Good practices for preventive maintenance
Our round-up on the importance of taking care of compressors
There is no doubt that good habits have an impact on everyday life and in the long run. Taking care of a compressor is one these. This means carrying out good maintenance, from which the lifetime of the compressor itself depends upon.
For this reason, as well as using genuine components, if you want secure a long life cycle to your machines, avoid downtime and achieve energy saving, make sure you do preventive maintenance correctly.
First steps: tips for a long life cycle Before you start using a screw compressor, it is important to carry out a few simple steps.
INSTALLATION. It is ideal to have a compressor room, with adequate dimensions according to the type of machine that you need to install.
It is recommended to locate the compressor away from heat sources and dust, on a flat surface, in an aeriated and clean place. You must pay attention to accessibility: there should be a free space of at least one meter on each side of the compressor. This allows easier and faster maintenance work as well as reducing risks of over-heating.
PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE. It is widely known that a preventive maintenance program, using original parts, extends a compressor’s life cycle
Why does maintenance matter? NO DOWNTIME: carrying out maintenance correctly, is a fundamental aspect for preventing downtime with consequent repercussions on production.
ENERGY SAVING: preventive maintenance helps one keep a compressor at top level performances, avoiding increasing energy costs due to more system pressure drops generated by the wear-and-tear of components or the clogging of filters.
LIFE CYCLE: In order to guarantee a long life cycle it is vital to carry out maintenance by following the maintenance plan provided by the constructor, at the right time and using original spare parts.
When and how often should you do maintenance? Firstly we should make a distinction between ordinary maintenance, aimed at keeping a compressor always at the top of performance levels and special maintenance, that consists in repairing or replacing the various parts of a compressors, after a high number of work hours.
After 2000 hours:
- Change oil
- Replace oil filter cartridge
- Replace de-oiling system filter cartridge
- Replace air filter cartridge
- Replace intake pre-filter panel
- Belt tensioning
- Tightening of contactor screws
- Radiator cleaning
After 4000 hours:
- Change oil
- Replace oil filter cartridge
- Replace air filter cartridge
- Belt tensioning
- Radiator cleaning
After 8000 hours:
- Replace airend gasket seal
- Replace intake valve kit
- Replace Thermostatic valve kit
- Replace minimum pressure valve kit
- Check belt tensioning and tighten pulley fixing screws
- Replace engine bearings
- After 20000 hours
- Replace airend bearings
What do you need to carry out maintenance? The use of original spare parts is always recommended for maintenance operations. In terms of logistics optimization it is advisable to use specific spare part kits, designed specifically for the type of operations that need to be accomplished. In fact, VMC caters for this type of necessity by giving you the possibility of buying “under-kits” for specific maintenance operations on specific components (minimum pressure valve or thermostatic valve for instance). This entails a clear economic benefit for clients that can purchase only what they actually need. With VMC spare part kits you can count on genuine spare parts with excellent quality-price ratio.
Learn more about VMC SPARE PART KITS Who should carry out maintenance? It is always best to rely on expert and quality staff for ordinary and special maintenance.
How can you prevent the wear-and-tear of components? We should bear in mind that the level of wear-and-tear can vary considerably depending on application fields and operating parameters.
