Do you know this data?
A U.S. Department of Energy investigation of compressed air systems found:
- Compressed air systems account for 10% of all electricity used in manufacturing;
- 70% of U.S. manufacturing plants have compressed air systems;
- 50% of these factories have the opportunity to save a lot of energy at lower project costs;
(Source: Assessment of the Compressed Air Efficiency Services market – Energy.gov)
Compressed air leaks typically waste 20%-30% of the compressor output. In the current Industrial compressed air system, the flow monitoring method is the most direct and accurate method of compressed air energy management. In order to improve the transparency and visualization of compressed air system data and help factories save energy and reduce consumption, ifm has customized a complete set of solutions for users.
Compressed Air Monitoring Solutions
The PLC controls the machine, and at this level some analysis, such as trend analysis, can be performed. But what if you could talk directly to SCADA, MES, ERP and the IIoT software moneo system developed by ifm without PLC intervention? The IO-Link technology provided by ifm equipment visualizes the data in real time: by analyzing the consumption in different time periods and process value changes, etc., can accurately locate the inefficient part of the process.
Trend and event visualization specific Display pages:
Taking moneo as an example based on ifm SD series compressed air flowmeter
Unit is not running, flow > 0, indicating a compressed air leak.
Equipment not running and consumption > 0, indicating a compressed air leak.
Built-in pressure measurement, no additional pressure sensor required.
Built-in temperature measurement, no need for additional sensors. A stable temperature is a hallmark of compressed air drying.
The daily increase in daily consumption indicates a compressed air leak.
A large spike in flow rate indicates a damaged seal or hose.
Easy visualization of compressed air process values with moneo
How to find leaks?
Enterprises generally choose three countermeasures, which will also bring different costs.
No Countermeasures – High energy costs, waste due to leaks accounts for 25%-30% of energy costs.
Preventive Maintenance – There is some kind of leak detection program. Schedule inspections on a monthly or quarterly basis. Use traditional methods such as soapy water or an ultrasonic detector at the joint. Repair leaks as soon as they are found.
Predictive Maintenance – Continuously monitor compressed air usage to quickly identify areas of leaks. Schedule repairs to minimize downtime. After the leak is repaired, the efficiency of the entire compressed air system is improved, and many times the investment in a new air compressor is delayed.
ROI calculation
Compressed air leaks waste thousands of euros every year. The example below is a typical example of a mid-scale manufacturing plant.
3 compressors of 200 hp (160 kW each), 10 machines running 6800 hours per year, leakage accounted for 25% of annual cost.
Total cost per year:
3x160kWx6800 hours/year x€0.048/kW.h=€156,843/year
Cost of loss due to leakage:
€ 156,843/year x 0.25 = € 39,210/year
ROI ROI calculation:
€ 12,422/ € 39,210 x 12 = 3.8 months
New Y-shaped communication concept – bidirectional information transmission between sensor and PLC and production management system
ifm not only provides components, but also focuses on data. It releases all the potential of sensors through IO-Link technology, opens the Y-shaped road of Industry 4.0 big data from the most basic data flow, and provides predictive maintenance, fault diagnosis and Energy management provides digital sensors, distributed modules and system solutions to achieve efficient use of energy and finally complete the construction of smart factories.
green future
Whether your business is ready to implement a sustainability program or is just beginning to build one, it starts with reliably measuring your data. Sustainability is becoming a common voice among entrepreneurs, but sustainability can cover a variety of topics, depending on your company’s industry, needs and goals. The first step is to understand where you are now and establish a baseline of measurements.
ifm solutions can help you benchmark your goals so you can easily see the real-time outcomes of capital investments and changes in production processes. ifm can effectively identify waste by measuring process data and help customers make timely improvements to increase the efficiency of the equipment. Working together, ifm can help you visualize data from your sensors to deliver measurable results and actionable scenarios.
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