Hydraulics & Pneumatics November/December 2022

COMPRESSED AIR 42 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS November/December 2022 www.hpmag.co.uk 2 – Check the specification carefully when purchasing new machines Independent estimates have found that compressed air consumption represents around 77% of the total lifetime cost of operation of a typical packaging/assembly machine, whilst the initial capital investment represents around 14% and maintenance accounts for the remaining 9%. Machine optimisation is therefore critical in achieving energy efficiency and controlling costs. Look for new machines that have an energy monitoring system which records the compressed air consumption data. What is the design operating pressure – and has consideration been given to operating different pressure zones? You also need to be sure the OEM has carefully weighed the electric versus pneumatic question: have they optimised the machine for initial purchase price or lifetime operating costs? 1 – Conduct regular energy audits and improvement programmes An energy audit should assess your compressed air system performance from the point of generation in the compressor room to consumption on the production line and all points in- between. A thorough audit analyses the data from the assessment, documents the findings and includes an estimate of the energy saving that can be achieved. This is essential to deliver consistent and comparable results across multiple sites. Festo conducts audits in compliance with ISO11011:2013. Audits to this standard provide a measurable return on investment – whether your benchmark is KWh, CO2 or hard cash. However, one audit in isolation is only a snapshot in time. To be truly effective, audits need to be undertaken regularly, with results feeding into a continuous improvement plan. Five ways to reduce compressed air energy consumption Energy audits provide a measurable return on investment – whether your benchmark is kWh, CO2 or hard cash – but should be undertaken on a regular basis. Reducing consumption of compressed air can help mitigate rising energy costs and reduce CO 2 emissions. The difficulty for manufacturers is knowing what energy-saving measures will yield the best return on investment. Festo offers these five practical measures based on its experience of compressed air systems as a supplier, manufacturer, auditor and trainer.