Compressed Air System Preventative Maintenance Services

The final phase of our 4-part air compressor system service is system maintenance. You have put a lot of time and effort into making sure you have the best possible air compressor system and allowing us to help you design, fabricate and install your system. The finishing touch is to let us help you take the best possible care of that system with our comprehensive system maintenance.

Engaging in the proper upkeep of your air compressor is the key to ensuring it functions at optimal efficiency for long-lasting use. That’s why, at Fluid Aire Dynamics, we offer preventative maintenance checks and services for your equipment, performing thorough analyses and tests to confirm that it’s in top shape. We’ll help you maintain high-quality operation so you can minimize downtime and maximize productivity.

What Is Preventative vs. Standard Air Compressor Maintenance?

Preventative and standard maintenance are both important when it comes to servicing your air compressor. However, they are not the same. Each of these processes entails and accomplishes different things for your equipment, and both are necessary for maintaining high functionality.

The key to performing or scheduling either service is knowing the fundamental differences between them.

Standard Maintenance

Air compressor system maintenance is a standard procedure that smaller businesses use to keep up with functional equipment, ensuring it continues to operate until it expires or becomes obsolete by new technological standards.

Standard air compressor maintenance services are used to execute basic procedures like hardware and software upgrades and toner refills. While standard maintenance is important, it is not as pressing as preventative maintenance.

Preventative Maintenance

In larger facilities with high-tech machinery, preventative maintenance is a crucial process that’s necessary for air compressor system upkeep. This type of servicing is not performed in place of, but alongside, standard maintenance to ensure all equipment is optimized for functionality and longevity.

Preventative maintenance is the process of conducting system inspections to verify that all parts are in working order without complications or concerns. You can implement these examinations daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually, depending on the components you’re inspecting. If you find that any air compressor element is damaged or malfunctioning, you can take the proper measures to address and rectify the issue.

It is a wise practice to implement a compressor preventative maintenance plan to identify any significant mechanical issues before they affect productivity, cause downtime, and ultimately require costly repairs. With preventative maintenance, you can make certain your systems always run at maximum capacity.

What Are the Benefits of Preventative Maintenance for Compression Systems?

Scheduling preventative maintenance rather than waiting for something to go wrong allows you to be proactive with your air compressor system. When you take the time to perform or schedule routine air compressor maintenance checks, you’ll reap all the benefits of a well-functioning system.

Identify Potential Issues

Your air compressor comprises countless intricate parts that contribute to the functionality of your system. Occasionally, these parts experience damage and wear that are invisible to the naked eye.

Though these mechanical issues are common and often begin as minor complications, it’s vital to identify and correct them before they cause serious problems and impact production.

Without preventative maintenance checks and services, it can be challenging to detect performance problems before they negatively impact your air compressor. Preventative maintenance services can help identify broken or dysfunctional parts that you may not have been aware of initially. When we determine these issues during the inspection, we can repair them on the spot and prevent potential breakdowns.

When you call on us to carry out regular inspections and preventative maintenance, we’ll detect and address any mechanical risks before they lead to equipment failure. We’ll weed out potential problems so you can feel confident your systems are operational and safe.

Reduce Downtime

Perhaps the most important benefit of preventative maintenance is reducing downtime. Allowing us to fix a problem we uncover during maintenance naturally requires a bit of downtime to begin with. However, we will take your machine offline for a much shorter time and with much less disruption than if your machine suddenly dies on the line because a part has worn out or you left a repair issue unattended.

Preventative maintenance ultimately reduces the risk of unforeseen machine failures that can halt production on the job site, minimizing downtime and allowing you to adhere to deadlines. When you book our services, you can relax knowing all potential problems are under control and addressed in a timely manner.

Minimize System Wear

Every air compressor features a collection of moving parts that experience wear and tear over time. With preventative maintenance, you can significantly reduce this natural process and its impact.

No matter how new or advanced your air compressor is, you’ll have to replace it eventually. However, with air compressor preventative maintenance, you can extend your equipment’s lifespan to get the greatest value out of your investment. When you minimize wear and tear on your equipment and its components, you ensure it operates longer, more efficiently, and more reliably than before.

Increase Efficiency

Along with a longer system lifespan comes increased efficiency on the work site. When you schedule preventative maintenance to verify the functionality and safety of your equipment and allow for proactive repairs, you contribute to the overall health of your machine. Routine inspections guarantee your air compressor operates at high capacity and lacks any complications that could compromise productivity.

We conduct maintenance services to optimize your machinery, enabling it to continuously deliver high-quality service. A well-performing compressor ultimately leads to increased profitability.

Save Money

The cost-benefit analysis on preventative maintenance services significantly favors the hiring of a maintenance team.

When you verify that your air compressor is running smoothly, you avoid the risks of unexpected system failures and the costly repairs that come with them. Our team will detect any minor issues that require repairs before they escalate into more severe damage.

Regular maintenance also minimizes the risk of unexpected downtime, which frequently eliminates the need for overtime. When your team doesn’t have to work after-hours to make up for downtime during the workday, you don’t have to pay overtime wages.

Booking preventative maintenance also enhances your equipment’s lifespan and increases energy savings, helping your company save even more money.

What Does Preventative Maintenance Check For?

Your air compressor comprises a network of parts and attachments that work together to perform all of your machine’s most essential functions, such as air filtration, corrosion resistance, and belt tension. These functions enable your equipment to operate safely and efficiently — which is why it’s so important to inspect and maintain your system’s components regularly.

When you hire Fluid Aire Dynamics for air compressor preventative maintenance, you can expect our skilled team of professionals to examine and evaluate every essential element to ensure your machine is free of potential risks that can compromise productivity.

You can learn more about the importance of preventative maintenance by educating yourself on some of the key components we check for and why they matter to your system.

Air Filter

Your machine’s air filter is responsible for producing clean compressed air and preventing harmful contaminants from entering the system. Without a well-functioning air filter, solid and liquid particulates like dirt, oil, water, and metal can infiltrate the air stream and cause serious damage to the equipment.

We’ll inspect your air filter to make sure it’s free of impurities and perform the necessary cleaning to make it run like new. We’ll also change your filter at specific intervals based on your environment.

Oil Filter

Similar to air filters, oil filters remove all dangerous particles like rust, dirt, and sand as they pass through the oil separator and infiltrate the air stream.

It’s a good rule of thumb to schedule preventative maintenance services weekly for oil filter inspections and replacements. The recommended intervals for oil replacement range between 4,000 and 8,000 hours, depending on how often you use your air compressor. Our team always adheres to these standards to ensure your filter is clean, safe, and functional at all times.

Lubricant

Your air compressor contains lubricant that allows all internal joins and pieces to move smoothly throughout the system. This lubricant prevents these metal surfaces from rubbing together and creating friction that can corrode valuable parts and produce rust.

We check your equipment’s lubricant levels and quality and reapply lubricant as needed, ensuring your mechanical elements continue to resist abrasion.

Motor Bearings

All air compressors have motor bearings that roll against the encasement walls and each other to keep the motor running. These bearings must be lubricated at all times to prevent rust that can cause them to slow and stick together.

Through preventative maintenance, we check that all motor bearings are adequately lubricated so your motor doesn’t stop running unexpectedly.

Belts

Air compressor belts help all internal parts engage in their proper motions by maintaining a specific tension. The rubber must achieve a balance of firmness and flexibility to keep all pulleys and interconnected parts moving.

It’s essential to regularly evaluate and sustain all belts to ensure they don’t experience wear or cracking. During preventative maintenance, we adjust belt tension whenever necessary and replace any belts that run the risk of breakage.

Intake Vents

Intake vents use ambient air to create energy that acts as a power source for your air compressor. When you schedule preventative maintenance services, our team will check your machine’s vents for any dirt or grime that can prevent air purification and perform cleaning procedures to keep them free of contaminants.

Additional Parts

There are other system components that our team checks for, along with the six main elements previously listed. Some of these items include:

• Amps.
• Oil levels.
• Air dryers.
• Vibration.
• Temperature.
• Voltage.

Creating a Preventative Maintenance Checklist

If you’re looking to delve into routine inspections yourself, you can create an air compressor preventative maintenance checklist to stay on track when monitoring and managing your equipment.

The key to making an effective checklist is knowing what kind of air compressor you own, what types of examinations it requires, and how often upkeep should occur. Though every compressor is different, each requires system maintenance checks ranging from daily to yearly frequencies.

Air-Cooled Reciprocating Compressors

Reciprocating air compressors comprise a series of moving parts like valves, rods, gauges, and plates that tend to wear over time. With routine preventative maintenance, you can reduce the impact of this natural process, extend equipment life, and ultimately save your company time and money.

You can effectively maintain your air-cooled compressors by following the following measures.

Daily

When conducting reciprocating compressor maintenance, there are many vital components you should plan to check every day, or after every eight hours of use:

• Check your lubricant levels to ensure they do not drop below the designated range.
• Empty and replace your lubricant if it is discolored.
• Ensure all compressor safeguards are in place through visual inspection.
• Empty excess water from the receiver tank.
• Check for abnormalities like vibrations and leaks.

Weekly

Be sure to perform these actions weekly, or after 40 hours of use, to maintain system health:

• Check the pressure relief valves for irregularities.
• Clean the air intake filter.
• Clean the compressor and intercooler surfaces.
• Inspect the hoses and compressor for air leaks.

You can perform these steps more frequently, at twice a week, if your compressor operates in a humid or dusty environment.

Monthly

The only monthly task you’ll have to complete for your reciprocating compressor is to examine the belt for tension inside the machine. You can also perform this action after every 160 hours of compressor use.

Quarterly

You should conduct these services after every 500 hours or use, or every three months, for the best results:

• Check the lubricant filter and change the oil filter if needed.
• Change your lubricant.
• Check the torque for all screws, nuts, and pulleys.

Biannually

It’s important to perform biannual maintenance for your air-cooled compressor. These steps are best performed every six months, or after about 1,000 hours of equipment use:

• Change out both standard or synthetic lubricant, depending on what you use.
• Clean the crankcase and strainer screen.
• Check the compressor’s pressure switch diaphragm and motor-area contact points.
• Examine the valves for leakage or carbon prints.

Oil-Injected Rotary Compressors

Oil-injected rotary screw compressors keep compression chamber elements lubricated within the proper temperatures to remove waste heat and reduce vapor levels. To ensure your compressor does its job, it’s essential to adhere to the following maintenance tasks:

Daily

You should perform these preventative maintenance tasks every day, or after eight hours of operation:

• Inspect all indicators and gauges for regular functionality.
• Monitor fluid levels and leaks.
• Check for abnormal sounds or vibrations.
• Drain the air reservoir of fluid.

Monthly

Be sure to take these preventative steps once a month, or approximately every four weeks:

• Service the air filter as needed, especially in exceptionally dirty environments.
• Wipe down the air compressor.
• Clean the fluid cooler and aftercooler fins if applicable to your unit.

Biannually

It is best to conduct these checks and actions for your rotary compressor every six months, or twice a year:

• Change the fluid filter.
• Take a fluid sample.
• Check the pressure relief valve.

Annually

Once a year, you should plan to complete the following objectives to ensure longevity and proper operation for your compressor:

• Change the air separator and filter.
• Lubricate the motors.
• Inspect bolt tightness throughout the unit.
• Monitor the safety shutdown system.
• Test the pressure relief valve for normal functionality.

Oil-Free Rotary Screw Compressors

Unlike lubricant-injected rotary compressors, oil-free compressors do not require lubrication in the compression chamber. However, you must ensure its bearings are adequately lubrication to prevent corrosion, friction, and wear. These compressors also experience occasional leakage and heat up relatively quickly, making maintenance a must.

Daily

You should plan to tackle these undertakings once a day to cultivate the best system health:

• Monitor the display readings.
• Check for condensate discharge and drain it manually if necessary.
• Inspect dew points if applicable to your compressor.

Every Three Months

Once every three months, or after 500 hours, you should tend to these compressor parts:

• Ensure the air inlet filters are clean and undamaged and replace any faulty filters.
• Check the pressure drop of your filters.
• Inspect the coolers and clean them via air jet if necessary.

Biannually

Twice a year, you can plan to complete these functions as a precaution:

• Clean the air compressor unit.
• Test the safety valve.
• Inspect and clean the electronic drain if applicable.
• Blow or brush the condenser’s finned surface if applicable.

Annually

It’s wise to schedule these tasks for your oil-free compressor once every year:

• Test the safety valves.
• Check the V-belt condition and tension level.
• Test motor overload and temperature protection elements.
• Replace the air inlet filters.

Every Two Years

You won’t have to execute these preventative measures often, but it’s beneficial to implement them once every two years:

• Replace the check valves.
• Change the V-belts.

How Does This Service Integrate With the Other Products and Services Fluid Aire Dynamics Offers?

If we have sold you your equipment, installed it for you and designed your plan, who better to maintain your system and make sure it is running properly? Even if you already have a system in place, you can be confident that our compressed air system preventative maintenance experts can keep it running in top form.

You can take advantage of some of our many professional air compressor services, including:

• Service and repair.
• Preventative maintenance.
• System analysis.
• Design and fabrication.
• System installation.

Why Choose Fluid Aire Dynamics for Preventative Air System Maintenance?

While there are many preventative maintenance measures you can perform yourself, there are some tasks that require technical skills, knowledge, and resources that you cannot find in-house.

To ensure system safety and accuracy, it’s important to leave these objectives to the professionals. At Fluid Aire Dynamics, we have the tools and expertise necessary to perform preventative maintenance checks with ease and precision.

Fluid Aire Dynamics offers periodic preventative scheduled maintenance at affordable rates and can schedule our visits for your convenience. We have a team of highly trained professionals with years of expertise installing and maintaining compressed air equipment. There is no better group of professionals to entrust with the preventative care of your air compressors and associated equipment.

You have taken the time to design the best possible air compressor system for the success of your business. Now, be sure to protect your air compressor system with proper maintenance. Contact us today to set up your routine compressed air system maintenance plan.