Can a compressed air leak survey save your shop $10,000 to $50,000?

Posted on March 28, 2016 by rusty

Yes it can…

Try spending the money you save from a good air leak survey on some tools to keep you out of the breakdown mode.

Scenario #1 200 HP of compressed air, 100 HP full time and 100 HP as backup. house pressure is 107 to maintain 100 PSI throughout the system. 150 gallons of accumulation, typically we like to see 4 gallons per HP. This is a 3 shift operation 300 days per year. Operations include machining centers, screw machines and plating.

Over $50,000.00 of wasted air leaks were found, nearly 17% of their total energy bill.

Scenario #2 40 HP plus 25 HP 90% loaded at 110 PSI. 200 gallons of accumulation was available. This operation ran 3 shifts per day and 360 days per year. This anodizing operation was greatly automated, lots of air controls.

Over $18,000.00 were found in wasted compressed air.

Typically we find between $80 – $160 dollars per Horsepower per shift in waste. How many Horsepower does you shop run. Leaks are cheap to find with the right equipment and cheap to fix.

How could you use an extra $10,000 to $50,000 per year to grow your business or improve your maintenance department?

Give me a call at the Maintenance Geek LLC to find out more.

Thanks, Robert “The Maintenance Geek”

(203) 510 – 8575

What is EUA? And why should I care?

Posted on March 21, 2016 by rusty

Energize CT’s EUA has been created as an economic development initiative for the manufacturing sector.

Sponsored by Eversource the assessment helps manufacturers qualify and identify specific energy reduction opportunities and the efficient measures needed to reduce kWh and CCF consumption. This study that looks at how much, where, and when you use energy.

This assessment will include an overview of the following areas:

 Motor Systems,

 Air Compressors

 HVAC Systems

 Process Equipment

 Lighting

 Other significant energy-consuming areas.

Once the study is complete, an Energy Usage Assessment (EUA) analysis with recommendations is provided. A fixed price for work for each project is reviewed by the utility and customer for approval. The proposal will include all the Energize Connecticut incentives such as; a 50/50 cost sharing for the EUA program and potential reimbursement for implemented Energy Opportunities.

10 – 20 % in potential energy cost reductions

Detailed analysis of your energy use and costs

Identification of “Idle Load” energy waste

Efficiency analysis of facility systems.

Equipment upgrade recommendations

ECM financial impact and ROI analysis

Access to programs,resources, and funding.

Each event will consists of: Training Assessment Analysis

Click in the upper right corner to get each blog episode sent to you when it becomes available.

Or contact me for more info on any of the Energize CT programs.

Robert Kravontka

The Maintenance Geek

robert@maintenancegeek.com

What are the 6 steps to optimize your compressed air system?

Posted on February 29, 2016 by rusty

Compressed air leaks, and inefficient blow offs can waste thousands of dollars of electricity each year. This affects your companies production costs and bottom line.

What are the 6 steps to optimize your compressed air system?

Determine the main compressed air users in your facility
Find and fix the air leaks with Ultrasonic Leak Detection
Upgrade your blow off and cooling operations with engineered products for less air use and lower decibel levels.

High efficiency nozzles High efficiency air knives High efficiency blow offs

Turn off compressed air when not in use, or put it on a timer to only run when required
Use intermediate storage next to the point of use
Control the air pressure near the point of use.

The Maintenance Geek LLC is proud to be a stocking distributor for Exair the home of intelligent compressed air products

E Mail me for a catalog and to get 10% off of current pricing. robert@maintenancegeek.com

Click in the upper right hand corner to get this blog sent to you as soon as it is published.→

Robert Kravontka “The Maintenance Geek ”

Step “One” in Developing a World Class Maintenance Organization

Posted on February 22, 2016 by rusty

Step One:

It’s the same for big companies or smaller ones, you need to figure out where you are and what your up against. If you have only one maintenance professional that does the facility and all the equipment but only when it breaks down the issues are the same.

You must start with some data.

Think of it as a doctor’s visit. Your doctor will not prescribe a medication or solution before he examines you and collects some data. At a minimum, blood pressure, weight, temperature, and what “you” think is wrong?

Should it be any different trying to diagnose your maintenance process, before you prescribe some remedies?

Collect Data. Simple Stuff.

What are your critical pieces of equipment? Look for the top 3-5 and learn about them.

Rate them in order of criticality. How much trouble will you be in when they go down, and how expensive will they be to get back up. It is a lot cheaper to keep them running than to fix them after they go down.

What skills are at your disposal? You may be surprised at some of the hidden talent.

What do you need to do to keep the equipment running vs. trouble shooting it and fixing it? Get out of the breakdown mode.

OEE is more important as you start to flow your products. If one component of the cell stops, the entire cell stops. OEE multiplies as more equipment is added to a cell.

Evaluate your maintenance department. Are they doing the right things, can they be doing better PM’s and less “time” based preventive maintenance? How about some predictive maintenance to catch the issues before they bite you.

Consider training your operators to be the eyes and ears for maintenance, put in some visuals to make it easier for them.

Its not easy when you have a small maintenance group, but neither are the bigger ones, that’s why “they” make the medium bucks. The principles are the same. Breakdowns are 5 – 10 times more expensive than preventing a breakdown.

Want to know more, go to the upper right and sign up for the next exciting episode of the Maintenance Geek Blog.

Robert Kravontka

The Maintenance Geek

robert@maintenancegeek.com

Introducing 5 Steps to a World Class Maintenance Organization

Posted on February 8, 2016 by rusty

Planning a June 2016 release of my new E Book called “5 Steps to a World Class Maintenance Organization” This is designed for the smaller manufacturer with a maintenance group of one or a few who do it all, including building and equipment maintenance.

Are your best Maintenance People getting ready to retire?

Do your younger newer maintenance professionals need to work smarter not harder?

How would an increase in productivity benefit your company?

Would reducing your maintenance Costs Help?

Are you getting tired of putting out fires all the time?

Does your equipment go down when you need it most?

Take a look at the 5 steps to help you get out of that breakdown mode.

We are going to have some fun with a method to help yourself and your company.

Step 1: Look at the building blocks of Maintenance

Step 2: Control your spare parts

Step 3: Stop Wasted PM’s

Step 4: Focused Improvements

Step 5: Formal Training

Then we will put it all together.

Click in the upper right to follow my blog…

Thanks,

Robert Kravontka The Maintenance Geek

The Energize CT Center. How to save energy.

Posted on February 1, 2016 by rusty

Greetings,

Attended a terrific meeting in North Haven at the Energize CT Center finding out how to better save energy in 2016. Kevin Vidmar from Loureiro Engineer Associates spoke. Terrific presentation on energy systems, including; Lighting, Motors, Compressed Air, Dust Collection, HVAC, and Office Equipment.

We started by understanding conservation vs efficiency. Basically shut it off whenever possible and then use the most efficient models when you must use a load.

Lighting, understand where you need light, and how much, then shut it off when you do not need it.LED’s have come down in price and are well subsidized by the utilities.

Motors typically cost around $0.10 per HP/ Hour to operate and save you that much when you can shut them off. Motors consume 50-70% of all electricity in the country. When you must run your motors reduce the load by insuring good alignment, proper belt tension , good lubrication practices and proper pipe sizing. Try to eliminate Air motors in your operation, they are cheaper to purchase but are huge wasters of energy.

Compressed Air often called the 4th Utility, can consume up to 25% of a typical manufacturers electric bill. Extra air storage can help, you should have approximately 4 gallon per HP. It generally costs $5 per gallon to install more but may be well worth it. Make sure your compressor air inlets are drawing cool well filtered air. If you use air to blow parts out of a process use low vortec nozzles, and cut your house pressure. A 2 PSI drop in pressure can save 1% of your electric bill.

Have a pro look at your system and enjoy some huge saving.

Next month we will talk about the 5 steps to get out of the breakdown mode, and save some energy to boot.

Click on the upper right to sign up for the series of training’s to get out of the breakdown mode. Talk with you next week.

Robert The Maintenance Geek

What is on tap for the Maintenance Geek?

Posted on January 18, 2016 by rusty

Are your Best Maintenance People retiring this year?

Do your younger maintenance professionals need to work smarter not harder?

The issue most companies with manufacturing equipment face is how to get out of the breakdown mode.

Over the next 6 months we will discuss the 5 steps to get out of the breakdown mode.

Over the next 6 months we will discuss the steps and what will work for you.

Expect a June 2016 release of my new E – Book “5 Steps to get out of the Breakdown Mode”.

We will talk about what the Utilities and Government can do to help fund our efforts to get out of the breakdown mode.

There are also steps you can take right away, to generate income to pay for your journey and get buy in from senior management.

Stay tuned.

Let me know what you think!

Did You Know, by The Maintenance Geek

Posted on August 5, 2015 by rusty

Here is a new video from Robert Kravontka The Maintenance Geek

A look at some predictive tools, like Infrared, Ultrasound and Lumen Meters

Predictive Maintenance is getting easier all the time with this attachment to your I Phone…

Posted on November 14, 2014 by rusty

Greetings…

I took this with My I Phone…

It’s not just to tell how hot your coffee is any more.

If you are trying to get out of the breakdown mode, you don’t have to worry about the high cost of predictive tools. This will get you some OK temperature readings, along with a GPS location and over a decent digital photo. Combine this with an ultrasound leak detector and you will pay both of them off in the first usage.

It costs an average of 10 times less to fix a problem before it breaks then to fix it after it breaks.

You know about air shipping parts.

I love new technology.

http://www.fando.com/llc/manufacturing-solutions/

Snap on to the I Phone 5