Reliable and safe compressed air for the mining industry

If you’re involved in mining then you’ll know first hand that compressed air is an essential utility to the mining sector. As an essential service you will no doubt use compressed air extensively in your operations - from exploration and processing right through to camp site services such as wastewater treatment. 

These harsh environments demand robust, reliable and safe compressed air equipment solutions. This starts with selecting high quality compressed air equipment that has been designed to meet the demands of these harsh environments. However, once the equipment has been selected and installed, is that the end of the story? The answer of course is no. With an average useful life of 10+ years - maintaining the integrity of compressed air equipment will be essential to its on-going reliability and safety. 

There are 3 important factors to consider when it comes to implementing compressed air maintenance that will contribute to the on-going reliability and safety of the compressed air equipment; 

1. Following the OEMs prescribed maintenance schedule
   As a minimum it’s important to follow the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) maintenance schedule in order to ensure your compressed air system continues to operate safely and reliably. There are a number of checks which should be completed, and consumables which should be changed at prescribed intervals.
   
   Of course, another key benefit in the mining sector in particular, of following the OEMs preventive maintenance schedule is safety. If improperly installed, used or maintained compressed air equipment can be potentially very dangerous and lead to catastrophic outcomes such as damage to property, serious injuries or even fatalities.
   
   You can learn more about the benefits of following the OEMs recommended preventive maintenance schedule by clicking here 
   Information on maintenance requirements for a specific piece of compressed air equipment should be present in the OEMs operating manual or by contacting the OEM. In the case of operating and maintaining compressed air equipment on mine sites - it is recommended that you consult the OEM - quite often a standard maintenance schedule will need to be adjusted when equipment is operating in such a harsh environment. 
   
   
2. Using genuine spare parts and consumables
   From replacing the air filter and oil filter right down to the choice of lubricant, there are a number of consumables that need to be periodically changed within a rotary screw compressor. The lifetime of the compressor, its overall performance, reliability and safety - as well as its maintenance requirements will all be impacted by whether you choose to replace these consumables with genuine or non-genuine parts.
   
   The compatibility of non-genuine spare parts with a rotary screw compressor is one factor that will have a huge bearing on its resultant reliability and safety. Only genuine OEM spare parts will have been rigorously tested by the OEM with the compressed air equipment. The durability, performance, efficiency, safety or even the compatibility of non-genuine parts will not have been tested with the compressed air equipment. Therefore there is no way of knowing how non-genuine spare parts will interact and how they may affect the ongoing integrity of the compressed air equipment. As a result it’s possible that they could compromise the efficiency, reliability and safety of the rotary screw compressor as well as the air quality required.
   
   It’s also worth bearing in mind that only the OEMs genuine spare parts have been designed to meet the demands of the applicable operating conditions, quality tested to ensure the best possible performance and, designed to assure the life cycle is commensurate with the maintenance intervals.
   
   Finally, when it comes to spare parts, it’s highly likely that selecting non-genuine parts - which are not recommended by the OEM - will void the manufacturer's warranty. This could become costly if a fault occurs that would ordinarily have been covered under the warranty.
   
   
3. Selecting OEM authorised service technicians
   One final area that should be considered when it comes to maintaining safe and reliable compressed air equipment, is the quality, credentials and experience of the Service Technician you choose to perform this service and maintenance work.
   
   It is advisable to select current OEM qualified and authorised Service Technicians. Only they will have the necessary skills and access to up-to-date training to provide the very best expert service. This in turn will significantly enhance the long-term reliability and efficiency of the compressed air system.

Our team of highly qualified and factory trained Service Technicians are strategically located so we can offer nationwide compressed air service and maintenance, utilising a large stock of genuine spare parts and consumables stored at our NZ head office in Auckland. To discuss your compressed air service requirements just phone 0800 447 820 or fill in the form below and we’ll get back to you.