Instrumentation
Compressor Monitoring, Sequencing & Controls For Industrial Plants
Turn a room full of compressors into one system. Lead-lag sequencing, remote alerts, and trend data so pressure stays stable, load shares evenly, and PM is scheduled on run hours instead of guesswork.
Scope
What We Instrument & Control
Runtime
Total hours on each compressor - baseline for PM intervals and rotation.
Load / Unload Hours
How much of the time each unit is actually producing air versus spinning empty.
Pressure
Discharge and system pressure trended over time. Reveals leaks, demand events, and sequencing gaps.
Temperature
Discharge temperature trends - early warning for cooler and ventilation problems.
Alarms
Fault history logged and routed so nothing gets missed.
Lead-Lag Sequencing
Two or more compressors sharing load intelligently instead of fighting each other.
Remote Alerts
Email or SMS notifications when a compressor faults or trends toward one.
Trend Analysis
Weekly and monthly patterns that inform PM scope and highlight leaks or worn drains.
Maintenance Planning
Data-driven PM - service the compressor that hit the interval, not the calendar.
Process
How A Controls Project Runs
- Step 1
1. Equipment Inventory
What controllers you have, what data they already expose, and what is missing.
- Step 2
2. Sequencing Strategy
Decide lead-lag order, rotation interval, and cascade pressure setpoints.
- Step 3
3. Monitoring Install
Controller programming, gateway install if needed, and alert routing.
- Step 4
4. Commissioning & Training
Baseline data captured, operators trained on the display and alerts.
- Step 5
5. Trend Review
Optional monthly or quarterly review of the data with a technician - so someone is actually looking at it.
Perspective
Data You Actually Use
Dashboards are only useful if someone reads them. We spec monitoring to answer specific questions - Are the compressors sharing load? Is the dryer keeping up? Are leaks growing? - and route alerts to people who can act on them. If the existing plant SCADA can host the data, we feed it there rather than adding another screen no one checks.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
+What does 'sequencing' actually do?
A sequencing controller decides which compressor runs first, when the second unit starts, and when a unit unloads. Without it, two compressors often fight each other - both loading and unloading against the same setpoint. Sequencing eliminates that, saves energy, and shares run-time evenly across the fleet.
+What should we be monitoring?
At minimum: total run hours, load hours, unloaded run hours, discharge pressure, discharge temperature, and alarm history. On critical plants add dryer status, filter differential pressure, and receiver pressure.
+Do you install remote alerts?
Yes. Alarms can be routed to email or SMS so maintenance knows about a fault before the plant runs out of air. Most modern compressor controllers support this natively; older units often need a small gateway.
+Why do load and unload hours matter?
The gap between total run hours and load hours tells you how much of the time the compressor is spinning without producing air. High unloaded hours means the compressor is oversized or the demand profile is variable - a strong sign to look at storage, VSD, or sequencing.
+Can you retrofit older compressors?
In most cases, yes. Existing pressure transducers and controller outputs can usually feed into a sequencer or a monitoring gateway without replacing the compressor itself.
+Do you promise a proprietary platform?
No. We use the controllers and monitoring tools that fit your equipment and your plant. If you already run a plant SCADA or maintenance system, we can usually feed data into it rather than adding another dashboard.
Where We Work
Serving NC, SC & Augusta, GA
Multiple Compressors Fighting Each Other?
Send us your compressor list and controller models. We will scope a sequencing and monitoring setup that pays back.