Wastage and Tear
Most pneumatic tools, especially if well used, will start to leak some air. As such, if your air compressor is at capacity when delivering the minimum operational requirements for your tools, you are likely to have problems in the future, as your system becomes less-efficient over time. In light of this then, it is wise to have some spare capacity; especially if you purchase more equipment in the future. However, you shouldn’t overdo it; as you will pay for too much spare capacity in needlessly high running-costs. Most compressor companies can offer an ultrasound leak detection service to identify and log your wastage and potential savings to allow you to maintain your system efficiently. They can usually offer a data log service whereby your existing compressor arrangement is logged for a period of time and energy saving recommendations are made. The payback is generally very fast on larger systems. Some companies also offer Quincy air compressor repair.
Wear and Tear
Most air compressors should have an operational life of around 10 years if properly maintained and correctly sized. Like most machinery an air compressors’ lifespan will ultimately be determined by how heavily it’s used and how well it’s maintained. As such, when choosing your compressor ensure it can comfortably cope with its workload, even if that means spending more on your initial purchase. An overworked compressor will need to be replaced or repaired sooner and thus, could prove to be more expensive in the long-run.
Oil
Like most machinery, air compressors need oil to lubricate their moving parts. Given that the act of compression requires the air to come into contact with at least some of these moving parts; it is not uncommon for the compressed air produced to have small traces of oil present in it. If you are simply using pneumatic tools then this needn’t be a problem, as they are likely to be tolerant of some oil in their air supply. However, in medical applications for instance, this would be unacceptable and perhaps even dangerous and may require Quincy air compressor repair. Given your use then, you have the choice of applying a filter to an industrial air compressor or purchasing what is known as an oil-free compressor. The former will clean (to a certain extent) the air produced but when absolutely clean air is required, it is unlikely to suffice. Oil-free or oil-less compressors on the other hand, although more expensive, make absolutely sure that your compressed air is free of all oil traces by separating the air and oil throughout the compression process.