Tips

One place to look is at your trim or scrap removal system. A very popular method of modular trim/scrap removal system includes a venturi which uses compressed air to operate. The attraction of this type of venturi system is its initial low cost. These venturis are very simple, small and relatively easy to manufacture, so the initial cost of the venturi itself is very low. Since this type of venturi uses compressed air to operate, there is no external power source (blower) to purchase, so again initial cost is kept low.

Seem too good to be true? It is. While the initial cost of these types of modular trim/scrap removal systems will keep your purchasing department happy, long term costs will negate and surpass your savings.

Compressed air is designed to operate equipment which requires very high pressure, very low volume. As a rule of thumb, it is never advisable to exhaust compressed air into atmosphere, which is exactly what you're doing when you use this type of venturi trim/scrap removal. Why? Because compressed air volume is very expensive in energy consumption and maintenance when compared to blower air volume. Also, other areas of your plant operation may be negatively effected downstream of a venturi compressed air system that strains the compressor, dumping valuable compressed air into the atmosphere.

Use a venturi trim/scrap removal system which utilizes a blower to avoid the yearly energy and maintenance costs of over using your air compressor. Venturi systems which utilize blowers cost more initially but the savings, over time, of relieving your air compressor of the responsibility of powering the system will most likely more than pay for the venturi/blower system in less than one year.