By Ron Marshall A building products company had a compressed air system that featured one large 1,500-cfm compressor and three smaller ones. The compressed air flow had grown to a point where the large compressor could only be turned off during shutdown periods; when it was turned off, the plant pressure would collapse. The large […]
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Compressed air fail: Sensor eye blowing
The operators at a lumber mill were having production problems in two of their machines. Annoyingly, critical sensing eyes were getting blocked by occasional pieces of bark as the logs went by. After enduring this for quite a while the maintenance department finally took matters into their own hands. The plant had a welding department, […]
A look at misfit compressed air tools
Are you still using open ended compressed air blowing? Are these blowers simply controlled by a ball valve? Did you know these tools can turn into dangerous uncontrolled projectiles if accidently dropped when the valve is wide open? They cause noise pollution and present a risk of eye injury when chips of debris are sent […]
How do you measure your compressed air’s air quality?
Many industrial sites measure their compressed air quality, or think they do. When asked to show the dew point of a system with refrigerated air dryers, the compressor operators will typically point to the air dryer display, not knowing that the reading is not really dew point, but the temperature within the air dryer itself. […]
Compressed air fail: Dryer overload
A building products company purchased a compressor with 1,520 cfm capacity to help with the increased load after a plant expansion. Various dryer sizes were available, but one sized at 1,600 cfm was selected, rather than choosing the next size up, to save purchase costs. Shortly after installation, the production machine operators started complaining about […]
Compressed air fail: Safety hazard
During a compressed air assessment, a service provider was reviewing the total capacity of the storage receivers for his report. Having adequate capacity helps make the compressors run more efficiently and saves energy. During his checks, he spotted a strange color on one receiver safety valve. On closer inspection, he noticed that the pressure relief […]
The magic of compressed air heat recovery
A facilities manager at a building products plant attended a compressed air efficiency seminar sponsored by his local utility. He learned about optimizing air compressors, filters, dryers, and piping. He discovered how to arrange to have a baseline taken of his compressed air system to assess its efficiency. He discovered the excellent savings he could […]
Innovative grippers raise food-processing efficiency, sustainability
Vacuum technology is essential for safely handling food products without damage or waste. Justin Katz • Manager, Vacuum Automation Components Group • Schmalz Inc. • Raleigh, N.C. The world wastes about 1.4 billion tons of food every year, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. The United States alone annually discards nearly 40 […]
How do you mount/install a compact pneumatic cylinder?
By Vicki Burt, Contributor One of the benefits in choosing a compact cylinder is getting effective motion in a small footprint. These short-stroke, low-profile, air cylinders are designed to fit into tight spaces and are available in a variety of mounting options. Pancake cylinders are a trademarked line of compact air cylinders from Fabco-Air Inc. […]
Achieve a greener packaging line with pneumatics technologies
By integrating pneumatics technologies, consumer packaged goods companies can reduce their carbon — and equipment — footprint. Contributed by Mark Densley, Director Business Development Factory Automation, Emerson Customer demand, as well as a sense of environmental responsibility, is driving consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies to drastically reduce their carbon footprint. While many companies seek ways to make […]
