Cambs Compressors Newsletter Autumn 2023

www.cambscompressors.co.uk 10 Tips on how to reduce your compressed air costs Pioneering synthetic leather company chooses Cambs Compressors Compressed air blowgun identified as a H&S hazard Compressed air is an essential component of the manufacturing process As with almost every form of manufacturing, compressed air is at the heart of the process. The main challenge was designing a solution which could replicate the process designed in a laboratory on a manufacturing scale. The newly installed system is instrumental in several processes needed to create the synthetic leather. The project was delivered and after a few bespoke modifications, the commissioned system gave the desired results for each process using compressed air. This has enabled the business to consistently produce their synthetic leather and supply it in the quality and quantity required by their customers. The material is used by manufacturers of vegan accessories, like handbags, wallets and belts. The value of experts outweighs the perceived financial savings of an internet purchase As with many start-ups every penny counts, so the first place the client looked was online for a suitable compressor and the required ancillaries. The prices online helped them develop budget, but this was significantly different from the quotes received from the BCAS members approached to tender for the project. Knowing we were dealing with professionals highlighted the value of the expertise and knowledge required. “I can really see the benefit of using a specialist to provide and support for both product and service against purchasing from the internet. We pioneered the process in a laboratory, and now in a manufacturing environment we needed to scale the process and volume of material we can produce. We know what the end-product needed to look like and perform, however scaling the lab model wasn’t as straight forward as we had imagined. With the support of the Cambs Compressors engineering team, the technical solutions to overcome any issues identified are quickly resolved. I’m convinced we were able to move to production more quickly and sustainably because we had experts to make the compressed air do what we needed.” Michael Cooper Materials Engineer Hide Biotech Health and Safety inspection reduces risk and realises hidden benefits When experienced Quality, Environment, Health and Safety Manager Andrea O’Connor took up her new role as QSHE Manager at Prior Scientific, she wanted to quickly act to identify any possible exposure to risk. This revealed an issue with the use of blowguns across various manufacturing operations. In an engineering context, blowguns serve several functions that contribute to maintenance, cleaning, and overall operational efficiency. Cambs Compressors were approached to help resolve the issues identified Cambs Compressors experimented to create a specific configuration for the issues identified. They provided a custom built blowgun prototype, using a range of standard components, to address the user frustrations as well as the risks to health and safety. Modified blowguns were highlighted as a source of multiple risks in world- leading manufacturing facility. Andrea O’Connor Prior Scientific’s Quality, Environment, Health and Safety Manager and Craig Turner Cambs Compressors Service Manager Want to know the most energy efficient way to operate your compressed air system, here we’ve put together a quick checklist. 10 Tips to reduce the running costs of your Compressed Air System Compressed air is integral to many industrial processes, it’s often energy- intensive but in most cases, there is a lot of waste. If you want to reduce your energy bills and environmental impact, it’s crucial to optimise the efficiency of your system. Here are some of the best energy efficiency tips for compressed air systems: 1 Regular Maintenance 2 Air Leak Detection 3 Pressure Control 3 Use Variable Speed Drives 5 Heat Recovery 6 Proper Sizing 7 Smart Controls 8 Employee Training 9 Regular Audits 10 Energy-Efficient Equipment Implementing these energy efficiency tips can help your business significantly reduce energy consumption and lower operational costs while contributing to a more sustainable future. By adopting a holistic approach to compressed air system management, businesses can strike a balance between productivity and environmental responsibility. As sustainability and ethical considerations continue to gain prominence, they drive growing popularity of non-leather materials. As you expect from an innovative city like Cambridge, it has a bioengineering technology company at the leading edge in manufacturing a synthetic leather to meet this growing market. Michael Cooper Materials Engineer, Hide Biotech