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Case Study: Able Engineering & Component Services – Mesa, AZ
Introduction:
In an effort to better track the dew point (and other conditions) of its Transair compressed air
piping system, Able Engineering & Component Services contracted with Arizona Contract Services
(ACS) to design and install a condition monitoring solution. Compressed air plays a significant
role at Able’s 194,000-square-foot facility, from running equipment for painting and sand blasting,
to coordinating a measuring device that reads in the millionth of an inch.
ACS had to work around existing equipment without disrupting production, so they could only
work on Saturday evenings and Sundays. This required a monitoring system that was flexible
and installed quickly.
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Case Study: Able Engineering & Component Services – Mesa, AZ
Project Specifics/Issues:
ACS had to consider several factors, including accessibility, noise, and ambient conditions, which
can impact the precision of a sensor’s reading. While wired monitoring systems are proven to be
effective and sturdy, they can be costly and are typically fixed once installed. Able needed a
solution that is easily modified in the event of an expansion, and wouldn’t require additional
wiring infrastructure.
ACS recommended Parker’s SCOUT Technology condition monitoring system – a completely
wireless, cloud-based advanced condition monitoring system that records data on five key
performance metrics: pressure, power, temperature, humidity, and flow.
• Size of facility: 194,000 square feet
• Current piping system: Parker Hannifin’s Transair piping
• Size of existing compressed air system: 122,000 square feet
• 7,500+ feet of piping in 25mm, 40mm, 63mm, and 76mm diameters
• Compressors:
• Atlas Copco GA90VSDff 125-PSI
• Sullair 75HP 120-PSI (backup)
• Cost of project: $19,502 in materials
BACKGROUND:
Able repairs aircraft components, offers FAA-approved
replacement parts, and performs major overhauls
and various assembly repairs. It recently began
operations at its new helicopter completion center,
and just launched a new bearing overhaul and repair
facility. Since 1982, Able has prided itself on meeting
the strictest standards for its work, exceeding OEM
specifications by using highly sensitive equipment to
perform high-precision tasks, and adhering to lean
manufacturing principles.
Issues/Concerns: Dew point is Able’s chief concern
when it comes to its compressed air system, as it can
lead to high utility costs, equipment damage, and
unscheduled downtime. The average cost of downtime
in the plant is about $350 per machine for every hour
of being down. That adds up to about $9,000 per hour
if the entire shop is down, on top of the additional
recovery costs if Able gets behind on production.
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Case Study: Able Engineering & Component Services – Mesa, AZ
CHOOSING PARKER’S SCOUT TECHNOLOGY:
SCOUT Technology sensors are installed quickly and easily without additional wired infrastructure.
As such, they are ideal for companies like Able, which are constantly perfecting the location of
equipment to adjust for flow and energy efficiency.
By tracking system conditions, users can address issues before they impede production, as well
as precisely calculate dew point. Information is accessed in real time and historic trends via a
cloud-based interface on any mobile device with an Internet signal. Users can also receive alerts
for when condition levels breach user-defined thresholds.
Results:
ACS installed 19 SCOUT Technology sensors – seven for pressure, five for humidity, six for flow,
and one for power. Installation time for each sensor was 15 to 30 minutes, with the entire
installation taking 14 days. Able workers quickly learned how to make simple, necessary adjustments
to reposition the sensors in the direction of the main antennas to improve system performance.
Internet connectivity proved to be an obstacle. Eight-inch thick concrete walls, distance to the
server room and the high volume of intranet traffic hindered reception in certain sections and
made router communication somewhat unreliable. However, installing CAT5e cabling directly
into the router eliminated almost all communication interruptions.
SCOUT Technology immediately helped Able save on materials and labor. A wired system would
have required an additional cost of up to $15,000 in conduit, wire and labor, and the ROI would
have been too long-term to justify spending the money to get the needed infrastructure in place.
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Case Study: Able Engineering & Component Services – Mesa, AZ
Conclusion:
In the short term, pairing Parker’s SCOUT Technology with the existing Transair compressed
air piping system will aid in keeping utility costs down and preventing unscheduled downtime.
It will also help Able optimize its prices, by helping to determine the exact flow of equipment in
certain areas to calculate exactly what it costs to run a particular piece of equipment.
“Being able to quantify the expense of utilities allows me to make more accurate price adjustments
for what we produce or determine when it’s cost-effective to purchase new equipment,” says
Able’s facilities engineering manager, Will C. Rogers. “SCOUT helps me make data-driven
decisions, assuring the peak performance of our system and our capital expenditures.”
In the long term, Able plans to utilize SCOUT Technology’s alert capabilities for an early warning
system so that upset conditions in the compressed air system are identified and resolved before
system-wide failures happen. Able is currently designing a 60,000-square-foot expansion and
will extend its Transair system into the new building, and SCOUT Technology’s wireless sensors
will help with labor and material cost savings.
“There are a lot of wired systems out there that I can put in, but the cost of the conduit and
getting wire to all of the sensors is an expense that would have to be dealt with regularly,”
Rogers says. “When you add to it that the Transair product is easy to cut into to add a line, the
whole process is very cost-friendly.”
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