A plastics manufacturer was having constant trouble with his desiccant air dryers. No matter what he did, they would constantly set off dewpoint alarms, which was very annoying. He called in a compressed air auditor to have a look. The auditor shot temperatures and found that the discharge of the compressors was too hot. Outputs […]
Some Joulin grippers now being sold under Piab’s Kenos brand
In May, Piab acquired Joulin, a global leader of vacuum gripping solutions. Now, the company has integrated three of Joulin’s gripper ranges into its existing Kenos portfolio. However, solutions for heavy-duty industries will continue to be marketed under the Joulin brand. As the market for material handling solutions is growing rapidly, Joulin has been a […]
Compressed air fail: A modulation nightmare
John, the maintenance manager of a wood products company, was very proud of his Number 3 compressor. It has been operating for years, racking up more than 200,000 run hours — and was so trouble free, it was almost scary. Of course, John kept it maintained, changing oil and filters on a regular basis, fixing […]
ELGi announces rebranding of portable air compressor line in North America
ELGi Compressors USA Inc. (ELGi), a subsidiary of ELGi Equipments Limited, a compressor manufacturer, announced the strategic rebranding of its portable air compressor line in North America, previously branded as Rotair. ELGi acquired the Italian-based portable air compressor manufacturer, Rotair, in 2012. Rebranding “Rotair” to “ELGi” will strengthen the company’s presence in the North American […]
piCOMPACT 10X SMART has added functionality on small footprint ejector
The piCOMPACT 10X SMART is a compact, efficient, and intelligent ejector that enables you to take the next step in production control and ease of use. Based on COAX technology and integrated IO-Link technology, piCOMPACT 10X SMART offers enhanced flexibility, quicker installation, and improved customization. Building on the air-driven, multistage ejector piCOMPACT 10X, this product comes […]
Compressed air fail: Fire system
A large industrial plant fell on hard times and had to reduce their production shifts to only 8 hours per day, 5 days per week. The compressed air system remained running full time 24 hours a day, including weekends, due to the need to supply the plant’s dry fire system with air pressure. The total […]
Should I repair or replace my aging air compressor?
What should you do when it comes time to decide if you should repair or replace your aging air compressor? There are a few things you should consider. Air compressors are like motor vehicles — if they are used continuously, hardly shutting down, they should not be expected to run for a long time without […]
Why are compressed air temperature ratings important?
Question: My compressed air dryer is rated at 100° F inlet air temperature. What will happen if the air temperature is lower than this? Answer: Having the air temperature lower than the dryer rating is a good thing. Actually, dryers are commonly rated at 100° F inlet temperature, 100 psi and 100° F ambient temperature. […]
Compressed air: A bike tire analogy
Running out of pressure? Think about storage volume. Consider this — remember when you had your 10-speed bike with those thin tires? You could ride quite fast, but when it came to filling up the tubes to the proper pressure, all it took was a small shot on the fill valve to change the pressure […]
Compressed air fail: Dusty filters
A sawmill ran a set of six large air-cooled compressors to feed their various processes. To cool the compressors, the air was drawn from outdoors and mixed with indoor air to keep temperatures from freezing the compressors in winter. This facility has a tough environment for cooling air because of the sawdust. To attempt to […]
