Why should I service my Air Compressor?

The common example that most people can relate this to, is maintaining your car.

Preventative maintenance looks like changing your oil and filters regularly, checking brakes and tyres and replacing aging parts after a certain number of miles. If you stay on top of these needs, you are more likely to enjoy a well-functioning car, that lasts a long time. 

Like any mechanical equipment you may have, your Air Compressor needs to be serviced regularly to maintain its performance, reliability and longevity. Most manufacturers recommend servicing an Air Compressor every year or every 2000 hours. 2000 hours is effectively 40 hours per week a year. 

Air Compressors work quite hard for long periods of time. They absorb a huge amount of power and give off a large amount of heat.

An Air Compressor has several parts that must be maintained to ensure they work properly and efficiently. A Compressor needs to have its oil changed, its filters changed and its after cooler inspected. 

The benefits of maintaining your Air Compressor.

Air Compressor maintenance has many benefits. Here are 5 important reasons why you should proactively maintain your Air Compressor:

Have more control over your Maintenance Schedule.

One major benefit of Preventative Maintenance is that it gives you more control over your Air Compressors's maintenance schedule. You determine the best time to have your Compressor serviced, so there is minimal disruption and downtime.

Greater control over your maintenance schedule also means a more predictable plan and budget. Essentially, you treat maintenance as a part of your plan, rather than when it disrupts it. That does not mean you will never run into an unexpected repair or replacement, but hopefully these will be reduced.

Increase the Life Expectancy of your Compressed Air Equipment.

A big advantage of Preventative Maintenance is that it can help you extend the life of your equipment. When it comes to maintenance, equipment replacement can provoke potential disruptions to your operations and finances. Replacing your Air Compressor is sometimes an inevitable reality. All of them will age and eventually need replacing. 

Preventative Maintenance is one of the very best ways to increase your equipment's life expentancy. Keeping your Air Compressor well-lubricated, changing their filters and fixing small issues as needed, can help your systems run smoothly for a long time.

Increase efficiency of your Air Compressor.

Air Compressor Maintenance will help to ensure productivity continues, which is crucial for any business that manufactures products according to a strict timetable. When the Air Compressors work at full capacity without fail, all the tools along the assembly line can perform at maximum speed and keep productivity flowing day in, day out.

Reduct equipment downtime. 

Another major advantage of Air Compressor Maintenance is that you can avoid long periods of downtime.Planned maintenance measures tend to take less time than a major repair or complete equipment replacement. You can also plan these maintenance tasks to take place at a convenient time, to avoid any interferance in your production schedule 

The actual financial cost of unexpected downtime will vary for every business. However, even an hour of it can cost you money. Avoid this costly problem by planning preventative maintenance. 

Improve workplace safety.

Carrying out regular maintenance of all your equipment, including your Air Compressors, can reduce health and safety incidents. Any unexpected equipment failure can pose a safety hazard. It may lead to machinery malfunctioning or stopping suddenly. Maintenance routines can avoid problems with your equipment that can put your employees health and safety at risk. Following manufacturers recommended servicing schedules is critically important to keeping your Air Compressor in tip top condition and working efficiently. 

All Compressors need to be regularly serviced by a competant person, using quality parts and lubricants, to ensure they remain reliable and have a long operating life.

The details of exactly what is included in the service of a Compressed Air System will vary according to the type of Air Compressor, its make and model, which type of service is being carried out (Major or Minor Service) and the current hours run of the Compressor. However, regardless of the type of service, the same things are checked or serviced and possibly replaced. 

To give you an idea of what is carried out on a service:

Minor/Interim (or 2000 hour) Service on a rotary-screw compressor comprises of changing the air filter, oil filter, cabinet filter mat (where fitted) and oil.

Major (or 4000 hour) Service comprises all of the above plus changing the air/oil separator element.

Filters and oil water separators will also be changed annually. Some models also have additional services carried out at higher hour intervals. 

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