Is your compressed air system ready to ramp up?

With COVID-19 restrictions now starting to ease around the nation, you may find that your production - and therefore compressed air requirements - are about to ramp up. If your compressed air system has been shutdown for any length of time - or you’ve been operating it at a reduced capacity - then before you put the pedal to the metal, make sure you give your compressed air system the once over. Some of the key checks that should be performed include^*:

1. Check for oil leaks; during extended periods of shut down, there is an increased risk of oil leaks. A visual check will show if there is any oil pooling around the machine base, and let you know if any of the pipework/connections have degraded.
   
   
2. Check oil quality; there is also a chance that the oil quality may have suffered from sitting still for too long, it can become dirty and affect the operation of your compressor. Look for any discolouration, moisture or floating particles in the tank. 
   
   
3. Check drive belts; the drive belt is another part which might have suffered from sitting still as the construction material may deteriorate when left idle for too long. Check the tension of the belt itself and inspect for visible cracks. If concerns are noted then replacement would be recommended. Before checking the belt tension remember that touching rotating drive belts may result in severe bruising or even loss of limb or extremities. The cabinet should not be open while the machine is switched on. Therefore, prior to checking the belt tension, ensure that the supply power isolator is switched off and locked using a safe lock out/tag out procedure, and check that no voltage is present. If the results of any of these checks are concerning, then it’s time to contact your service provider who will be able to assist you in rectifying them. It would also be worth organising a service on your compressed air system, and allowing a professional compressed air Service Technician, to make sure it is in tip-top condition and ready to reliably and efficiently meet your requirements. They would also be able to perform the following recommended tasks - if you’re starting your compressor up after a long period of shutdown;  
   
   
4. Pour oil into the compressor block/airend; this will protect against corrosion when a compressor has been stood still not operating for a long period of time. Just a reminder - this is a task that should be completed by a trained and competent compressed air Service Technician. 
   
   
5. Rotate the motor and block/airend by hand; again this is good to do when the compressor has been shutdown for an extended period in order to distribute the added oil mentioned in no.4 above over the rotors, preventing a dry unlubricated start up. Just a reminder - this task should be completed by a trained and competent compressed air Service Technician. 

^*All recommended checks are based on a typical oil-lubricated rotary screw compressor. Important: please note that only qualified and authorised personnel should perform maintenance tasks who have read, are conversant with and adhere to the safety instructions and section of the service manual applicable to maintenance of the piece of compressed air equipment.

Whether you are restarting your compressed air system after a long break, or you are ramping up production after a slowdown period, for a prompt and professional inspection and service simply phone 1800 853 133 or fill in the form below and we will contact you.