‘When is it time to upgrade my compressor?’

When it comes to upgrading your compressor, do you know when the right time is to upgrade? Is it just when it reaches the end of its useful life, or are there other important factors to consider? If compressed air is an essential utility to your processes, and therefore something you rely upon, then it is worth considering the following points when it comes to being aware of when you may benefit from upgrading your compressor. Here’s our top 4 reasons why you would want to consider upgrading your compressor... 

1. When the compressor is no longer suitable for the application
   Everything changes and nothing stands still. Your compressed air requirements are no exception! From the manufacturer that adds an additional production line to its facility and therefore requires more air, to the manufacturer that experiences changes in production processes rendering less air being required - when your compressed air demand significantly changes, so does your existing compressed air system’s ability to reliably and efficiently meet these requirements.
   
   Significant changes to your compressed air uses is therefore a key indication that it may be time to assess and potentially upgrade/modify your compressed air system. 
   
   
2. When your business puts energy efficiency targets into place
   When a business puts energy efficiency targets in place - for example as part of wider corporate environmental, climate or sustainability practices - compressed air should always be evaluated.
   
   Compressed air will be one of the largest consumers of electricity in a business. In fact it is estimated that around 10% of all electricity consumed in the industrial sector is used in producing compressed air. So, if you have recently introduced energy efficiency targets, reviewing your compressed air system should be top of your list. Why? Many existing compressed air systems hide an energy savings potential of approximately 30 percent. And part of this may well be the energy savings potential of upgrading to new and more energy efficient equipment. When that is the case, replacing ageing equipment with the latest technology may well pay for itself through the energy savings it creates. 
   
   
3. When the repair work starts to become uneconomical
   The older the compressor the more maintenance it will require, and these maintenance costs can soon add up. When repair work starts to become uneconomical it is a clear sign that replacing your ageing compressor would be a good decision. When does it become uneconomical? A good rule of thumb is when the cost to repair the compressor is over 50% of the original cost of the equipment.
   
   However, in the short term it may not seem that uneconomical to maintain compared to the cost of investing in a new compressor. For sure, investing in a new compressor in the short term will most likely be a much larger figure than just paying for maintenance. But don’t forget to look at the bigger picture here. The initial purchase price of a compressor only accounts for around 15% of its total lifecycle costs, while energy costs account for the lion's share at around 75%. And, an older compressor will no doubt be costing more to operate in energy terms than a newer compressor. Efficiency gains are constantly being made to next generation models from manufacturers like Kaeser Compressors. The investment you make into a new compressor can therefore very quickly pay for itself through the energy savings it creates. 
   
   
4. When service and maintenance is no longer available
   Finally, the older your compressor gets, the more likely it will have been superseded by a newer model. It may therefore become harder, more expensive and more time consuming to find the spare parts for your compressor. And eventually older models may no longer be supported with spare parts and maintenance. This is another scenario where it makes sense to upgrade your compressor. 

If you are currently wondering ‘when is it time to upgrade my compressor?’ then they would be our top 4 factors to initially consider. There may of course be a number of other factors and circumstances which would mean that it’s time to upgrade your compressor. When you do think it may be time to upgrade though, the best place to start is to consult the experts. 

How do I evaluate if we need to upgrade our compressor?
The most precise way to evaluate if you need to upgrade your compressor is to undergo an air audit, where a compressed air expert will be able to analyse your current system and compressed air requirements. At Kaeser, for example, this is achieved with the help of the Air Demand Analysis (ADA). By logging your system we can determine your actual air demand throughout all operating sectors and at different loads. We are then able to process this data using the Kaeser Energy Saving System (KESS) proprietary software. KESS creates a precise, computer-aided evaluation, allowing our experts to be able to present you with the most optimum solution to meet your requirements.

Is it time to upgrade your compressed air system? The ADA from Kaeser is a great place to start when it comes to precisely evaluating your current system and compressed air requirements. Click here to learn more about the ADA from Kaeser. 

Ready to get started? Just phone 0800 447 820 or simply fill in the form below and we will get back to you.