safety valve for air compressor free sample

An OSHA COMPRESSED AIR SAFETY SHUT-OFF VALVES should be placed immediately after the air control shut off valve and before the hose on a compressor, and after each discharge port that a hose is connected to.

Before starting the compressor the air control valve should be closed completely. When the compressor unloads, open the air shut off control valve very slowly. Full port ball valves tend to work better than gate or butterfly type valves.

The air shut off control valve must be fully open for the OSHA COMPRESSED AIR SAFETY SHUT-OFF VALVES to work. Some portable air compressor manufacturers recommend start-up with the air control valve slightly open. In this case you may have to close the valve and reopen it slowly to the full open position, or wait for the safety shut-off valve to reset itself.

If the OSHA COMPRESSED AIR SAFETY SHUT-OFF VALVES fails to operate despite meeting all condi-tions, check the hose line for obstructions or a hose mender restricting normal air flow.

• Turn on air supply slowly (to avoid tripping OSHA safety valve). Prior to fully reaching operation conditions, the OSHA COMPRESSED AIR SAFETY SHUT-OFF VALVES should suddenly activate and stop air flow.

• If the OSHA COMPRESSED AIR SAFETY SHUT-OFF VALVE is not activated the unit should be disconnected and the lower flow range OSHA COMPRESSED AIR SAFETY SHUT-OFF VALVES should be used. This means you need to use a different valve with a lower scfm range.

• At temperatures below 40°F ensure that OSHA COMPRESSED AIR SAFETY SHUT-OFF VALVES are not subject to icy conditions which may prevent proper functioning.

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There are many uses of valves - mainly controlling the flow of fluids and pressure. Some examples include regulating water for irrigation, industrial uses for controlling processes, and residential piping systems. Magnetic valves like those using the solenoid, are often used in a range of industrial processes. Whereas backflow preventers are often used in residential and commercial buildings to ensure the safety and hygiene of the water supplies. Whether you are designing a regulation system for irrigation or merely looking for a new replacement, you will be able to find whatever type of air compressor safety valve that you need. Our products vary from check valves to pressure reducing valves, ball valves, butterfly valves, thermostatic mixing valves, and a lot more.

We are a leading manufacturer of high quality valves serving the compressed air, pressure washer, automotive, fluid power, fire protection, specialty gas, and pneumatic industries.

The Model “ST” safety valve is our standard safety valve for small air compressor systems and related applications. Even though the size is compact, flow capacities are high.

Resilient rubber pad, offered in silicone or flourocarbon, insures valve is bubble-tight to within 10% of set pressure. Three inlet sizes are available: 1/8″ NPT, 1/4″ NPT, and 3/8″ NPT.

Model “SV” ASME safety valves are designed for systems where large flow capacities are needed. Resilient pad insures valve is bubble-tight to within 10% of set pressure. Inlet size: 1/2″ NPT.

Model “SB” safety valves offer Control Devices value to users of high capacity ASME safety valves. Unique O-ring seal insures valve is bubble-tight to within 10% of set pressure. 1/2″ NPT and 3/4″ NPT inlets available.

The model “SW” valve is our highest capacity ASME safety valve. Unique O-ring seal insures valve is bubble-tight to within 10% of set pressure. 1″ NPT and 1¼” NPT inlets available.

The Super-Chek® design has been proven over the last 15 years to be the standard for air compressor in-tank check valves. One-piece brass bodies, stainless steel springs, and glass-filled fluoropolymer poppets all add up to long term reliability, while the eight discharge holes insure quiet operation.

Valves may be disassembled for cleaning or repair. Valves are 100% tested for backflow leakage performance. 450 PSI max pressure, 400 deg. F max temperature.

These cast-brass check valves have been specifically designed for installation into air compressor discharge lines. Extra-heavy walled cast brass bodies, glass-filled fluoropolymer poppets, and stainless springs resist corrosion and insure long life.

You may not worry often, if at all, about whether or not your air compressor is running safely. And you really don’t have to, because compressor manufacturers do. From the pressure rating on the air storage tank to emergency stop buttons, air compressors are designed with safety in mind.

But that doesn’t mean you should never think about your compressor’s safety features. In most cases, they need to be inspected regularly to make sure they’re working properly. One key safety feature that should be inspected regularly is the air pressure relief valve (PRV), sometimes called a safety relief valve.

The pressure relief valve is a safety valve that protects the compressor component that it’s attached to from being exposed to a pressure above its rated maximum operating pressure. This rating, called the maximum working pressure (MWP), is the pressure that the vessel has been certified to continuously operate at safely.

So when a compressor is running at or below its maximum working pressure—in other words, when it’s running “normally”—the relief valve doesn’t do anything.

However, when the air pressure inside a compressor exceeds its MWP, the pressure relief valve will activate to “blow off” the excessive pressure within the compressor. Without a relief valve, the storage tank could rupture from the excessive pressure, damaging the compressor itself, possibly other property near it, and even causing injuries (or worse) to anyone standing nearby.

Before we can talk about how the air pressure relief valve works, we first need to look at how air pressure inside a compressor is managed when everything is running normally.

Under normal circumstances, the air pressure in a compressor is controlled by a pressure switch in an electro/mechanical control system or, in the case of an electronic controller, a pressure transducer and controller settings. When the cut-out set pressure for the pressure switch is reached, the compressor will stop compressing air (unload) until the cut-in set pressure is reached, at which time it will start compressing air again (load). If the pressure switch fails, the compressor would not be able to start compressing air again, or potentially worse, not be able to stop. Most compressors also have a high-pressure safety switch that should stop the compressor if the pressure exceeds the unload set point.

A pressure relief valve is a straightforward safety backup to the pressure switch and high-pressure switch, or the controller set points, should any of these components fail with the compressor running. The safety relief valve is set above the high-pressure safety switch and generally at or below the vessel’s maximum operating pressure. Inside the valve is a spring, and the pressure created by the spring’s tension keeps the valve closed under normal operating conditions. However, as the air pressure increases in pressure vessels (like the storage tank), it eventually exceeds the rated pressure of the relief valve, causing the relief valve to open and the excess pressure to be “blown off” to the atmosphere.

If the pressure relief valve fails open, air will continually vent to the atmosphere, preventing the air stream from becoming fully pressurized. The compressor should be shut down and the relief valve replaced before the compressor is restarted. The open relief valve will likely cause a loss of production and possible danger to personnel as a result of the flow of high-pressure air with flying debris and an unsafe sound level.

A pressure relief valve failing closed presents a potentially more dangerous situation. As noted earlier, the relief valve exists to allow excessive pressure to be “blown off” so that the air pressure inside the compressor’s pressure vessels don’t exceed their rated specifications. If the valve fails closed, this pressure venting can’t happen. Unless compressed air demand matches the compressed air supply, the pressure inside the compressor will continue to build. Eventually, the pressure increase would cause the storage tank to rupture, damaging the compressor and possibly causing additional damage and injury to property and people nearby.

If the relief valve is opening because the air pressure in the compressor has exceeded the valve’s pressure set point, that means the valve is working and doing what it was designed to do. But because this indicates the MWP of the compressor has been exceeded, the condition that’s causing excessive pressure should be diagnosed and corrected.

If the relief valve opening wasn’t caused by excessive pressure inside the compressor, then the valve is most likely “failing open”. Most likely, this is because the valve has become “soft” over time, i.e. the valve spring is providing less counterpressure, so it’s opening at a lower pressure than it should.

Whether the valve opened because of excessive pressure in the compressor or because the valve is failing, you should have your local air compressor distributor inspect your compressor before running it again for two reasons:

First, your distributor can determine whether the valve opened due to a failing relief valve or excessive compressors pressure and perform any needed maintenance or service to get your compressor running efficiently and safely again.

Second, regardless of why the pressure relief valve opened, replacing it may be recommended to ensure safe compressor operation, depending on the valve manufacturer. (Replacement is recommended for Sullair compressors.)

Important: Running the compressor after the relief valve has opened, regardless of the reason why it opened, can put both your property at risk of damage and people at risk of injury (or worse). While this may be obvious if the compressor is building up excess pressure, it also applies if the valve failed open. As noted above, even a valve that fails open poses some risk, and next time it could fail closed.

Given how critical a working air pressure relief valve is to the safe and efficient operation of your air compressor, you may wonder whether you need to do any regular inspecting or testing of the valve to make sure it is working. Because this can vary by manufacturer, you should consult your owner’s manual or contact your local air compressor distributor for frequency and type of inspection needed. For most Sullair compressors, inspection for damage or leakage is recommended, but testing is not recommended, as doing so may compromise the valve’s performance.

However, one thing you should do is schedule regular maintenance with your local air compressor distributor. As part of regular maintenance, a service technician can inspect the PRV and let you know it’s at an age or in a condition at which the manufacturer recommends replacement. Also, problems with the compressor’s performance, e.g. not reaching normal operating pressure, may help the service technician identify a failing relief valve after ruling out other possible causes.

When a pressure vessel like a receiver, sump tank or other storage vessel is purchased separately from the compressor, it may not be supplied with a pressure relief valve. To ensure its safe operation, you should add a PRV.

When selecting a PRV to add to the pressure vessel, you must choose a valve with a pressure set point set at or below the maximum working pressure of the vessel. You will find the MWP (and other useful information) on a tag welded to the pressure vessel. Also, flow capacity of the PRV must meet or exceed the total compressed air supplied to the vessel.

For example, if you have two compressors with capacities of 500 and 750 cfm (14.2 and 21.2 m³/min), and a pressure vessel with a maximum working pressure of 200 psi (13.8 bar), the minimum settings for a pressure relief valve would be 1250 cfm (35.4 m³/min) and a set point 200 psi (13.8 bar) or less.

Finally, when attaching the valve to the vessel, the porting must not be reduced to a size less than the size of the inlet port of the pressure relief valve.

Because the pressure relief valve is critical to the safe operation of your compressed air system, if you’re not sure how to select the correct PRV and properly and safely add it to the pressure vessel, contact your local air compressor distributor. They have the experience and expertise to ensure that the PRV is sized and installed correctly.

These high pressure safety valves combine extra sturdy construction, a patented* three-piece disc including seat seal of Teflon, and finely adjustable blow down control-resulting in long service life with superior seat tightness at operating pressure

Multi-stage compressor intercoolers and after coolers, Receivers Especially recommended for thermal expansion relief and/or full rated capacity discharge. When equipped with S/S springs, or all stainless steel assemblies, for low temperature-cryogenic- installations.

Conventionally when we talk about oil lubricated screw air compressor maintenance, it is mostly about replacing consumables such as filters and lubricant on time. While these consumables have a defined usable life and have a direct effect on the efficiency and the life of the air compressor itself when not replaced on time, there are a few critical valves in the air compressor that require maintenance as well. Compressor valves directly affect the efficiency, safety, and the functionality of the screw air compressor. Let us understand some of the commonly available valves in a screw air compressor, why they need maintenance, and discuss some of the frequently asked questions about screw air compressor valves.

A screw air compressor is very similar to a human heart. While a human heart has tricuspid, pulmonary, mitral, and aortic valves, a screw air compressor has four critical valves namely air inlet, minimum pressure, blow down, and safety valves.

Air inlet valve is also commonly known as the ‘Intake valve’ which is typically assembled on the airend’s intake. The air inlet valve of a conventional fixed speed screw air compressor controls the air intake into the compressor. It remains closed when the compressor starts to lower the starting load on the main motor and when the desired working pressure is attained in the compressed air circuit and thus enabling the compressor’s motor to run without any load. In some compressors that are capable of providing a variable output by modulating the amount of air it sucks in, the inlet valve holds various opening positions to regulate the volume of air entering the compressor. The effective performance of the inlet valve directly affects the compressor’s capacity and its power consumption during load and no-load conditions.

The minimum pressure valve is typically assembled on the exit of the air-oil separation tank of a compressor. The minimum pressure valve acts as a check valve preventing back flow of compressed air into the airend, retains a minimum pressure in the compressor system for lubrication, offers a restriction to avoid a collapse of the air-oil separation filter, and ensures a suitable velocity of flow across the air-oil separator that ensures efficient air-oil separation. The effective performance of the minimum pressure valve directly affects the compressor’s lubrication, air-oil separation efficiency, and power consumption during load and no-load conditions.

The blow down valve is typically found on a dedicated exhaust line from the air-oil separation tank. The blow down valve evacuates the compressed air in the air-oil separation tank each time the compressor runs on a no-load and when the compressor shuts down to ensure there is no back pressure when the compressor starts to load next time. The blow down valve of a conventional screw compressor is typically actuated by a solenoid valve. The effective performance of the blow down valve affects the compressor’s power consumption during un-load, capacity of the compressor when running on load, and the life of the motor.

The safety valve is typically mounted directly on the air-oil separator tank. The only function of the safety valve is to blow off the compressed air in the air-oil separation tank when the pressure in the air-oil separation tank exceeds the set pressure of the safety valve and there by prevents the tank from cracking under high pressure. A malfunctioning safety valve affects the safe operation of the air compressor or results in leakage of compressed air continuously.

Though each compressor manufacturer has their own unique valve design, compressor valves in general contain moving parts such as springs, valve plates, and plungers that affect the opening and closing of the valves and rubber seals / seats that offer perfect sealing when the valves remain closed. These moving parts wear or lose their mechanical properties over a period of time and the sealing components typically ‘age’ over time and lose their effectiveness and will need to be replaced.

Compressor manufacturers typically design these components to operate efficiently for several thousand or millions of operation cycles. However, several factors such as variability in the demand pattern, sizing of the air compressor against a certain air demand, the environment in which the air compressor operates, promptness of preventive maintenance, etc. determine how long these valves efficiently operate.

Many times, it is difficult to identify a malfunctioning valve or a valve operating with worn-out parts as the compressor continues to generate air. The typical symptoms of a malfunctioning valve are loss in compressor"s capacity, increase in power consumption during load or/and unload, drop in discharge pressure, increase in oil carry-over and more load on motor. These symptoms are either difficult to notice or have other frequently common assignable causes such as air leak before suspecting the compressor valves.

Case studies show that operating a screw air compressor with a worn-out / malfunctioning valve could increase its overall power consumption by 10 - 15%. Power cost contributes to more than 75% of the compressor’s total life cycle cost over ten years and hence this is a significant impact. Unserviced valves also lower the life span of downstream accessories by half. In some cases, a malfunctioning safety valve may result in a catastrophe.

Air compressor manufacturers typically offer convenient valve maintenance kits for customers that contain the internal parts of the valve that wear or age out. Changing the valve kits is a much more sensible and economical option than changing the complete valve.

It is difficult or almost impossible to identify a malfunctioning valve unless it is opened for inspection. Hence it is absolutely mandatory that these valves are inspected for effectiveness every year and the internal moving parts replaced as a part of preventive maintenance once every year or two depending on the operating conditions of the air compressor. It is typical for compressor manufacturers to mandate a valve kit replacement once every two years as a proactive measure.

In particular, the safety valve must be inspected and certified every year per the local safety laws to ensure they are functional and efficient. Sometimes, replacing the safety valve entirely with a valid certificate for one year is more economical as the certification procedures could be equally expensive on an existing valve.

As stated before, it is challenging to identify a valve that is worn out unless it is opened and inspected, but there are a few indicators that a qualified compressor technician can use to deduct a malfunctioning valve.

Low duty cycle operation: A sophisticated screw air compressor in today’s day and age carries a convenient microprocessor-based human-machine interface that keeps track of operating hours of the compressor under load and un-load conditions and the number of load/unload counts the compressor is subjected to over a period of time. A higher un-load hours and load/unload count indicates that the air compressor is oversized against the actual air demand. This in turn indicates the air compressor ‘cycles’ frequently between load and un-load mode as opposed to running continuously on load. Every time a compressor ‘cycles’, the inlet valve, blow down valve, and minimum pressure valve is brought into play where their internals ‘actuate’. Frequent actuation of these valves results in a faster wear of the internals and hence results in shorter life.

High operating temperature: A compressor that runs on a high operating temperature affects the life of the valve’s sealing components, which causes them to ‘age’ fast.

Compressor not building pressure: If the air demand has not changed over time and the facility is relatively free of any air leakage, the air compressor is probably not delivering the rated output. There is a high probability that there is a malfunctioning valve.

Increase in compressor’s power consumption: An increase in the air compressor’s power consumption profile over a period of time where there has been no abnormal change in the air demand and usage pattern indicates an increase in either the load or un-load power. There is a high probability that this is because of a malfunctioning valve.

Based on the design philosophy adopted by the air compressor manufacturer, the oil lubricated screw air compressors could have a few more valves that are critical to functional performance that must be maintained as well. Some of the other valves frequently used in an air compressor are as follows:

Temperature control valve (also known as thermal valve) is used to regulate the flow of oil through the oil cooler based on the operating temperature.

Drain valves are used to drain lubricant at the time of lubricant change over or cleaning. Air compressors equipped with a moisture trap at the outlet of the after cooler also has a drain valve (automatic or timer based) to discharge water collected.

The presence or absence of one of these valves and the type of actuation of these valves (electronic / mechanical) depends on air compressor’s design architecture. The Operation and Maintenance Manual (OMM) and the Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID) supplied by the air compressor manufacturer are excellent resources that explain the purpose, functioning, and maintenance requirements of these valves.

Many of the air compressor valves are highly specialized and exclusive. Their designs are usually complex and some even need special tools to service them. The internal components" build quality and material selection are extremely important and proprietary. Hence it is highly critical that only genuine valve kits issued by the air compressor manufacturer are used to maintain the valves. An inferior after-market replacement will most certainly compromise the performance of the entire compressor, void the original manufacturer"s warranty of the compressor, cause consequential damage to other parts of the compressor, and above all, be a safety hazard.

In conclusion, while it is important to change the screw air compressor"s filters and lubricants on time, it is equally important to perform preventive maintenance on these critical valves in a screw air compressor as recommended by the air compressor manufacturer. While the intake valve, minimum pressure valve, safety valve, and blowdown valve are critical to the performance and safety of the compressor, there could be other valves in the compressor that are critical and need maintenance. The air compressors sizing and the environment in which it operates are crucial factors that affect the life of the air compressor. Finally, it is critical to proactively service these valves using genuine kits issued by the compressor manufacturer to enable the air compressor performs efficiently and safely.

Gershom Joel has over 15 years of experience in the compressed air field and specializes in helping industries such as Pharmaceuticals, Textile, Electronics, and Food and Beverage find compressed air solutions to meet their unique requirements.  Gershom holds a Mechanical Engineering Degree from Anna University and a Masters in Business Administration from University of North Carolina.

ELGi North America, headquartered in Charlotte, NC, is a subsidiary of ELGi Equipments Limited, a leader in compressed air solutions for over 60 years. Established in 2012, ELGi North America, in conjunction with its subsidiaries, Pattons, Pattons Medical, and Michigan Air Solutions, offers a comprehensive range of compressed air products and services. Our product offering includes oil-lubricated and oil-free rotary screw and reciprocating compressors, dryers, filters, and ancillary accessories. ELGi and its subsidiaries serve multiple industry verticals spanning medical applications, pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, construction, manufacturing, and infrastructure. For more information, visit https://www.elgi.com/us/.

New replacement air compressor pressure safety relief valves. Using the correct one for your application is critical for safety. If you need help picking the right one, please call us for assistance.

When you use an industrial air compressor, making sure it has the right air pressure is critical. Some operators believe running a compressor at relatively high pressure improves performance, but the opposite is true. Operating an air compressor at an air pressure above your performance requirements guzzles power, makes your compressor less efficient, decreases productivity and can degrade the compressor’s internal systems.

If performance is flagging and you find yourself asking what’s wrong with your air compressor, take a few minutes to inspect for signs that the air pressure is too high or too low. Addressing any pressure issues you find, no matter how slight, can go a long way toward ensuring your compressor’s reliability and high performance.

One of the common high-pressure air compressor signs is the occurrence of high-pressure fluctuations. If you notice these fluctuations, your air compressor’s pressure is probably too high for your performance needs. High-pressure fluctuations tend to result from poor pressure control on the machine. Inadequate pressure control can lead to excessive pressure and variations in that pressure, especially when the user does not monitor the pressure carefully.

If your air compressor is experiencing pressure restrictions, the air pressure is probably too high. Pressure restrictions often result from improper attachments or faulty machine piping. Defective piping and attachments are common in components like hoses, filters and end-use connectors, and they can cause overcompensation in the air compressor. When restrictions occur in these components, the operator must raise the air compressor’s air pressure to compensate, resulting in excessive pressure throughout the compressor.

If your air compressor is creating artificial storage with increased pressure, its air pressure is probably too high. Excessive pressure in an air compressor often leads to a shortage of storage, especially when the machine has poor pressure control. The shortage of storage causes the compressor to create artificial storage with increased pressure. A related issue is that the air compressor sometimes lacks adequate storage receiver capacity. This scenario causes poor compressor control, and necessitates pressure increases to create artificial storage.

If imperceptible technical issues are occurring and the compressor operator raises the pressure to compensate for them, the air pressure is probably too high. One typical example occurs when the air compressor has tiny leaks. The leaks reduce pressure in the air compressor, so without noticing the leaks, the operator is likely to raise the pressure to compensate. Doing so can cause excessive air pressure overall.

These unobserved leaks are costly. The Compressed Air and Gas Institute reports that at 100 pounds per square inch (psi), a quarter-inch air leak can cost a company more than $2,500 annually. To avoid this unwanted effect, air compressor operators should take care to check for technical causes of low air pressure before raising the pressure excessively.

If your air compressor experiences too much oil carryover, its air pressure is likely too low. Every air compressor that uses oil or lubricant has a small amount of oil carryover. But an excessive amount of oil lingering in the air tank often indicates insufficient air pressure. This is because a compressor operating at low pressure is less efficient and leaves more oil in the tank, preventing the tank from building up a sufficient amount of pressure. When this happens, the pressure in the air compressor will run low almost all the time.

One of the most common low-pressure air compressor signs is a failure to reach the standard cut-out pressure. If you notice your air compressor running for extended periods without attaining its cut-out pressure — the pressure at which the pressurization stops — the air pressure is likely too low.

Monitoring air compressors allows you to pick up on changes resulting from high or low pressure or underlying problems with the equipment. Below are a few tips for air compressor troubleshooting and monitoring:

To address insufficient pressure in an air compressor, you can try checking the inlet and drain valves to ensure they are not leaking. You should also ensure the safety valve is not leaking. The safety valve is particularly important because if the pressure switch fails to turn off the pressure once the compressor has reached its cut-out pressure, the safety valve steps in as a backup to release excess pressure. If the safety valve is leaking, it may be releasing pressure all the time.

You should also check the reed valve. A faulty reed valve can remove air from the air inlet as exhaust. On a two-stage piston compressor, a defective reed valve can also diminish pressure by sending air out through the intercooler safety valve instead of through the intercooler and piston and out the appropriate discharge.

If leaking valves are not the culprits in an air compressor’s low pressure, you can try checking the belt if your compressor operates on a belt drive. You might also evaluate the pump rings, motor capacitors, air demand and filters to check for leaks and debris buildup.

When you need to address excessive pressure in an air compressor, the best thing to do is to check the air pressure regularly. If you keep an eye on your pressure gauges and notice the psi has gone up substantially, you’ll want to investigate to determine what unobserved technical issues have caused the increase in pressure.

Look for hidden air leaks and piping and filtration defects, and check hoses and attachment valves. You might also want to assess the tools you’re using. If your pneumatic tools call for excessive psi, their taxing requirements may cause performance issues in the compressor.

Although you can give your air compressor a rudimentary assessment, we recommend professional analysis for a more thorough evaluation. For routine air compressor monitoring and analysis, partner with a professional air compressor service like The Titus Company. We offer comprehensive system analyses that can give you basic data and analysis about your air compressor or go into more depth with energy efficiency and implementation recommendations.

To see the benefits of a well-designed and well-maintained air compressor in your operations, contact The Titus Company. Our quality products and superior system design means you’ll get the air compressor that’s right for your unique industrial needs. We also offer the best customer service and after-the-sale support available, so you’ll have someone to go to with questions or for help with technical issues. While located in Pennsylvania, our air compressor sales and service experts extend preventative maintenance and emergency service in Delaware, Maryland, Northern Virginia & New Jersey areas.

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When it comes to an air compressor, maintenance in the standard form is never enough. To ensure the smooth running of operations and avoid interruptions and unexpected downtime, it is crucial to have a compressor maintenance program in place that prevents — rather than reacts to — problems with the air compressor and all attached tools and machinery.

In smaller businesses, maintenance is a standard procedure that amounts to toner refills and software and hardware upgrades. Essentially, standard maintenance is what you perform on equipment that works consistently until it expires or becomes outmoded by newer technology.

At facilities that employ high-tech machinery, you must perform more than just standard maintenance to ensure the operability and longevity of all the expensive equipment on hand. With air compressors, for example, you need to implement a preventive maintenance program where you get the compressor and its system peripherals inspected routinely to ensure everything is in optimal running condition.

The purpose of preventive maintenance is to catch mechanical problems before they spread and necessitate costly repairs and system downtime. As such, preventive maintenance consists of inspections of all consequential system components — some according to a daily schedule, others on a weekly, monthly, quarterly or annual basis — to ensure everything works as it should. If you detect problems early, you can take steps to rectify matters.

In some cases, preventive maintenance involves low-cost measures that help avoid costlier situations down the line. For example, when a maintenance staffer notices a compressor belt has a minor crack, replacing the belt then and there helps your company prevent a costlier scenario in which the belt snaps, the compressor stops working and productions grind to a halt as staff work to identify the problem and take the necessary steps to get the system back up and running.

Regardless of the size or scope of your compressor operation, it is vital to have someone on staff, or work with a qualified service provider, to oversee preventive maintenance work on a timely and consistent schedule. Only with preventive maintenance can you ensure the machines will work hour by hour, day after day, and continue to operate to their full life expectancy.

One of the foremost benefits of air compressor maintenance is that it makes the equipment run smoothly and more efficiently and decreases occurrences of system downtime. As anyone who runs an air compressor facility knows, downtime can be a very costly problem because when the machines fail to function, it halts production.

A company that fails to enact timely maintenance protocols runs the risk of encountering performance issues with greater frequency. Such occurrences are hard to predict, but can arise at the worst moments, such as when a high-cost production is underway with a set deadline. To be on the safe side, you need to perform maintenance as scheduled without skipping a date, even on days when everything seems to be running flawlessly with no conceivable problems in sight.

With reduced occurrences of downtime and parts failure in your air compressor system, you save money. As such, you profit both ways — through increased productivity and reduced overhead. The money you save through timely compressor maintenance allows you to invest more in better equipment as innovations reach the market.

Without maintenance, the costs involved in the repair of an air compressor and its peripheral parts can take a huge chunk from a company’s annual earnings. When you conduct timely maintenance, you’ll reap savings you can pass on to your company through higher wages and less expensive products.

When you perform air compressor maintenance on a regular schedule, it allows you to catch instances where a function within the system is over-exerting or struggling to maintain an expected rate of production. When such issues do arise, it is often down to a part that needs cleaning, replacement or lubrication. By spotting these problems before they grow out of hand, the machine runs smoother and more efficiently, which translates to energy savings.

Of course, the greatest benefit of air compressor maintenance is that it increases the life and efficiency of the machine itself and the system as a whole. When you add up the initial cost of investment in an air compressor and all the attached pneumatic tools, you want to ensure a return on that investment through years of optimal performance. Ideally, the money you spend on your compressor system should reward you thousands and thousands of times over through productivity.

Without maintenance, an air compressor and its peripheral components will not last as long as it otherwise could with regular checkups, tune-ups and cleanups. When you compare the profits of companies that implement responsible system maintenance with those that do not, you are liable to see major differences in productivity.

On an industrial air compressor, preventive maintenance is crucial to ensure the functionality of the system and its various attachments. The key parts to check include the filters, vents, belts and bearings, all of which could become troublesome to the system if dirt and grime build up. Moreover, you must apply and reapply lubricant at timely intervals on all applicable parts of an air compressor.

The purpose of an air compressor is to produce clean, pure, compressed air that will ultimately power numerous functions. To ensure the quality of air that comes out at the end, the ambient air that goes into the compressor must be filtered of impurities before it leaves the machines. None of that could be possible without a clean air filter.

If the air filter is dirty, impurities and particulates could corrupt the compressed air and degrade the quality of end-point applications. Therefore, clean the air filter regularly. Change it out at regular intervals, which vary based on the environment.

Oil can degrade the quality of compressed air if it passes through the system and gets carried to the end of an application. Some of the worst-affected processes would include pneumatic spray painters, air cleaners and anything else where oil could corrupt the surface in question. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure oil, when present in the system, is removed from the compressed air before the air leaves the machine.

Check oil filters weekly, regardless of whether the compressor is lubricated or non-lubricated. Moreover, replace the oil filter entirely at recommended intervals, which can range from 4,000 to 8,000 hours of use depending on your unit. If the oil filter gets heavily covered in oily residue before that time, replace it sooner.

Lubricant is one of the most vital elements in the function of an air compressor. On all the internal metal parts and joints, lubricant allows for smooth, non-corrosive movement. Without lubrication, tension occurs between the touching metal surfaces, which leads to the corrosion of parts and joints. Once corrosion takes hold, rust is liable to spread and eat through certain mechanical parts.

However, even when lubricant is present, it can lose its viscosity and become corrosive if it gets too old. Check the lubricant level daily to ensure the health of your air compressor. Every three to six months, wipe off old lubricant and reapply a fresh coat. Each time you replace the lubricant, be sure you also change out the separator element.

For a motor to run, the bearings must have proper lubrication. The tiny metal balls are constantly rolling against each other, as well as against the interior walls of the round encasement. Consequently, rust could form on the bearings without proper lubrication. If rust forms, the bearings will gradually slow and ultimately become stuck in place. When this happens, the motor fails.

To protect the health and performance of the air compressor motor, grease the bearings every 4,000 hours. Be sure to inspect the bearings at quarterly intervals between each greasing to ensure they remain sufficiently lubricated.

For an air compressor to go about its internal motions, it is crucial for the belts to have proper tension. The rubber of each belt must also remain firm, yet flexible, to ensure balanced movement between the pulleys of connected parts. Over time, however, the rubber on a belt will inevitably wear down and crack in certain places. Therefore, it is crucial to replace the belts before they lose their tension or, even worse, snap in the middle of an operation.

An air compressor performs the magic feat of transforming ambient air into something that can power heavy-duty machinery and effectively serve as a replacement for electrical power. That said, the compressor itself can only do so much to turn mundane air into something powerful. While internal components do their job to purify the air for end-point use, that job is harder for the machine to perform if the intake vents become lined with dirt and grime.

To ensure the incoming air remains as clean as possible and to prevent dirt from getting sucked into the system, inspect the intake vents weekly and clean them when necessary.

In addition to the periodic cleaning, lubrication and replacement of parts, check various points along the air compressor and its attachments at regular intervals. Inspect the following on a weekly basis:

Inspect the air compressor for signs of oil or air leaks. Also check the pneumatic hoses for air leaks, as leakage severely reduces the efficiency of an air compressor. Furthermore, make sure the coolers are free of dirt.

When you make an air compressor preventive maintenance checklist, you need to first take into account the type of compressor in question. Most compressors need preventive maintenance on various system parts at

Company staff at a given facility or plant can generally perform air compressor preventive maintenance in-house. However, it’s better to let professional compressor service people perform some maintenance tasks — even more so if the unit is large or complicated. Unless your company is staffed with highly skilled personnel to handle maintenance tasks with air compressors, it is best to contact a professional for the following:

When you hire a professional for these and other time-consuming and possibly dangerous tasks, it can help you save time and money and also ensure that the job is done properly. Moreover, professional maintenance ensures utmost safety for the more difficult aspects of the job.

To ensure maximum efficiency and an absolute minimum of downtime and repair costs with your air compressor, complete preventive maintenance checklist tasks according to a set schedule. Depending on the needs of a given component, perform maintenance daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually.

When you perform preventive maintenance according to a checklist, your air compressor and its attachments will last longer and perform with greater efficiency. Preventive maintenance makes it possible to detect problems at an early stage before they do serious system damage and lead to costly repairs and downtime. You can invest the money you save with preventive maintenance back into your company’s infrastructure and staff.

For nearly a century, Quincy Compressor has been America’s leading supplier of air compressors and pneumatic tools. Since the 1920s, we have been at the forefront of innovation in air compressor technology. Today, our machines are in office buildings, repair shops, assembly plants and factories throughout the U.S. and abroad.