Oil-Related Problems You May Experience With Your Industrial Air Compressor

Industrial & Manufacturing Blog

Your employees may use an air compressor every day for tasks like clamping, powering tools and cleaning work areas or parts. Because of the daily use of air compressors, the risk of repairs becomes greater, especially those caused by wear and tear. Taking the time to learn more about some common oil-related problems with air compressors can be one of the best ways to prevent expensive repairs or the replacement of an entire compressor. Check out these common oil-related problems you may experience with your industrial air compressor.

Air Containing Oil Can Be Troublesome and Time-Consuming

If your employees use an air compressor for cleaning up their work areas or for blowing off newly manufactured parts, the presence of oil can be frustrating and messy. On some parts, like those made of plastic, oil may be damaging. If your air compressor spays air mixed with oil, it may be because:

  • The separator for dirty oil may be be bad and need to be replaced. Maintaining a regular schedule for compressor oil and filter changes is essential for it to run at its best.

  • Oil levels may be too high. Draining excessive oil out will normally fix this problem.

  • The compressor may have had the wrong type of oil put in it. Making sure the oil's viscosity is correct for your compressor is vital for it to run properly.

  • The scavenge line may be clogged up. Making sure you only run clean oil in your compressor can lower the risk of scavenge line clogs.

  • The compressor may be running too hot. Running your compressor too hot increases the risk of the scavenge line varnishing. Always ensure your machine is running at an appropriate temperature.

  • Piston rings can worn out and need to be replaced.

Checking for these issues first when your compressor's air is mixed with oil is important. Be sure to only let qualified personnel perform maintenance on your air compressors, especially when it comes to tasks like changing the oil and filters. A qualified maintenance worker will also know the proper way to put in new piston rings. If piston rings are installed upside down, your compressor will blow air with oil in it. In some cases, the crankshaft will need to be replaced when an air compressor is run with upside down piston rings. By doing so, you can avoid some problems that will cause your compressor to blow out an air and oil mix.

Taking the best care of your air compressor helps to save time and money in your business. By learning more about some of the most common problems you may encounter with your compressor, you have better chances of also learning how to avoid them.

For more information, contact Kruman or a similar company.

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25 May 2016

Your Guide To Industrial and Manufacturing Operations

Hi, my name is David Dotson and the purpose of this blog is to educate others about the manufacturing process. For as long as I can remember, I've always been amazed by how different things are made. It fascinates me to think about the process of taking raw materials and turning them into something useful during fabrication. When I have spare time, I can be found reading about various types of manufacturing and industrial plants to learn how they operate. I wanted to write a blog about my findings so that others could also learn how raw goods are transformed every day into useable products.