bad compressor

[Rockers]

We had a meeting with the owner of a business that deals in compressors 6 weeks before our new automatic arrived. We told him all the manufactures specifications of the press, even showed him a video of what the press does and how it works. Based on all that he came back to us with a solution , an Atlas Copco screw compressor with build in dryer. New compressor but 4 year old model.
They installed it the day before the M&R technician arrived for setting up the press. During the training we right away encountered problems with the air pressure dropping when printing with 3 heads. It dropped from 100 psi at the machine to 87 psi, believe me the M&R technician was not very happy about that.
Squeegee pressure was sometimes dropping by 50%. Generally the compresor can`t supply a steady pressure of 100 psi to the press and as soon as the press starts working it just drops too much.
The supplier of the compressor will now do some modifications to the compressor by installing a few extra parts to get it to supply more pressure, right now the max it can do is 104psi and that is a 10HP machine.
That`s now almost a week in which could not really use the new press. How do I deal now with the supplier of that compressor.
I don`t feel like I want to pay anylonger the full price as they made mistakes that prevent us from running the press proper and further more they have to make some DIY modifications to the compressor in order for it to output more pressure. And since they make changes to the factory set up of the compressor I assume I would need a written statement by them guaranteeing that this will not void the manufacturers guarantee and will not cause any damage to our equipment.
Even one of the guys working for the compressor company said their boss should have never recommended this machine based on the specifications and requirements we gave them.

[beanie357]

That's kind of bizarre. Either he read the specs wrong (they do generally list cfm at different pressures) or it's a POS. Either way, I would think he either needs to replace it or fix it. Atlas Copco does have a bunch of factory guys floating around out there, and if he is a dealer he needs to call them in if the specs are right for your press. We usually go 20% over max needed air for our sizing in our plants.

It could be something as simple as a bad relay. Our Ingersol just put in would short cycle almost continuously. Called Ingersol. (Warranty call) Sent a tech. He had the new improved modified relay in the truck and golly gee willikers Batman, thing worked perfectly after that.
Imagine that.

Spending big bucks for an item that seems to fail at it's task always gets my stomach turning.

[Rockers]

That's kind of bizarre. Either he read the specs wrong (they do generally list cfm at different pressures) or it's a POS. Either way, I would think he either needs to replace it or fix it. Atlas Copco does have a bunch of factory guys floating around out there, and if he is a dealer he needs to call them in if the specs are right for your press. We usually go 20% over max needed air for our sizing in our plants.

It could be something as simple as a bad relay. Our Ingersol just put in would short cycle almost continuously. Called Ingersol. (Warranty call) Sent a tech. He had the new improved modified relay in the truck and golly gee willikers Batman, thing worked perfectly after that.
Imagine that.

Spending big bucks for an item that seems to fail at it's task always gets my stomach turning.

He got the right specs. I've made sure of that. We even emailed him all the requirements on a separate occasion. The compressor got a name plate with all the specifications and they read 104 psi max. Furthermore the hose they have installed is to narrow too. But the M&R tech said that changing the hose to a bigger diameter won't change much about the pressure drop once we use multiple print heads. I honestly consider slashing a fair amount of their invoice. The worst is they are experts in their field of work, so they say, but then their excuse is that it's complicated with this kind of equipment. Fine experts they are.

[Zelko-4-EVA]

their 10 Hp compressor should output roughly 44 cfm at 100 psi. 

what is the total cfm used by your shop? 

how much air storage do you have?  i think it should be 3-5 gallons per cfm.

[Zelko-4-EVA]

is your compressor a 50 Hz machine?  - Osaka is in the 60 Hz region of japan. 

[tonypep]

their 10 Hp compressor should output roughly 44 cfm at 100 psi. 

what is the total cfm used by your shop? 

how much air storage do you have?  i think it should be 3-5 gallons per cfm.

I was running 4 Gauntlets with a 300 gal storage tank in ATL so that sounds about right Duane.

[inkman996]

I may be way off here since I dont know squat about compressors really but I thought if lets say you require 100 at the press then your compressor needs to max out at a certain percentage higher than than that then kick back on at about the level required at the press. If your nameplate says 104 max that sounds wrong.

[3Deep]

Good topic I,ve thought about this but really never jumped into it....I have a 5hp compressor with an 80 gal tank and my press takes 90 psi to run and I have my compressor set at 150 psi and it kicks on at 100 psi.  Ok I,m I just about right for what I,m running? I guess you never know your wrong until someone smarter sez hey thats wrong LOL.

Darryl

[alan802]

Daryll, what size press do you have?  Horizon right?  What configuration is it as far as indexer and printhead operation?  It seems like your press would need a slightly bigger compressor but you've been doing it for a while with the 5hp with no issues so I don't know that I would mess with it if I were you.  If you move, want to upgrade or encounter problems then yeah, tinker away.

[3Deep]

Alan, I have the Mini Horizon 8/7 spec sez the air consumption is 20 scfm...Yeah I think I,m right at the minium on the air compressor, but it does seem to run fine, I'll never really know unless I work on another press like mine with a better setup.

D

[Gilligan]

The worst is they are experts in their field of work, so they say, but then their excuse is that it's complicated with this kind of equipment. Fine experts they are.

That makes sense... your shop has X spec requirements to meet.  Here it is FROM the manufacture.  GO!

As opposed to "Well, we have about 3 impact wrenches and 4-5 air ratchets.. oh and then bob likes to cool himself off with the air nozzle from time to time.  And we occasionally use this paint booth over here.  And we fill tires up over there a few times a day".  Yeah, that's a WHOLE lot easier to figure out than your complicated single spec machine.