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Feature Compressed air
Compressor upgrade improves
reliability and energy efficiency
Following a data logging exercise to prove potential cost
savings, compressor manufacturer Mattei has provided a
marketing solutions company with a reliable and efficient
compressor to power the company’s printing presses
B
ased in Worcestershire, market- Mattei supplied its AC30H fixed speed
ing solutions company 4DM has compressor to provide the pressured
been offering digital printing and air used on the three colour presses.
mailing services for over 20 years. In addition, Mattei also helped
Mattei had been servicing the com- deliver further savings of around £800
pany’s old compressors, but these had a year through specifying a heat recov-
started to become unreliable. They were ery system. Due to the low noise levels
also leaking oil, a costly fault to repair of the machine, Mattei was able to
and disruptive to operations. Mattei rec- locate the new compressor within the
ommended conducting data logging to printing facilities - previously the Mattei’s 2000 AC for an interest free loan from the Carbon
determine whether there was a more machines had been positioned in an Series compressors Trust, which has allowed us to make the
efficient and reliable solution to meet outbuilding. Mattei used ducting so
can be fitted with a
upgrade more easily.
4DM’s compressed air requirements. that the warm air expelled from the
fan directly
“The compressor has been in opera-
Martin Chitty from Mattei com- compressor could heat the production
mounted onto the
tion for nearly a year and we have def-
ments: “4DM was using two 15kW area in the cooler months and then be
main motor’s shaft
initely seen the savings shown by the
compressors to provide the com- vented outside during the summer.
to cool the
data logging exercise. Taking into
pressed air needed for the printing Len Bartlett from 4DM says:
compressed air
account the total project expenditure,
machines. However, our data logging “Compressed air is essential for running
system, a feature
which included mechanical and elec-
showed that replacing these with a the printers, so we needed a reliable
that further
trical costs to install the new machine,
single 30kW compressor would pro- source, otherwise we could easily get
enhances their
the payback on investment will be less
vide electrical savings of over £5,000 behind schedule on a job. We had been
energy efficiency
than two years.”
per annum, a significant saving on the using Mattei’s services to maintain our The AC30H rotary vane compressor
company’s bottom line.” old compressors, so when the time is part of Mattei’s 2000 AC Series,
4DM’s annual printing capacity of came to invest in a new machine that which offers outputs of between 30kW
400 million feet enables the company would deliver reliable air, we were in no and 55kW with 8, 10 and 13 bar pres-
to fulfil all levels of printing volumes doubt that the company would deliver Mattei sures. Its neat and compact design
including large quantity, fast turn- the optimum solution. As well as pro- T: 01789 450577 means it occupies minimal space and
around transactional statement stock viding a new compressor, the company
www.mattei.co.uk provides accessibility for quick and
for financial services companies. also assisted us in successfully applying Enter 309 easy maintenance.
Is your five-year-old compressor now considered a geriatric?
B
ecause of the rapid pace of technological advances in all energy requirement (SER) improvement over previous mod-
sectors of industry, the maxim of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix els. The SER is the true measure of how much electrical
it’ is not necessarily the best approach when it comes to energy a compressor will use. The compact new GA’s
comparing the productivity and cost-efficiency of today’s demonstrate an SER improvement of between 3 -13%. In
plant and equipment with that installed just a few years back. addition, VSD versions can achieve an average energy saving
It may be that technology that was regarded as state of the art of up to 35%.
five years ago could be close to obsolescence already and be What it all adds up to is a range of fixed-speed and variable
positively geriatric by comparison with today’s innovations. In speed drive (VSD) small compressors, more compact than
industry, nowhere is this scenario more appropriate than that ever before but one that, dependent upon the model, offers a
of developments in compressor design and performance. free air delivery increased from a minimum of 7% up to as
The net outcome of Atlas Copco’s investment in research much as 23% compared to the same type of compressor
and development is characterised by the company’s latest available five years ago. Compressor enhancements such as
product offering: a range of small, oil-injected rotary screw these can have a substantial impact on workshop space, pro-
compressors, now completely re-engineered in a top-to-toe upgrade to provide a ductivity and compressed air system operating costs.
host of energy-efficient and performance-enhancing features. Atlas Copco has also been specialising in compressed air finance for many
Just a few examples are the new maintenance-free, gear-driven transmission years and is able to offer alternative ways of funding plant acquisitions that avoid
resulting in 10% higher efficiency, and a spin-on oil separation unit with a 4,000- the initial high capital outlay and those that include maintenance costs.
hour life and a low <2ppm carryover, plus a major development - the specific Atlas Copco T: 01442 261201
www.atlascopco.co.uk Enter 310
16 JANUARY 2010 Factory Equipment
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