In this case study, we look at how Glaston helped improve the functionality and annual running costs of multiple rotary screw compressors for an automotive industry supplier. Discover what benefits our installation of HPC Kaeser’s SAM 4.0 controller yielded for this long-term Glaston customer in our latest case study.
What the customer needed
In early 2019, our customer approached us to see if they could integrate their current compressor controller into the site’s BMS system by using Modus TCP. Unfortunately, the controller in question was twenty years old, so this would not be possible.
However, Glaston had proposed a much more effective solution to the customer’s dilemma. We introduced them to the new Sigma Air Manager (SAM) 4.0 advanced compressor controller from HPC Kaeser.
What Glaston did
When Glaston proposed the idea of implementing the new SAM controller, we wanted to showcase exactly what the customer would gain prior to the installation. To accomplish this, we provided the customer with a detailed understanding of what benefits the Sigma Air Manager offered over their old controller.
Firstly, the SAM 4.0 compressor controller could offer Modbus TCP connectivity to the site’s BMS system, compared to the outdated controller that couldn’t. Secondly, the customer would be able to connect our SAM Controller to their site’s intranet, meaning anyone in the factory with PC access could log in and see how their compressed air system was running from their desk. Additionally, it automatically sends out alarms to mobile phones that are on the site intranet.
The SAM controller can also provide automatic energy reporting and improved control through an advanced algorithm, ensuring the most efficient running at any one time. This final benefit was particularly relevant to our long-term customer because they were utilising three 132kw compressors that were connected to the older pressure band controller. They were also using an additional 75kw compressor, which was set to run manually on its own internal switches.
With all these potential benefits, our automative supplier was won over and we got to work fitting the new Sigma Air Manager to work with their existing compressed air system.
What happened as a result
Prior to installing the SAM 4.0 controller, our customer’s annual compressor electrical running costs amounted to a steady £250,000 per annum. Initially, we predicted that our new Sigma Air Manager would help to reduce their electrical costs by 2.5%, equating to approximately £6,000 per annum. However, the costs have actually been reduced by over £15,000 per annum, giving a projected payback of just under six months!
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