Any manufacturing company is going to be wasting a lot of money in a single year through leaks and this is why air leak surveys can prove to be so useful to a company. Studies have shown that it is actually relatively common for systems consisting of compressed air to have leaks of around 50% and it does not take long to then calculate how much that is costing a firm. The reason this is such an important survey is due to the fact that for a several manufacturing companies compressed air can be their second highest utility bill after electricity so just as you would look at eliminating water leaking the same can be said for air especially when it is costing so much.
It is perhaps worth noting that just one leak measuring as little as 3mm diameter can end up costing you around a four figure sum in a single year and it does not take long to multiply that up according to the number of potential places where leaks can occur for large plants. It is then quickly clear that if you do not undertake a survey on a regular basis you are literally allowing the profit of the company to escape into thin air without even realizing it.
Air leaks can occur at any point and not only with equipment or parts that have been in use for a number of years as even new parts can sometimes have deficiencies right from the beginning. In some instances; incorrect installation can also lead to leaks appearing especially around joints in a hose, a hole in the hose itself, or joins of pipes onto machinery, which is why a survey cannot be selective, but instead cover every aspect of the plant.
The surveys themselves are non-invasive and indeed a number of companies will use ultrasound to find and then tag the various leaks as well as stating how big they are. The person conducting it will always be an engineer and the entire process is fast and efficient so the real work that the plant has to do will not be hampered for as long as is necessary so money will also not be lost through production being interrupted aside from when repairs are being carried out.
During the survey, and depending upon the company that is hired to do the real work, it will result in you being given an indication about how much it is costing the company. This single piece of information is normally enough to convince a company that repairs must be carried out quickly especially if it is calculated how much it is costing in just a single day. It should perhaps be noted that it is almost impossible to eliminate leakage, but a number of companies should be able to get their average down from 20% to under 5% with this resulting in a major saving of money.
Part of the report you are then given may also show how many weeks it will take for you to recover your investment in regard to the repairs to fix the leak and this does help the company to really justify the cost involved. You may also find that they are capable of repairing the problem or at least have another company that they work with that can offer their services at a reasonable price. This is of course going to be an obsolete offer should you carry out repairs in-house, but if you do not, then you at least know qualified engineers will be doing the work.
It should, therefore, be quite clear that for a manufacturing company it is essential that they have air leak surveys undertaken at least once a year to check that a large percentage of energy is not being lost in this way. The money that can be saved by arranging this simple survey far outweighs the real cost of it, along with the cost of replacing or repairing any leaks, and anything that can lower expenses for a company should always be explored. New equipment as well as old can be affected by this problem and with an average of 20% of compressed air being lost through leaks, and some up to 50% this survey will pay for itself in no time at all.
