Thriving under pressure with Atlas Copco

The Atlas Copco GA range of oil-injected rotary screw compressors is breathing life into a variety of industries.

Ultimately, contaminated air creates more costs for manufacturers. Product spoilage, maintenance and replacing pipe work or leakages can have disastrous consequences to a business’ hip pocket, which is one of the reasons why Atlas Copco product manager Dillon Smith calls compressed air the fourth utility after water, electricity and gas.

Just as companies scrutinise their choice of electricity provider, it’s essential to be choosy when it comes to finding the right air compressor system.

Enter Atas Copco’s premium range of GA oil-injected rotary screw compressors.

“With up to 80 per cent of a compressor lifecycle cost coming from the energy it consumes, this is a clear focus area of ours – and the mining industry,” Smith told Manufacturers’ Monthly.

“The GA range of compressors include highly efficient oil-cooled iE4 and iE5 motors, providing energy savings compared to less efficient motors.”

The GA VSDs has a 21 per cent higher Free Air Delivery than its fixed-speed counterparts. This means that for the same power you get 21 per cent more air, which saves on investment and operational costs.

The GA range has several smart features which allow it to adapt and optimise its performance to each customer’s applications, requirements, and conditions.

An important example is the Smart Temperature Control (STC) system, which ensures that the compressor operates with an optimal oil temperature at all times. As a result, it eliminates the risk of condensation in the oil while ensuring maximum compression efficiency.

“With a VSDs, customers can save on investment and operational costs,” said Smith. “Many can buy a lower kW model and still get the air they need. And they can save on service costs thanks to its intelligent features.”

The unit introduces several smart features that allow it to adapt and optimise its performance to each customer’s applications, requirements, and conditions.

The most important example is the Smart Temperature Control (STC) system, which ensures that the compressor operates with an optimal oil temperature at all times. As a result, it eliminates the risk of condensation in the oil while ensuring maximum compression efficiency.

“This first time you can call a compressor smart, and Atlas Copco is all about being the first in innovation – the product not only adapts to the circumstances which the customers operate,” he noted.

“They don’t always have the same use for compressed air – the VSDs adapts to the air demand profile of the customer, it also adapts its oil injection temperature to the optimum point not only changing the speed of the cooling fan but using the STC system. And it is constantly monitoring the condensate in the air produced by the compressor in the smart drain.

When you put all those features together that is what that makes it unique.”

The GA range of compressors owes its flexibility in part to the attention Atlas Copco gives its customers.

“We work with the customer to first of all understand their application needs,” Smith said. “From there we work backwards to understand how much compressed air and what pressure is required for the application.

“We then look at our range of compressors. Each compressor, depending on its kilowatt size, will give you a flow of compressed air at a certain pressure so we ensure that we match the correct compressor with the correct application.”

Atlas Copco is also helping clients hit their environmental, social and governance (ESG) targets. By working with its customers to determine the best type and number of air compressors, manufacturers can optimise energy usage and lower emissions.

Compressors account for one-tenth of industrial electricity consumption world- wide. Atlas Copco has a powerful role in reducing energy use and the associated pollution.

Customers worldwide who use Atlas Copco’s advanced, energy-efficient compressors are significantly shrinking their carbon footprint. Many have slashed their CO2 emissions by more than half using innovative Atlas Copco technologies such as:

Regardless of the industry, Atlas Copco has effective and efficient solutions for compressed air, oxygen and nitrogen generation applications.

Innovation and technological progress are key to finding lasting solutions to both environmental and economic challenges. Companies are re-imagining how to create and capture value in this new environment, and Atlas Copco is leading the way.

With 150 years of history, Atlas Copco knows the industry’s needs through and through.

“Generally, air compressors require infrastructure such as fixed services, concrete pads, or buildings, but you don’t always have that luxury in more isolated environments such as mining,” Smith said.

“Applications shift in location, and so does the need for compressed air.”

To address this issue, Atlas Copco offers a purpose-built 1000-volt air compressor mounted on a heavy-duty skid frame, making it both durable and mobile.

Tough conditions represent another equipment challenge for manufacturers and engineers. Dust build-up and temperature can take a toll on the best of motors, which is why Atlas Copco’s GA range of compressors are built strong.

“The GA range comes with IP66 protection on the oil-cooled motor and screw element, so unlike a lot of standard electrical motors – which are cooled via air – Atlas Copco’s GA compressors have an oil cooled motor which keeps the temperature lower in hot ambient conditions,” Smith said.

“That means they are perfectly suited to our harsh, dusty and hot conditions, as they prevent dust or moisture ingress which can prevent early failure.

“Atlas Copco’s premium range of GA compressors can also operate 24–7 in temperatures up to 55°C.”

Being an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) means Atlas Copco has the correct solution for each application so the company can tailor its compressors to suit varying needs. It also means the company has a dedicated research and development division to ensure its products are efficient and reliable.

“We’ve worked very hard on producing these GA compressors to ensure that their service downtime is minimal. One example of that is the filter type cartridges we use within the machine for the oil and air separator,” Smith said.

“Replacing this part would usually take a full day depending on the size of the compressor, but now we can reduce maintenance downtime substantially, meaning greater uptime for the site and operation.”

Atlas Copco compressors also come with the option of a remote energy and maintenance monitoring system called SMARTLINK.

“SMARTLINK allows the customer to view how the compressor is operating in real time and provide information via various sensors such as operating temperature,” Smith said.

“This also gives us at data we need on our end to provide updates to our customers, which helps us schedule maintenance.”

And when it comes to maintenance, Atlas Copco has a nation-wide network of factory-trained technicians ready to help at a moment’s notice.

“Being an OEM, our technicians understand our products fully and have the capabilities to service and maintain all products in Atlas Copco’s range,” Smith said.

“A strong local stock of our genuine parts ensures reliability compared to after-market spares. We also locally stock a range of compressors and equipment to support our customers ensuring minimal disruption to our customers operations.

“If customers have a catastrophic failure, we’re able to act very quickly to supply a replacement compressor or item of equipment to quickly and efficiently get the site back into production.”