Efficiency is often used across municipalities and industrial companies throughout the U.S., and rightly so. When it comes to air compressors and blowers, “efficiency” should never be limited to energy efficiency. Of course, it’s important to preface that by acknowledging that up to 80% of the life cycle costs of a compressor or blower come from energy usage.
Considering this, and the continued advancement in variable-speed drive technology, the rotary screw compressor is a backbone of the industrial world, and it has evolved into a mainstay of the municipal world, generating even greater energy savings. Ideal for many applications, this technology offers a wide range of volume and pressure bandwidths, yielding ultimate efficiency and flexibility. While a great option, screw technology should not be a default choice without first auditing your facility. That’s the main reason Atlas Copco offers seven different technologies available for every unique application.
Service efficiency
Let’s now focus on service efficiency, which encompasses time, money and downtime. Like most machinery, the time between service intervals has increased on many compressors and blowers due to continued improvements in designed components. When choosing your next compressor or blower, this is a critical consideration to calculate your return on investment or total cost of ownership.
Considering handling some service procedures in-house? If so, consider the physical time required, whether some parts need removal, any specialized equipment or tools needed, and the cost of the components. Finally, note that saving a few dollars on non-OEM or guaranteed parts is generally one of the least efficient practices, as it can limit the energy performance of the machine, or lead to failure, which brings us to the last point on efficiency: The cost of downtime.
More uptime
Every facility manager knows the cost of downtime. Keeping up with service needs when relying on a single machine is challenging. These days, it's possible to build a system that isn’t all or nothing. For example, this can be achieved by easily adding a second machine or running two smaller ones in parallel.
Remote monitoring and 24/7 connectivity is offered with many new or retrofitted compressors and blowers. This gives peace of mind to ensure you can always be in control — no matter where you are working from. Your supplier can see exactly the same messages that you are seeing in real time and can guide you in proactive steps. Lastly, you can also think of remote monitoring as an ongoing audit that happens 24/7, offering constant visibility to flag issues before they become serious problems.
To put it simply, efficiency is an all-encompassing topic. Energy efficiency is nothing without the efficiency of uptime and reliability!
Atlas Copco’s products help customers achieve sustainable productivity in a wide range of markets, including general engineering, manufacturing and process industries, construction, automotive, electronics, oil and gas, wastewater treatment and much more. The company has about 43,000 employees and customers in more than 180 countries.
866-546-3588 | info@atlascopcousa.com
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