The Real Cost of Compressed Air

As compressed air is used in a huge range of industrial operations, it is critical to understand the cost implications that come with its use and even misuse. The energy created through the use of compressed air is commonly used in many different ways from manufacturing uses to oil-free sensitive breathing air.

It can also be used for a range of tasks as simple as spraying dust off a product with an air gun, or as complicated as helping assist a robotic arm in production. In fact, compressed air is often considered the fourth utility in industrial operations, after electricity, water, and natural gas.

This all makes compressed air one of the most cost-intensive aspects of plant operations. Most industrial plants do not have reliable data on their compressed air demands and generation, so demand is often estimated after considering the number of square feet a process uses, rather than the actual need. Plus, multiple units often run simultaneously, without any output enhancement.

To address these less-than-strategic approaches to air management, master controllers can be hugely valuable for facilitating system optimization, allowing multiple compressor units to share data so that plant operators have all the information necessary to make the most informed decisions for optimal system performance and reliability.