Even the smallest leak in a compressed air system can be a big drain on resources. In a typical pneumatic system, air leaks—whether due to a damaged hose or a worn seal—can waste up to 30% of air. Not only do these leaks waste energy and drive up costs, but if left unchecked, they can reduce the efficiency of pneumatic equipment, increase maintenance requirements and even cause production downtime.
To avoid these outcomes, one of Europe’s largest dairy production plants recently implemented intelligent, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)-compatible sensing devices to monitor and provide key information about its machines’ energy consumption. These tools, installed on filling machines for aseptic carton packs, included real-time monitoring devices for air, steam, water, hydrogen peroxide and energy (electricity), along with edge computing systems that streamlined the data collection process.