Air Compressor Breakdown Support.

Air4u Group strives to ensure that your Compressed Air Systems keep running.

However, we also recognise that Air Compressors can sometimes breakdown. We understand that you may be reliant on compressed air for your production, if you suffer a compressor failure or breakdown, you need a fast response. 

Have you got a Problem with your air compressor or compressed air equipment?

• Has your compressor stopped working?
• Does your compressor make a strange or unusual noise?
• Is your compressed air system losing its air output?

Not sure what to do? Need help fast?

Don't panic, Air4u Group can help - Call 01903 257112

Air4u Group can attend emergency breakdowns and make repairs to get you back up and running.

Many common compressor faults can be repaired on site and we can get you back working in no time. If your compressed air issue requires additional work or repair off-site, that’s not a problem. We can take your equipment away and repair it in one of our dedicated workshop facilities. We can also arrange for hire of a backup compressor to ensure you are not left without any compressed air. We are here to help and provide expert breakdown support when you need it, both over the phone and onsite. Furthermore, as part of our service and maintenance packages, we can also offer even greater peace of mind through guaranteed response times, on call advice, warranty cover and of course minimum disruption to you.

24 Hour Break Down Cover Service

Of course, we appreciate that things do go wrong so we also provide a full 24-hour breakdown cover service so that any unexpected business interruption is minimised.

Should your compressed air equipment need replacement parts, we can source these for you, no matter what brand, make or model.

Furthermore, along with our Annual Service Contracts, we can also offer even greater peace of mind through:

• Guaranteed response times
• Comprehensive breakdown cover
• Product warranty support
• Hire Machines
• Data logging
• Remote monitoring

No matter what brand of compressor you have, Air4U Group can help get your compressed air equipment back up and running, just call our team of engineers on 01903 257112 or please follow the link to send us an email at service@air4ultd.co.uk

 

Service and Maintenance

A Preventative Maintenance Plan/ Service contract offers on-time servicing by trained engineers, tailored to your business and site circumstances. The maintenance plan is designed to meet your needs and increased reliability for a fixed fee.

With many years of experience in a wide range of makes and models of air compressors, Air4U engineers are also able to offer advice on all components of your compressed air system controllers, filtration, condensate management systems, breathing air systems and air dryers (both desiccant and refrigerant).

Air4U offers a proactive approach to ensure your system is the right set-up for your current and future needs. and contact you to ensure servicing is done when agreed/needed, which is one less thing for you to worry about! Whether you need an individual compressor servicing or multiple machines across multiple sites, you can be certain to have complete peace of mind with a tailored maintenance/annual service package.

Annual Service Contracts (ASC) are the effective solution for resolving:

• Lost production
• Random breakdowns
• High maintenance costs

The benefits of an ASC are:

• A service as per the manufacturers schedule or yearly.
• Increased production time
• Improved quality
• Reduced service costs
• Priority call-out
• Out of hours support
• Designed to meet specific requirements
• The ASC is intended to be an integral part of a preventative maintenance programme, designed to keep your compressed air equipment running efficiently throughout the year. The contract provides for planned interventions by experienced, professional engineers to suit specific requirements.

Service description

We offer a variety of Annual Service Contracts. You may decide on a 1 year or 3-year contract. To help with your finances, we can offer a monthly payment plan, or you can just pay it yearly.

Some machines come with an extended warranty, and we can offer a fixed price contract for the length of the warranty period. Again, this can be paid on a monthly payment plan or yearly.

The Annual Price includes: - All costs of nominated consumable spares and lubricating oil necessary to affect all pre-planned maintenance visits.

• All consumable parts are covered by a parts and labour guarantee.
• Call out system operating 24 hours per day 365 days per year (call outs will be charged at an additional amount to be charged on a time and materials basis in accordance Air4U’s standard tariff).

Rental Compressors

We also have a stock of rental air compressors. If any maintenance will require an unacceptable length of downtime, we can offer these to ensure a continuous supply of compressed air.

Have a look at our Blog on Hire machines to see what we can offer https://www.air4ultd.co.uk/looking-for-short-or-long-term-compressed-air-equipment-hire/ 

 

Discover how we can help!

• We service all well-known makes and models of compressors.
• We aim to offer you a local service with an engineer based in your area.
• Your details are logged on to our personally designed system, which automatically flags-up when your next service is due. You don’t need to worry about remembering to get the work done: our Service Department will call you in plenty of time to book our engineer’s visit for a convenient time.
• When carrying out scheduled maintenance visits unlike others, we do not charge extra for mileage, cleaning materials or “sundries”. These are already included in our prices and there are “NO HIDDEN CHARGES”
• As well as a fixed price rate, our contract service customers benefit from 24-hour breakdown cover. An engineer is permanently on call for out-of-hours emergencies, should you need one.  We simply charge our agreed rate (travel time + time on site) for call outs
• We are registered to dispose of your waste oil according to the current legal requirements.

If you wish to find out any further information or would like to book a service, please follow the link to send us an email at sales@air4ultd.co.uk 

 

Why is Compressed Air Quality important?

In some instances, it can be vitally important to your process that the compressed air is of the right quality.

Compressed air can contain unwanted substances, for example, contaminant particles, water and oil, as well as dust. Depending on your application, these substances can impair production results and even increase costs. The purpose of air treatment is to produce the compressed air quality you require. When the role of compressed air in a process is clearly defined, finding the system that will be the most profitable and efficient in that specific situation is simple. It is a question, among others, of establishing whether the compressed air will come into direct contact with the product or whether, for example, oil mist can be accepted in the working environment.

ISO8573 is the international standard relating to the quality (or purity) of compressed air

ISO8573-1 lists the main contaminants as solid particulate, water, and oil. The purity levels for each contaminant are shown separately to express a specific quality, three digits are used, separated by dots.

I.e. ISO8573-1 Class 1.4.1.

The first digit (1) is the class of particles (solid and liquid impurities).
The second digit (4) is the class of moisture (gaseous) and water (liquid) content.

The third digit (1) is the class of total oil content (liquid and gaseous).

 

Solid/ Contaminant particles in compressed air

It all starts with the ambient air that has to be compressed. When it is compressed, these contaminants are concentrated in line with the air pressure increase.
That means that compressed air can contain many times as many dirt particles. Unfortunately, most of them are so small (under two microns) that an inlet filter only removes 20% of them. 

Water in compressed air

Atmospheric air contains water vapour, when this air is then compressed, the water concentration will increase. To avoid future problems in the compressed air system, the wet air needs to be treated. This typically is achieved by using drying equipment. There are a number of ways to dry compressed air, the most common are refrigerant dryers or desiccant dryers.

Oil in compressed air

The quantity of oil in compressed air depends on several factors, including the type of machine, design, age and condition. There are two main types of compressor design in this respect: those that function with lubricant in the compression chamber and those that function without lubricant. In lubricated compressors, oil is involved in the compression process and also is included in the (fully or partially) compressed air. However, in modern, lubricated piston and screw compressors the quantity of oil is very limited.

With the right treatment, such as filters and dryers, your compressed air system can be protected from all of these contaminants

Whatever your needs, our team can advise on the right system for your process.

If you wish to find out any further information please follow the link to send us an email at sales@air4ultd.co.uk 

Also, why not check out our blog “Is the air from your compressor safe to breathe?” https://www.air4ultd.co.uk/is-the-air-from-your-compressor-safe-to-breathe/  

 

 

Looking for Short or Long-Term Compressed Air Equipment Hire?

Could hiring Compressed Air Equipment be the right solution for your business? We can offer you Short-term or Long-term hire. 

With the problems of extended lead times caused by the Covid pandemic and the current crisis in Ukraine, many businesses are unsure of the long-term effects on their business. Maybe hiring is right for your business during these difficult times?

Air4u can assist with renting Compressed Air Equipment. Our experience means that we know the potential issues that can be associated with hiring compressed air equipment. We believe we can help you get exactly what you need, when you need it.

What are the benefits of Hiring?

Renting can help with short-term breakdown, long-term hire contract, planned contingencies, unexpected emergencies, or medium-term project work. We can cater for most applications. Our team will always listen carefully to your needs and we will help you find the right solution for you.

Renting can be a cost-effective solution for many businesses, particularly if you’re not sure of your requirements . Maybe you want to test a machine before committing to a purchase. We realise that buying a brand-new Air Compressor can be a big decision, so hiring one can help to bridge the gap, while you decide whether or not to buy one. It’s also helpful when air machinery is needed to fill an immediate need. 

One of the benefits of hiring an Air Compressor is that you will know what you need to pay for your Compressor and avoid unexpected maintenance costs that can crop up. It could also help you to save money on an Air Compressor that is only required for a certain amount of time or for a one-off particular project. 

What can we provide?

We stock a range of fixed speed and variable speed electric Compressors, Dryers, Filters, and Receivers at our premises in  Arundel, West Sussex. We have access to a larger range on a short turn around which can be supplied and installed. Our range of equipment for hire allows for an unforeseen increase in business capacity, protecting your cash flow and enabling you to meet the demands of your business. What do you need?

Short or long-term equipment hire to support your business at any time including the delivery, installation, and maintenance of all equipment.

 

 If you would like to discuss a project or require more information, please follow this link to send us an email: sales@air4ultd.co.uk 

 

Our Trade Counter has been updated!

We have been working behind the scenes to improve and update our Trade Counter, to provide a wider range of Tools and Equipment. We have:

Universal Tools (Aircat Pneumatic Tools)

The Universal Tool brand is recognised worldwide as a mark of air tool quality and they are a specialist supplier of high-quality air tools to the garage, tyre, body shop and industrial market.

Their products incorporate the very latest features and benefits in air tool design. All Universal Air Tools sold come with a one-year manufacturer’s guarantee. Parts lists are always supplied with the tools and spare parts are stocked in the UK.

We stock a selection of their large range of air tools including:

• air tools,
• drills,
• grinders,
• sanders,
• impact wrenches,
• ratchet wrenches,
• spray gun,
• and screw drivers.

Total Tools

Total Tools are a company that offers quality tools at affordable prices.

Total Tools includes a range of tools that are of a similar quality to those made by Bosch, Makita, Stanley, and other leading brands but are lower in price. Total Tools top priority is to invest more on providing customers benefits whilst maintaining cost effective top-quality products.

We stock a selection of their large range of hand tools including:

• Drill bit and Screwdriver bit sets
• Ratchet screwdriver Sets
• Screwdriver & Precision Screwdriver Sets
• Insulated Screwdriver set
• Screw Extractor sets
• Rechargeable Flashlight / Work Lamp
• Headlamp
• Adjustable Wrenches
• Pipe Wrenches/Ratcheting Pipe Wrenches
• Spanner Sets
• Ball Hex Key Sets
• Torx Key Sets
• Grease Gun
• Pliers
• Socket Sets
• Pipe Cutters
• Hacksaw Frame
• Rubber and Plastic Hammer

Whilst the range we stock is fairly comprehensive there is a much larger range available, most of it on a next day delivery.

Also, we have in stock a large range of pneumatics components, quick release couplings, regulators, pipe fittings and tubing. 

If what you need is not listed or you would like more information, please follow this link to send us an email: sales@air4ultd.co.uk 

Did you know we also supply Nitrogen Generators?

Do you buy liquid or bottled Nitrogen?

This can be very expensive and can take up a lot of storage. Nitrogen Generators produce a continuous supply of high purity nitrogen on site, using your existing Compressed Air Equipment. Thus, offering a cost effective and reliable alternative to bulk deliveries.

As you may know, Nitrogen is a dry, inert, colourless, and odourless gas that makes up 78% of the air that we breath.

It can be produced by using air separation by mechanical mean, by taking atmospheric air, pressurizing it in an Air Compressor and then separating it with either a membrane or Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) generator.

Nitrogen Safety

When using Nitrogen, you should deal with it in the same manner as Compressed Air in respect of any Pressure System Legislation and Compressed Air Safety. It should be remembered that Oxygen has been removed and the remaining Nitrogen is unbreathable and cannot support life. All equipment, machines and pipework must be clearly labelled to warn any users that they contain Nitrogen and that it is a potential asphyxiant.

Typical Applications

Nitrogen Generators have a wide variety of applications, including serving as an inert replacement for air where oxidation is undesirable:

Tyre Inflation. Standard garage or service station airlines use Compressed Air to fill the tyres on your vehicle. This compressed air contains water vapour, which can, over time, cause corrosion with the tyre. Air can then escape out of the tyre wall leading to a drop in pressure. Nitrogen can slow the rate of pressure loss and will keep the tyre pressure more constant. This increases the life of your tyre. An increasing number of garages are now offering motorists the choice of a Nitrogen for their tyres.

Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) of Food. This is used to preserve the freshness of packaged or bulk foods such as crisps, nuts, snack foods and packaged salads. The MAP process involves displacing the air inside a package with a protective gas to keep oxygen at a controlled level. Too much oxygen and moisture will often lead to bacterial growth. This results in spoilage, inconsistent flavours, poor quality, and shortened shelf life. Nitrogen is frequently used as a protective gas because of its dry, inert qualities.

Bottling to preserve the freshness of wine. Used in similar way to the MAP by delaying rancidity and other forms of oxidative damage.

Laser Cutting.  Many laser cutting applications rely on non-reactive (inert) gases as the assist gas. Nitrogen would be the typical choice for cutting stainless steels, aluminium, and its alloys. With nitrogen cutting, increasing the nitrogen pressure will result in faster cutting speeds. This speed gain is limited by the cooling effect of high-pressure gas flows. The nitrogen purity is important if a clean-cut edge is required, for example when cutting stainless steel or aluminium metals.

There are many other uses for Nitrogen e.g.,

• Bottling to preserve the freshness of wine,
• On top of liquid explosives as a safety measure (paints and solvents),
• The production of electronic parts such as transistors, diodes, and integrated circuits (prevents oxygen and moisture)
• Dried and pressurized, as a dielectric gas for high voltage equipment
• Use in military aircraft fuel systems to reduce fire hazard.

If you would like to find out more or have a free quotation for a Nitrogen Generator, please follow this link to send us an email: sales@air4ultd.co.uk

 

 

Why does my Compressor need an Oil/Water Separator?

What is an Oil/Water Separator?

While you are running your Compressor, it takes in air from the environment. Water vapour is always present in this air. During the running of your Compressor, this water vapour will condense if the air temperature goes down or if there is an increase in pressure. In any oil lubricated compressor system, the condensation (condensate) carried over would be contaminated with trace amounts of oil and other particles which can travel through the Compressed Air system. The best way to remove any contamination from this condensate is by using an Oil/Water Separator, which separates the oil carried over from the water. Thus leaving water that can be disposed of, whilst the oil is captured to be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manor. 

It is illegal to pour contaminated waste products into foul sewers unless the oil content is reduced to a very low level. The Water Resources Act (1991) refers to an offence of knowingly polluting controlled waters, by the disposal of poisonous, noxious, or polluting matter. Compressed Air Condensate falls into this category and the polluter is liable to fines up to £20,000 or 3 months in prison. 

What can I do to resolve this?

The most simple, economical, and environmentally solution is to install an Oil/Water Separator as part of your Compressed Air System. 

It can reduce oil in the collected condensation to a level allowed by your local sewerage provider and can enable up to 99.9% of the total condensation to be disposed of safely to the sewers.  in fact, many Oil/Water Separators are plumbed directly to foul sewers. Any concentrated oil that is collected is stored in drums for disposal by a specialist waste contractor. During the regular servicing of your compressed air equipment, as part of our service, we remove the contaminated waste and dispose of it in accordance to the regulations. Then, we fit new elements to your Oil/Water Separator to ensure continued compliance with the regulations on Hazardous Waste and Compressed Air Condensate.  

If you wish to find out any further information, you can see the Environment Agencies Website or please call 01903 257213 or please follow the link to send us an email at sales@air4ultd.co.uk 

What is a “Written Scheme of Examination'?

A Written Scheme of Examination (WSE), is a legal document required prior to use of Pressure Systems. This is legislated by UK regulations 'Pressure System Safety Regulations (PSSR) 2000' which came into force in February 2000.

These Regulations require that the ‘User/Owner’ of a pressure system can show that they are aware of safe operating limits of the pressure system.  This is mainly regarding pressure and temperature and that they are safe to use. 

It states that it is the 'Responsiblity of the User/Owner' to ensure that a Written Scheme of Examination (WSE) has been drawn up and has the relevant Certificate in place. They will not allow the system to be operated unless they have a suitable Written Scheme of Examination (WSE) in place written by a ‘competent person’. 

A “competent person” means an individual person (not an employee) or an organisation who provides inspection services, who can carry out an examination of Compressed Air systems to assess that it is safe to use and is sufficiently maintained and serviced. They check for any defects which may be dangerous or cause an injury. We can arrange for a ‘competent person’ to attend your site and draw up and certify your compressor system.

The types of systems that require a Written Scheme are:

• Compressed Air Systems, including Air Receivers
• Protective devices e.g., pressure gauges, pipework, safety valves and switch.

Once the Written Scheme has been drawn up and the relevant items have been examined, it will then be established how often these examinations are required. The Written Scheme should be reviewed and revised throughout the lifespan of the system e.g., the system will require more regular examinations and checks as it gets older. It is the User/Owners responsibility to make sure this is carried out by a ‘competent person’ to ensure it remains current and suitable for the Compressed Air System. The best way to make sure that your system is working efficiently, economically and safely, is to carry out regular maintenance and get your Compressor serviced regularly. 

If you are unsure if you need a Written Scheme or require advice, please call 01903 257213 or please follow the link to send us an email at : sales@air4ultd.co.uk

You can also visit the Health and Safety Executive website at https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg178.htm  which has a free download available. 

SafeContractor Accredition approved again!

We are proud to announce that we are Gold SafeContractor Accredited.

We continually strive to maintain and provide a safe environment for our staff and customers. Using SafeContractor on a yearly basis, provides us with a system to check that we have all the relevant policies and procedures in place and that they are up to date. This February, we once again passed and continue to be SafeContractor Accredited! 

What are the requirements needed to become SafeContractor approved?

Health and Safety:

Our employees receive regular and job appropriate training to ensure that they are aware of any health and safety procedures, such as asbestos awareness, Covid -19 procedures, Manual handling, Working at Height and Electrical Awareness. We consult with employees and co-workers on matters affecting their health and safety. All incidents are reported the appropriate authorities and we comply with RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013). We keep a record of all incidents or accidents. Where necessary, we will have pre-site meetings with our clients to ensure all parties are aware of any hazards may be and we ensure suitable signs are used to make sure that no-one is put at risk. 

Equal Opportunities and Diversity:

We have an Equality and Diversity Policy, which states that we will respect and value all individuals and that we will not discriminate on the grounds of: Age, Disability, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Race, Religion or belief, Gender reassignment, Marriage or Civil Partnership or Pregnancy or maternity.  This creates a working environment which is free from discrimination and prejudice. We will not tolerate any form of bullying or harassment. 

Environmental Management:

We recognise our responsibilities for environmental matter and give a high priority on environmental affairs in respect of our company operations. With regards to the disposing of any waste products, e.g., oil taken from a compressor during a service, we only disposal facilities where the level of environmental compliance is deemed suitable and is responsible waste management. We take measures to ensure the collection, transportation and storage is not hazardous to public health or the environment. 

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation):

We have a GDPR policy which sets our how we store, process and what we use our customers information for e.g. details of any Compressors that require servicing or maintaining, contact information to enable us to attend sites and issue quotes, invoices etc. All the information is securely stored on our computer system. We keep the information for 3 years after our customer no longer requires our services, when it will be disposed of. 

We follow the guidelines in relation to the 7 Key Principles under the General Data Protection Regulation. These are:

Lawfulness, Fairness and Transparency (Personal information shall be processed lawfully, fairly and with transparency)

Purpose (Any personal information will only be collected for a specific purpose and will not be used for any other purpose)

Only collect the data needed (Information shall only be obtained if it is relevant and is only used for the purpose for which it is received)

Accuracy (The information held must be kept up to date and be accurate)

Storage (Personal information will be kept securely and no longer than is necessary. It will be deleted if requested by the customer)

Confidentiality (We will ensure that any information will be securely stored and is protected against any unauthorised processing)

Accountability (we are able to demonstrate compliance with the GDPR) 

 

If you would like more information, please follow this link to send us an email: sales@air4ultd.co.uk 

Why have Compressor Data Logging?

Looking to upgrade or replace your compressor network? Why not try Compressor Data Logging!

Are you’re looking to upgrade or replace your compressor network, or to improve the energy performance of your existing installation? A great way to start is to carry out a Compressed Air Audit using Compressor Data Logging.

Compressed Air Audits are an effective way to identify your current energy use and to assess your compressed air needs. This is carried out by attaching a Data Logger to the compressor for a minimum of 7-14 days. It observes and records any usage over that period.

Results will provide information on your compressed air usage. Also, they can identify busy and quieter periods and if there are any leaks in the system.

This can help to provide information on the overall efficiency of the compressor. As a result of the logging, we can get a more accurate understanding how your system is set up.

With accurate evaluation and monitoring from the Data Logging of your compressed air system and the way the compressor is programmed to meet it, Air4U Ltd can help to cut energy costs and avoid expensive downtime or lost production.

Electrical energy is the most common energy source for industrial compressed air production. Gand generally, the energy cost will amount to over 70% of the total cost of ownership. However, in many cases, this cost can be substantially reduced through energy recovery, pressure reduction, leakage reduction, as well as the optimization of operations through correct choice of compressor size, control and regulation system

We can evaluate your compressed air needs by designing your system with the help of compressed air monitoring equipment, ensuring that your compressor is correctly sized and the most economical for your application - from a large multi machine system or a variable speed compressed air installation, to a small reciprocating compressor.

If you would like more information, please follow this link to send us an email: sales@air4ultd.co.uk