In a recent blog post on PlantServices.com, editor Mike Bacidore outlined several predictive-maintenance (PdM) technologies and applications that help ensure optimal performance and continuous uptime of your compressed air system.
He writes, “Detecting leaks is a given…Lubrication and pump issues also are prime candidates for monitoring in a PdM program. But there might be a few applications of PdM technology that you hadn’t considered for making your compressed-air system more efficient.”
Advanced data monitoring of equipment is one of the most effective strategies to help facilities avoid costly downtime and increase energy efficiency. A 24/7 real-time monitoring system provides data that can be analyzed for key performance indicators, such as pressure drops in an area of the system, that help predict problems and reveal where production can be optimized. This helps plant managers develop an ongoing plan to improve system usage and efficiency while minimizing downtime.
Atlas Copco’s data monitoring program, SmartLink, provides both the plant operator and Atlas Copco service technicians the tools to recognize and react to performance changes in real-time, thus identifying issues before they become problems.
Last year, we installed our new SmartLink technology in the Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) headquarters in Kannapolis, N.C., and this season, as part of our ongoing partnership with the team, we’ll install new compressed air equipment with SmartLink technology into SHR’s new 125,000 sq.-ft. state-of-the-art race shop expansion.
To learn more about the installation and the benefits of SmartLink, check out this video:
Bacidore’s post covers additional technologies that you might consider employing to ensure optimal performance across your compressed air system. You can read the full post here: PdM applications to improve compressed air efficiency.
Do you use predictive maintenance technologies in your facility? Which technologies do you think are the most effective at ensuring uptime and optimal performance? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
