April-May 2021

COMPRESSED AIR 40 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS April/May 2021 www.hpmag.co.uk Fully integrated steel producer, Liberty Steel Group, has appointed global compressor control, performance and monitoring solutions provider, CMC, to install Airmatics at the UK’s flagship Speciality Steels site in Rotherham. Airmatics is a cloud-based solution that provides data, analytics and insights for individual compressors through to entire compressed air systems, in real time, via an easy-to-use graphical interface. The move will support Liberty Steel Group’s carbon-neutral ambitions by reducing the amount of air compressor-related carbon emissions by up to 30%. Said to be capable of managing an infinite number of locally interconnected fixed speed or variable output air compressors, regardless of their age and manufacturer, Airmatics can now help Liberty Steel manage its entire fleet of SullairTS20-200 compressors, which are used to produce 100,000 tonnes of high- grade steel each year. Liberty Steel Group’s decision to install Airmatics is also expected to cut the firm’s annual air compressor energy bill, which currently stands at £250,000, by up to £75,000. Greater understanding Andy Thompson, Department Engineer at Liberty Steel Group, comments: “On a site that typically produces 2000 tonnes of Airmatics to support steel manufacturer’s green pledge steel each week for the aerospace, oil and gas, and industrial engineering sectors, we tend to use large volumes of compressed air. Until now, we’ve been sending air out without fully understanding its efficacy or knowing how or where leaks were happening. Now, via Airmatics, we can not only access forensic levels of data relating to each of our assets, but also understand exactly how our air is being used and how we can further reduce our carbon footprint.” Graham Coats, sales director at CMC, adds: “Manufacturers are not only increasingly turning towards solutions that provide them with a 360-degree view of their compressed air assets, but they’re also looking to make their assets work as efficiently as possible. In a world where energy and carbon reduction is paramount, Liberty Steel Group is now equipped with the tools to help them reduce carbon emissions, decrease their energy bill and increase the longevity of their compressed air assets by ensuring that they run optimally during every second that they’re in operation.” www.airmatics.eu Aero is the brain behind Airmatics, which is locally installed and digitally connected via the cloud. TheSullairTS20-200 compressors at Liberty Steel’s plan: Airmatics will help reduce annual compressed air energy costs from £250,000 to £75,000.