In pneumatic systems, regular maintenance of all components is extremely important to ensure proper and trouble-free operation of the system. Inadequate maintenance can often cause damage and breakdowns, which in turn reduces the useful life of the equipment and leads to additional costs.
How can compressed air costs be reduced? More here
Through regular maintenance, you can detect damage or defective parts in your system and take corrective action in a timely manner.
Therefore, companies must provide a dedicated team of employees for pneumatic system maintenance and take steps to further expand knowledge of the latest maintenance methods.
Design of a pneumatic system
To ensure that maintenance operations produce the desired results, it is very important that the pneumatic system is designed by experienced professional designers with the appropriate knowledge.
The main problem with any pneumatic system is the piping and air system. Therefore, the designer must pay due attention to the layout of the piping network and air flow to ensure that the risk of failure is minimal.
Another important point when designing a pneumatic system is that the system is as simple as possible. The easier it is for them to handle fewer disruptions, the lower downtime and costs will be.
Proper inspection of piping, treatment plant and filters should also be performed during maintenance to reduce the risk of failure. If something is damaged or not working properly, appropriate steps must be taken to repair or replace the part. The maintenance plan must be designed to cover areas where failures frequently occur.
The importance of daily maintenance
Yes, compared to other systems, pneumatic systems are much better at dealing with problems, but that doesn't mean they don't require maintenance. Occasional problems are not as difficult to resolve as with other systems, but only if they are maintained and maintained properly.
Pneumatic systems only cause fewer problems if maintenance is carried out daily. Therefore, daily maintenance is extremely important to ensure that your system is operating in the best possible condition.
There are several guidelines that can facilitate the daily maintenance of pneumatic systems. Let's look at some of them:
- Always make sure you have an accurate diagram of how the pneumatic system works. If changes are made after installation, make sure they are made in the same direction.
- Care must be taken to protect the system pulse valves from excessive contamination, mechanical shock and water.
- Descriptions of items and devices must be accurate and clearly visible.
- Do not drill system components to make a new hole.
- If you require an additional opening, discuss this with the manufacturer who can design a system to meet your needs.
- The system service unit must be clearly visible and easy to use. If possible, you should also make sure it is placed higher than the rest of the items.
- Do not increase pressure (more on pressure here) beyond the manufacturer's specified level.
- When dismantling cylinders or valves, pay attention to their tightness. Also pay attention to correct positioning during assembly.
leak out
Air leaks are the most common aspect of any pneumatic system. If left undetected for a long period, problems such as increased system load, waste of compressed air, increased maintenance and operation costs without fruitful results and even the risk of loss of production quality may arise.
Although it's a common problem that can be very costly, an air leak is actually very easy to detect and fix.
This is easy due to the nature of air. It escapes through noise, making it easily noticeable in any system. If the leak is very small and there is no air noise, try using soapy water or a special leak detection product.
When a leak occurs, air bubbles form where the air escapes.
Once a leak is detected, you can easily seal the connections or accessories. If the leak is significant, you should think about completely replacing the damaged part with a new one. There are also many thread sealants on the market that are specifically designed for industrial applications and can be used to eliminate leaks.
Lubricator with filter regulator (FRL)
If maintenance is well planned and carried out daily by a technician, pneumatic systems last a long time.
The FRL is an air handling element designed to prevent contaminants from entering the system and ensure that a sufficient amount of oil mist is always available in the system to reduce friction damage.
Therefore, if the FRL is in good condition, the entire pneumatic system can function properly.
Summary
Although pneumatic systems are less prone to problems, they still require daily maintenance. In the event of a serious failure, the person responsible for maintenance must locate the failure and attempt to understand the nature of the problem.
If the item can be repaired, it must be done following all guidelines, or if it is a serious failure, the part must be replaced with a new one.
