Air Compressor Training: There is no such thing as a free lunch, not even air

Air is a free resource which we use every day, and yet we take it for granted that it’s always there and free. But in an industrial plant compressed air is a costly utility and at times taken for granted, especially  if your employees don’t understand the importance of it.

Why isn’t compressed air free?

Compressed air is expensive to produce and frequently used inefficiently, so the cost of running your electrical equipment becomes very expensive. With the proper training skills, your employees can reduce waste, energy and the frequency of leaks by scheduling routine compressed air audits. If you’ve ever walked through your plant and heard or seen air hissing out you have got a leak on your hands and it shouldn’t be ignored.

How to determine the cost of compressed air

This equation will help determine the cost of compressed air for your plant.

Cost ($) = ((bhp) x (0.746) x (# of operating hours) x ($/kWh) x (% time) x (% full-load bhp)) / Motor Efficiency

Where:
bhp—Motor full-load horsepower (frequently higher than the motor nameplate horsepower—check equipment specification)
0.746—conversion between hp and kW
Percent time—percentage of time running at this operating level
Percent full-load bhp—bhp as percentage of full-load bhp at this operating level
Motor efficiency—motor efficiency at this operating level

Utilizing ITC Learning’s Training Program

ITC Learning’s compressed air training skills program will teach your employees about the real cost of compressor air and its impact on operating cost. Without air compressor training, your employees won’t have the right skills to undertake compressor air repairs, steam leaks and other necessary repairs and major overhauls. This can be a hindrance to a company’s competitiveness, so proper air compressor training should be an important part of your training skills program.

ITC Learning’s air compressor training course will provide your personnel with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively perform their task and use the correct equipment when necessary. With the right training skills your employees will be able to fix problems before they become costly mistakes. Plant managers should remember that compressed air is a costly utility that should not be taken for granted. It’s not free. In fact, it is one of the most costly utilities in plants today. Even though it might be hard to change the belief and recognize that compressed air in an industrial plant isn’t free, knowing this can decrease the amount of money your company spends on utility, maintenance and equipment. A comprehensive air compressor training program about leak repairs that includes instructions on identifying and repairing leaks can lead to reduction of energy use and increased profit.