) AIR COMPRESSORS:

Before performing any maintenance function, switch main disconnect switch the signal from "off" position to make sure no power is entering unit. "Lock Out" or "Tag Out" all sources of power. Be sure all air pressure in unit is relieved. Failure to complete this might lead to injury or equipment damage.

DAILY MAINTENANCE

1. Check oil amount of both compressor and engine in that case equipped. Add quality air compressor lubricant as required.

2. Drain moisture from tank by opening tank drain valve located in bottom of tank. Do not open drain valve if tank pressure exceeds 25 PSIG.

3. Stop, Look & Listen for virtually any unusual noise, failure to compress, overheating, vibrations or belt slippage and correct before damage of an serious nature develops.

4. Turn off compressor in the end of each day's operation. Turn off power supply.

WEEKLY MAINTENANCE

1. Clean dust and foreign matter from cylinder head, motor, fan blade, air lines, intercooler and tank.

2. Remove and clean intake air filters.

WARNING

Do not exceed 15 PSIG nozzle pressure when cleaning element parts with compressed air. Do not direct compressed air against human skin. Serious injury could result. Never wash elements in fuel oil, gasoline or flammable solvent.

 3. Check V-belts for tightness. The V-belts have to be tight enough to transmit the essential power on the compressor. Adjust the V-belts as follows:

a. Remove bolts and guard gain access to compressor drive.

b. Loosen mounting hardware which secures motor to base. Slide motor within slots of base plate to desired position.

c. Check the manufacturer's specifications for correct belt tension. Apply pressure with belt tension checker to no less than one belt at midpoint span. Make further adjustments if necessary.

d. Check the alignment of pulleys. Adjust if necessary.

e. Tighten mounting hardware to secure motor on base.

f. Re-install guard and secure with bolts.

WARNING: Never operate unit without belt guard in place. Removal will expose rotating parts which could cause injury or equipment damage.

 EVERY 90 DAYS OR 500 HOURS MAINTENANCE

1. Change crankcase oil. Use type and grade oil as specified.

2. Check entire system for air leakage around fittings, connections, and gaskets, utilizing an ultrasonic leak detector or using soap solution and brush.

3. Tighten nuts and cap-screws as required.

4. Check and clean compressor valves, replace gasket valve asssembly when worn or damaged.

CAUTION: Valves should be reinstalled in original position. Valve gaskets needs to be replaced each each time valves are serviced.

5. Pull ring on all pressure relief valves in order to guarantee proper operation.

GENERAL MAINTENANCE NOTES:

 PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE: The pressure relief valve is definitely an automatic pop valve. Each valve is correctly adjusted for the maximum pressure permitted by tank specifications and pressure from the unit where it can be installed. If it must pop, it will likely be required to drain all of the air out of the tank so as to reseat properly. Do not readjust.

TANK DRAIN VALVE: Drain valve is found at bottom of tank. Open drain valve daily to drain condensation.

Do not open drain valve if tank pressure exceeds 25 PSIG. The automatic tank drain equipped compressor requires draining manually when a week.

PRESSURE SWITCH: The pressure switch is automatic and can start compressor at low pressure and stop when the maximum pressure is reached. It is adjusted to begin preventing compressor in the proper pressure to the unit where it really is installed. Do not readjust.

BELTS: Drive belts has to be kept tight enough in order to avoid slipping. If belts slip or squeak, see V-belt maintenance in preceding section.

CAUTION: If belts are extremely tight, overload will be put on motor and motor bearings

COMPRESSOR VALVES: If compressor doesn't pump air or seems slow in filling tank, disconnect unit from power source, drain air tank, and take off valves and clean thoroughly, using compressed air and a soft wire brush. After cleaning exceptional care have to be taken that every parts are replaced in exactly a similar position and all sorts of joints must be tight or perhaps the compressor is not going to function properly. When all valves are replaced, perform a timed pump-up test and check to determine which it meets factory specifications. Valve gaskets ought to be replaced each each time valves are removed from pump.

Bottom Line: One from the main keys to maintaining a competent compressed air system has been and still is "Preventive Maintenance."