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Commitment<br />

<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> Compressors LLC Volume 7, Issue 1 2009<br />

<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> keeping our automotive partners up to speed.


Editorial<br />

Commitment<br />

Dear Readers...<br />

Welcome to this first edition of Commitment<br />

in 2009. Once again this issue outlines some<br />

of the great customers we have had the opportunity<br />

to work with and we are pleased to be<br />

sharing our partnerships and success stories<br />

with you.<br />

This issue has a real sports theme running<br />

throughout and a diverse range of products<br />

including small machines and big machines,<br />

some oil injected and some oil free. I think it<br />

represents a wide diversity of customers in<br />

many similar industries – just proving there is<br />

really no such thing as one solution fits all.<br />

It’s the listening to customers that makes <strong>Atlas</strong><br />

<strong>Copco</strong> such a fun and exciting place to work.<br />

Customers are at the center of everything we<br />

do and problem solving is a daily activity<br />

rather than a chore.<br />

programs like <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> finance and fixed<br />

priced maintenance packages continue to give<br />

customers great solutions and peace of mind<br />

when purchasing products.<br />

We are committed to keeping as many feet<br />

on the street in the form of sales engineers and<br />

service technicians with the aim to provide<br />

outstanding customer service. Also the pace<br />

of research and development is still fast and<br />

you will see many product introductions or<br />

upgrades over the coming months.<br />

If you would like information on any of<br />

the stories in this issue or have any questions,<br />

I am as always pleased to hear from<br />

you. These can be sent to me at:<br />

paul.hense@us.atlascopco.com<br />

Happy reading and enjoy the coming<br />

summer months.<br />

Commitment Magazine is published<br />

by <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> Compressors LLC<br />

USA. The material contained within<br />

Commitment is for information purposes<br />

only. Its contents are not intended<br />

to replace any technical material<br />

contained in <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> technical<br />

documents, publications or legal<br />

documents.<br />

Paul Humphreys<br />

Publisher<br />

paul.humphreys@us.atlascopco.com<br />

Holly Boutot-Lalonde<br />

Editor<br />

holly.boutot-lalonde@us.atlascopco.com<br />

Commitment Magazine<br />

<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> Compressors LLC<br />

1800 Overview Drive<br />

Rock Hill, SC 29730<br />

Tel: 803-817-7200<br />

Fax: 803-817-7176<br />

In This Issue<br />

Expressway to Savings<br />

Keeping Operating Costs Down<br />

in an Indiana Auto Dealership 1<br />

Retread Tires<br />

To Optimize Their Investment<br />

in Tires, Trucking Companies Rely<br />

on Retreads 5<br />

Class Zero Air<br />

Measures Race Car Performance 11<br />

<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong>, like many of you reading this,<br />

has had to adjust to the tough economic<br />

climate. We feel right now the partnership<br />

approach to business that we have always<br />

believed in is more important than ever and<br />

Paul Hense<br />

President<br />

<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> Compressors LLC<br />

<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> is a global industrial<br />

Group which was founded in 1873. Its<br />

head office is in Stockholm, Sweden.<br />

The Group's global reach spans more<br />

than 160 markets. <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> has over<br />

33,000 employees, and manufactures<br />

and assembles products in 21 countries.<br />

Pat’s Auto Body<br />

Growing a Woman-Owned<br />

Auto Body Business Using the<br />

Power of Air 17<br />

Temperature Management<br />

System Interview<br />

With Bill Bates 21<br />

Copyright © 2009<br />

<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> Compressors LLC.<br />

All rights reserved.<br />

Trademarks: <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> product names,<br />

brands, and marks are trademarks owned<br />

by <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> AB and/or one or more of<br />

its affiliates. All other trademarks are the<br />

property of their respective owners.<br />

Save Money While Maximizing<br />

Compressed Air Productivity<br />

Top 10 Tips from a World<br />

Leading Compressor Manufacturer 25


Expressway to<br />

Savings:<br />

Keeping Operating Costs Down<br />

at an Indiana Auto Dealership.<br />

One of the fastest growing auto sales and service<br />

businesses in the Midwest is the Expressway<br />

group of dealerships. The family-owned business<br />

includes Dodge, Mitsubishi, Jeep/Chrysler/Dodge,<br />

Chevy/Pontiac/Buick/GMC, and Ford/Mercury<br />

dealerships, as well as the Credit Connection<br />

and Credit Express operations.<br />

After Expressway’s owners purchased Mt. Vernon<br />

Ford in 2005, a brand new facility – Expressway Auto<br />

World – was built on the site. Designed using the “auto<br />

mall” concept, two 45,000 square foot buildings (one<br />

for Ford, the other for GM) were erected with a 20,000<br />

square foot Credit Express center situated in between.<br />

Both the Ford and GM buildings include a state-of-theart<br />

auto service facility.<br />

Expressway is a long-time customer of Evapar, an<br />

Indiana-based distributor of equipment and systems<br />

for compressed air, electric power generation, and industrial<br />

gas and diesel engines. Dan Baldwin, Sales<br />

Representative with Evapar’s Air Division, worked<br />

with Expressway to specify and supply the compressed<br />

air production and distribution systems for the new<br />

Ford and GM service facilities.<br />

“Dan brought the AIRnet system to our attention,”<br />

says Jerry Maggard, General Manager of Expressway<br />

Ford Mercury. “I was impressed with the entire concept<br />

– how professional it looks, how easy it is to install<br />

and maintain, how cost efficient it is – so we went on<br />

Dan’s recommendation.”<br />

AIRnet is <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong>’s innovative, modular compressed<br />

air piping system. The piping is constructed<br />

from robust, lightweight aluminum tube. Components<br />

are conveniently affixed to walls and ceilings using<br />

AIRnet’s extensive range of engineered polymer fittings.<br />

The system includes assembly tools that cover<br />

the full spectrum of installation options.<br />

“The AIRnet system is great for building new<br />

systems or for extending existing piping systems,”<br />

according to Kent Reddington, Air Division Manager<br />

for Evapar. “The aluminum pipe is finished in blue<br />

powder coat to comply with today’s industrial compressed<br />

air system standards. The look is neat, clean<br />

and professional, and it’s designed for quick and easy<br />

installation. If you can use a tape measure, you can<br />

install AIRnet.”<br />

For the installation at Expressway’s new auto mall,<br />

Dan assisted two members of Expressway’s maintenance<br />

crew to get the job started at the Ford shop. In<br />

just a few hours, the maintenance crew took over. They<br />

finished the Ford shop installation and then did the complete<br />

installation at the GM shop. No problems were<br />

encountered on either installation.<br />

1 <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong><br />

Commitment 2


Did You<br />

Know<br />

<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> is one of the<br />

Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations<br />

for the fourth consecutive year.<br />

Expressway’s AIRnet system provides air for pneumatic<br />

tools in the service department and in the lube<br />

center. Oil-fired heaters are used in the service areas and<br />

the AIRnet system supports those systems as well.<br />

Once the Ford and GM dealership buildings were up<br />

and running, Evapar also provided a compressed air system<br />

for the main detail shop at the Credit Express building.<br />

Eight work stations provide compressed air for<br />

technicians doing automotive detailing.<br />

Cost Efficiencies<br />

An important benefit of <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong>’s AIRnet<br />

system is minimizing the cost of compressed<br />

air. The smooth, low friction inner surface of<br />

the aluminum pipe maintains a minimum pressure<br />

drop throughout the air distribution system.<br />

This allows compressors to work at<br />

lower operating pressures, reducing power<br />

consumption and operating costs.<br />

“Air that has been compressed has already incurred<br />

cost, so unnecessary pressure drops<br />

and leaks are throwing money away,” according<br />

to Kent Reddington, Air Division Manager<br />

at Evapar. “AIRnet minimizes that problem.<br />

Compared to a conventional piping system,<br />

there’s less pressure drop across the AIRnet<br />

system, so less energy is consumed in compressing<br />

air.”<br />

Reddington explains that <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> Variable<br />

Speed Drive (VSD) compressors are a good<br />

complement to the AIRnet system. “VSD compressors<br />

continuously match the production<br />

of compressed air to the demand, so the compressor<br />

is always operating as efficiently as<br />

possible. A VSD compressor lends itself well<br />

to the AIRnet system because the operating<br />

efficiencies go hand-in-hand.”<br />

Expressway’s Ford and GM facilities each<br />

have their own energy-efficient <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong><br />

GA7VSDFF tank mount compressed air system<br />

with a VSD compressor. Distribution of compressed<br />

air in each facility is via approximately<br />

1000 feet of AIRnet piping with a 25mm<br />

main header and 20mm drops at workstations.<br />

The non-corrosive properties of AIRnet piping<br />

also help to maintain a constant air quality<br />

from the compressor to the pneumatic equipment.<br />

“System cleanliness protects downstream<br />

equipment from contamination,” says<br />

Reddington, “which further improves reliability<br />

and lowers operating costs.”<br />

“Overall, we have found our AIRnet system to be<br />

very cost-efficient,” Jerry explains. “It looks very sophisticated<br />

and expensive, but compared in cost to the<br />

quotes we got for other types of air distribution systems,<br />

AIRnet wins hands down. If the need arises to replace<br />

an existing system for replacement or remodeling in one<br />

of our dealerships, we’ll go with AIRnet again.”<br />

AIRnet’s aluminum piping is ideal for use with<br />

inert gases, such as nitrogen. That makes the system<br />

particularly well suited for use in automotive service centers,<br />

where nitrogen is rapidly becoming the choice for<br />

tire fill.<br />

Jerry says that Expressway is currently evaluating the<br />

business opportunity for nitrogen tire fill in the new Ford<br />

and GM facilities. “We know nitrogen is used to fill<br />

tires in racing, and sometimes when we swap inventory<br />

with other dealers those vehicles have nitrogen in the<br />

tires. We have a study going, and I think nitrogen tire fill<br />

may work well for us.”<br />

With two AIRnet systems up and running successfully,<br />

Jerry is confident in recommending AIRnet to anyone<br />

installing a new compressed air distribution system<br />

or upgrading an existing system. “The performance is<br />

great and for looks, there’s no contest,” he says. “Customers<br />

are always asking, ‘What’s that’ When we tell<br />

folks what it is, it kind of blows their mind.”<br />

AIRnet Technical Data<br />

Working Pressure: up to 13 bar<br />

Working temperature: -20°C to +70°C (-4°F to +158°F)<br />

Lowest allowable dewpoint: -70°C (-94°F)<br />

Extruded aluminum pipe complies with EN755.2 – ED755.8 – EN573.3<br />

Blue color (RAL 5012) complies with most industrial compressed air color standards<br />

Compatible with all compressor oils<br />

Nominal pipe sizes 20mm to 80mm (½ inch to 4½ inch)<br />

For more information about The Expressway Group please visit:<br />

www.expresswayfordmercury.com/<br />

3 <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong><br />

Commitment 4


To Optimize Their Investment<br />

In Tires, Trucking Companies<br />

Rely on...<br />

Retreads<br />

“The GA 37 VSD compressor has been phenomenal. The cost savings have been out<br />

the roof. We did the right thing getting this compressor.”<br />

Over-the-road trucks roll on tires—<br />

10, 14, 18, and sometimes more. Truck<br />

tires are designed for much heavier<br />

duty use than passenger car tires, and<br />

their underlying structure (the “casing”)<br />

is so sturdy it usually outlasts the<br />

tread. Rather than discard a tire when<br />

the tread is worn, truck tires can be<br />

retreaded, producing a tire with the<br />

performance characteristics of a new<br />

tire for less cost. Retreads are especially<br />

popular for trailers where they<br />

just need to roll the load, not steer or<br />

put power down.<br />

Mark Frink<br />

Operations Manager at Black’s Tire<br />

In the eastern Carolinas, trucking companies look to<br />

Black’s Tire for quality retreaded truck tires. For nearly<br />

80 years, Black’s Tire has served the region with quality<br />

products and services. At the company’s Retreading<br />

Center in Clinton, about midway between Raleigh<br />

and Wilmington, Black’s Tire manufactures retreads<br />

and provides complementary services that help customers<br />

achieve maximum service life from every tire<br />

in their fleet.<br />

Making Retreads<br />

The heavy duty casing of a truck tire can be retreaded<br />

a number of times, so Black’s Tire begins<br />

the retread process with a careful inspection of each<br />

candidate for retreading. Casings are tested and those<br />

judged to be in good condition have the worn tread<br />

removed (“buffed”). Precision equipment creates the<br />

optimum radial and circumferential profile for proper<br />

tread fitment.<br />

Black’s Tire offers Goodyear Precure and Unicircle<br />

retreads. To create Precure retreads, vulcanized tread<br />

rubber is firmly bonded to the buffed tire casing using a<br />

layer of adhesive. The two ends of the new tread segment<br />

are carefully fitted together. Unicircle Retreads<br />

are made with Goodyear’s patented, computer controlled<br />

tread building machine that uses laser guidance<br />

to place seamless tread onto the casing.<br />

5 <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong><br />

Commitment 6


A retreading facility operates differently than a new tire manufacturing line because<br />

no two used tire casings are alike. Each used tire is evaluated individually, typically<br />

through a combination of nondestructive tests and the experience and judgment of the<br />

inspector. Tire casings with damage due to factors such as cord deterioration or<br />

underinflation are rejected for retreading.<br />

Using whichever method a customer prefers, new<br />

tread is placed on the prepared casing. The tires are then<br />

moved into a curing chamber where a high temperature,<br />

high pressure environment bonds the new tread securely<br />

to the tire casing.<br />

Compressed Air<br />

Compressed air does more than fill truck tires; it’s<br />

critical to the process of making retreads. Once new<br />

rubber tread is attached to the tire casing, tires are ready<br />

for the curing chamber. “It’s a long, cylindrical tank<br />

that looks a lot like the fuel tanks buried underground at<br />

a gas station,” according to Mark Frink, Operations<br />

Manager at Black’s Tire’s retreading plant. In preparation<br />

for curing, the tires slide down a track to a specific<br />

location in the chamber. “There are 23 slots in the<br />

tank, so we can process 23 tires at a time,” says Frink.<br />

With the tires in place inside the curing chamber,<br />

pressurization of the chamber begins. Because compressed<br />

air has to pressurize a large space, the air compressor<br />

must be able to produce a high volume of air<br />

quickly for each production run. Running at full speed,<br />

the compressor fills the chamber in about 30 minutes.<br />

“Filling the curing tank consumes the major part of<br />

the air volume we use,” Frink explains. “We also use<br />

shop air for pneumatic tools, to grind the old rubber off<br />

tire casings, and to lay on the new rubber, but that’s really<br />

nothing compared to the volume that’s used for the<br />

curing tank.”<br />

Production Surge<br />

The cost of diesel fuel has placed enormous cost<br />

pressures on trucking companies and, as a result, most<br />

are looking to reduce their operating cost. Since retreading<br />

cuts cost by extending the useful life of a truck<br />

tire, Black’s Tire has been busy keeping up with the<br />

growing demand for retreads.<br />

The increased level of retread production at Black’s<br />

Tire brought the shortcomings of their existing compressed<br />

air system to the fore. “Our old compressors<br />

were becoming worn and unreliable,” Frink recalls,<br />

“and they were having difficulty producing enough air<br />

to fill the chambers.”<br />

Randy Leath, Sales Manager of <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong>’s<br />

Carolina Customer Center in Winston-Salem, had been<br />

working with Black’s Tire for about three years and was<br />

familiar with the situation. “The existing compressors<br />

were having reliability problems,” Leath says, “and<br />

Black’s Tire was ready to replace them.”<br />

The old system had 50 horsepower and a straight<br />

modulation control system. While modulation systems<br />

do provide some level of air production control, their<br />

fundamental design is energy inefficient. Whenever the<br />

system detects a rise in outlet pressure (signaling a drop<br />

in air demand), it compensates by closing the compressor’s<br />

inlet valve (raising the compression ratio to reduce<br />

air supply). Compression ratio and compressor efficiency<br />

are inversely proportional, however, so this type<br />

of control system results in excess power consumption.<br />

Operating Efficiency<br />

Why is operating efficiency so important Over the<br />

life of an industrial compressed air system, power typically<br />

accounts for 75% of the total cost for compressed<br />

air. The additional investment in an energy efficient<br />

compressor and control system quickly pays for itself.<br />

“Two or three times a day the curing chamber has to<br />

be filled with compressed air,” Leath explains. “It’s a<br />

large chamber – big enough to hold 23 truck tires at<br />

once – and it took the full 50 hp to fill it. But the rest of<br />

the time the plant did not need 50 hp worth of air just to<br />

operate some air tools and pneumatic controls. Black’s<br />

Tire has a great application for a Variable Speed Drive<br />

compressor.”<br />

Leath invited Frink to visit Top Tobacco in Lake<br />

Waccamaw, just a few miles from the corporate office<br />

in Whiteville, to see an <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> GA90VSD compressor<br />

that has been running for over five years.<br />

“When you see a Variable Speed Drive machine in<br />

operation for the first time,” Leath says, “the advantages<br />

become obvious.”<br />

7 <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong><br />

Commitment 8


Did You<br />

Know<br />

<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> offers a single monthly payment<br />

that includes the air and the maintenance<br />

for a total air solution.<br />

Acting on Leath’s analysis and recommendation,<br />

Frink selected an <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> GA37 Variable Speed<br />

Drive compressor. “I visited other sites to see this type<br />

of compressor working to see what it was doing for another<br />

business,” Frink recalls. “I saw the potential it<br />

had for us.”<br />

At first, Frink was unsure whether he wanted to<br />

spend the extra money on the Full Feature model,<br />

which integrates a refrigerated air dryer into the system.<br />

“I showed Mark the advantages of the Full Feature<br />

package, which include low pressure drop, single point<br />

monitoring and zero installation costs,” Leath explains.<br />

“Mark decided it was smarter to invest in a new integrated<br />

system now, rather than wait until the old dryer<br />

the electric bill in October 2007 was $2,200, and in<br />

November it was a bit over $2,000. By replacing the<br />

old compressor, we cut power usage plant-wide by one<br />

third, or about $1,000 a month. I was impressed at the<br />

amount of savings. Randy Leath had predicted cost<br />

savings conservatively at 10-20%. We were amazed at<br />

reality when the bill came in. The payback will be<br />

under two years for the new compressor.”<br />

Superior Operation<br />

Lower operating cost was not the only welcomed improvement<br />

with the new compressor. “The older compressors<br />

were very noisy, produced lots of heat, and<br />

were cumbersome to work on,” Frink explains. “The<br />

noise level made it difficult to communicate within the<br />

facility. With the new compressor running we can stand<br />

and talk at normal voice level and get along just fine.<br />

Heat production of the new compressor is minimal<br />

compared to the old one, which had added noticeably to<br />

the ambient temperature inside the facility. The new<br />

compressor is much easier to work on, with everything<br />

laid out right where you can get at it.”<br />

Rolling Out The Retreads<br />

The economy has hit many businesses hard and<br />

trucking companies in particular are looking for every<br />

way to cut cost. Quality retreads are an effective way<br />

to manage costs, and that keeps the Black’s Tire retread<br />

plant busy. Their <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> Variable Speed Drive<br />

compressor helps keep the plant keep rolling out the<br />

retreads.<br />

“This compressor has been phenomenal,” says Frink.<br />

“The cost savings have been out the roof. We did the<br />

right thing getting this compressor.”<br />

had problems.”<br />

Return on Investment<br />

The initial cost of an <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> VSD compressor<br />

is roughly 30% more than a comparably sized single<br />

speed compressor, but by precisely and continuously<br />

matching compressed air production to demand, power<br />

consumption drops significantly to reduce the total<br />

cost of air.<br />

A case in point is the electric bill for the Black’s Tire<br />

Retreading Center. “Our largest use for power is heating<br />

coils, and the next largest is compressed air,” says<br />

Frink. “In the two months previous to installing the<br />

<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> compressor, the bills for power were<br />

$2,991 and $3,049. With the new compressor working,<br />

According to the Tire Retread and Repair Information Bureau, a non-profit, member supported industry<br />

association, “Every time you buy and use a retreaded tire, you help to conserve our valuable natural<br />

resources.” And since retreaded tires are always less expensive than comparable new tires, you save<br />

money while helping the environment.<br />

To learn more about Black’s Tire:<br />

www.blackstire.com<br />

9 <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong><br />

Commitment 10


Windshear Inc., held the formal opening, in July 2008, of North America’s first<br />

commercially available, single-belt, 180 mph rolling road wind tunnel facility in<br />

Concord, North Carolina.<br />

Class Zero Air<br />

Measures Race Car<br />

Performance<br />

Thanks to Rod Smith, Publisher of<br />

"Compressed Air Best Practices"<br />

for this story contribution.<br />

A four thousand, five hundred and<br />

fifty pound (4550 lbs.) race car is<br />

running at 170 mph and facing<br />

wind resistance of 150 mph. The<br />

car then enters a curve creating a<br />

three-degree “yaw” (the change<br />

in angle from the direction the<br />

car is headed and the airstream).<br />

The car struggles to maintain<br />

speed as the yaw changes and<br />

the dynamic downforce load on<br />

the car changes.<br />

Suddenly, the driver-less car comes to a stop on the<br />

stainless-steel track. The rolling road track is supported<br />

by a cushion of compressed air. The lights dim in the<br />

test facility and some engineers review the data on their<br />

computers. The test is over and the race team engineers<br />

have collected the performance data they needed on<br />

their race car. Sensitive compressed air pressure sensors<br />

(accurate to ±¼ lb.) have played a key role in measuring<br />

the performance of the race car. This is the type<br />

of race car testing going on at Windshear Inc., in<br />

Concord, North Carolina.<br />

Windshear Business Unit Manager Peter Zierhut<br />

said, “Our facility offers highly accurate, repeatable test<br />

data previously only available to a select few Formula 1<br />

teams, and never before available anywhere in North<br />

America.”<br />

Windshear Inc., is an independently operated division<br />

of California-based Haas Automation. Jacobs<br />

Technologies (a division of Jacobs Engineering) staffs<br />

and operates the facility. Jacobs Technology specializes<br />

in design, construction, and operation of wind tunnels<br />

for automotive and aerospace industries. In addition,<br />

when race teams bring their cars in for testing, they<br />

want to know that their performance data will remain<br />

confidential. “Security protocols developed by Jacobs<br />

Technologies guarantee the security of the data for our<br />

clients,” said Zierhut.<br />

Race teams are always looking for that extra edge<br />

which can mean the difference between victory and defeat.<br />

Demand for renting time at the testing facility in<br />

2009 is said to be strong with dozens of customers involved<br />

from top-level motorsports organizations in F1,<br />

NASCAR, and IndyCar as well as auto manufacturers.<br />

11 <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong><br />

The Windshear Single-Belt,<br />

180 mph, Rolling Road in<br />

Concord, North Carolina<br />

Commitment 12


Compressed Air Supports the Rolling Road<br />

The Windshear rolling-road is manufactured by MTS<br />

Systems. The Single Belt FlatTrac® Rolling Road is<br />

elevated dozens of feet off the ground. The stainless<br />

steel track is 10.5 feet wide by 29.5 feet long and<br />

1 mm thick. The track “sits” upon a cushion of 150 psi<br />

compressed air. A key piece of technology is in the<br />

revolutionary “through-the-belt” sensing system, which<br />

directly measures the aerodynamic downforce produced<br />

by the vehicle.<br />

A series of air bearings keep the track “rotating”<br />

on the cushion of compressed air. Nozzles within the<br />

air bearings are also able to create an 8 degree angle<br />

which simulates the conditions when taking a turn on<br />

the racetrack. Downforce is provided by the wind tunnel<br />

blowing air on the car. The fan is twenty two (22)<br />

feet in diameter and is powered by a 5,300 horsepower<br />

motor. The fan is capable of generating winds of over<br />

180 mph.<br />

Left to Right: Carl Kline (Haas CNC Racing) and Jim Bruce (<strong>Atlas</strong><br />

<strong>Copco</strong>) with the on-site oil-free rotary screw compressors at<br />

Windshear Inc.<br />

Extremely sensitive pressure sensors (tolerance of ¼<br />

lb.) are able to measure and record the amount of downforce<br />

on the car. The static downforce is created by the<br />

weight of the car and the dynamic downforce is created<br />

by the resistance of the wind on the different parts of<br />

the car. The pressure sensors can measure this “drag” in<br />

various track configurations to see how well the car will<br />

perform.<br />

“Windshear told us they would be testing 4,550 lb.<br />

race cars, traveling at 180 mph, into a Hurricane Category<br />

4 headwind, and that they wanted their pressure<br />

sensors to measure pressure to the accuracy of ±¼ lb.,”<br />

said Jim Bruce, then Vice President Eastern Region at<br />

<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> who supplied the compressed air system.<br />

“We knew right then and there that we had to use Class<br />

Zero oil-free air compressors to protect the sensors.”<br />

Left to Right: Clinton Gentz (<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong>), Brian Nelson (Windshear),<br />

and Jim Bruce (<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong>) standing underneath the Rolling Road.<br />

Selecting the Class Zero Oil-Free<br />

Air Compressors<br />

The original specification stated “oil-lubricated compressors<br />

could be used if adequate oil removal filtration<br />

is provided - including oil vapor removal.” Clinton<br />

Gentz, <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong>’s Oil Free Air Sales Manager based<br />

in Charlotte said, “We were able to show Windshear<br />

and MTS that the integrity (pressure measurement) of<br />

the whole Windshear project would depend upon the<br />

proper function and maintenance of several air treatment<br />

components if an oil injected screw compressor<br />

was used.”<br />

Windshear agreed to eliminate the potential of any<br />

compressor oil contamination arriving on the crucial<br />

porous carbon air bearings. “They knew it would be<br />

costly and devastating, and that ISO 8573.1 Class Zero<br />

air compressors were the right solution for their<br />

process,” said Gentz.<br />

Oil-Free Rotary Screw vs Oil-Free<br />

Centrifugal Air Compressor<br />

After it was agreed that Class Zero air was required,<br />

the question became whether to use a rotary screw or a<br />

centrifugal air compressor. Carl Cline was tasked with<br />

purchasing the compressed air system which would<br />

allow the rolling road to function. “<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> offers<br />

all the product technologies in question (lubricated<br />

screw, oil-free screw, and centrifugal compressors).<br />

We liked their unbiased product approach in advising us<br />

as to what the best system would be for Windshear. Our<br />

specification calls for 24/7 operation, 365 days a year.<br />

We also require that the air compressors provide ±1 psi<br />

tolerance of air pressure at the demanded air flow regardless<br />

of possible extreme temperature and humidity<br />

conditions.” It was also made clear that while the<br />

design spec called for full load capability during 8,760<br />

hours per year, it was expected to be an application with<br />

intermittent demand as the wind tunnel turned on and<br />

off during testing procedures.<br />

Dynamic (centrifugal) compressors are greatly<br />

affected by ambient and cooling water temperature.<br />

The performance of a centrifugal compressor is also<br />

diminished when forced to operate above its designed<br />

temperature conditions. Therefore, you must design a<br />

centrifugal compressor for the hottest expected ambient<br />

conditions to ensure adequate flow for the process in<br />

the summer months—which is fine until the colder fall<br />

and winter months come along. The colder temperatures<br />

cause the centrifugal to use more BHP thus creating<br />

more air flow which has to be “blown off” or<br />

wasted by venting it to atmosphere. The throttling<br />

range or partial load performance of a centrifugal compressor<br />

is limited to 15-20% of its full load capacity so<br />

when the demand is below the turndown range the air<br />

must be blown off in order to provide a constant<br />

delivery pressure.<br />

The selection of air-cooled compressors vs. water-cooled<br />

eliminated the potential consumption of 131.4 million gallons<br />

of water per year.<br />

13 <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong><br />

Commitment 14


Did You<br />

Know<br />

<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> is located in<br />

over 160 countries.<br />

The Solution<br />

The <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> Z Series is a positive-displacement,<br />

oil-free, rotary screw air compressor. The installation is<br />

made up of two ZT250 air-cooled machines which provide<br />

the base-load air. Fluctuations in demand are taken<br />

care of by a ZT315 VSD (Variable Speed Drive) air<br />

compressor. With positive displacement compressors,<br />

brake horsepower (BHP) will remain nearly constant<br />

summer to winter. Yet in the winter, the screw compressor<br />

will deliver significantly more mass flow while<br />

maintaining BHP nearly constant. In other words,<br />

being a positive displacement compressor, the rotary<br />

screw compressor’s energy is only slightly effected by<br />

changes in air temperature. The Variable Speed Drive<br />

(with partial load control down to 30% of full load)<br />

matches the required demand and efficiently provides<br />

constant pressure delivery within ±1 psig.<br />

In addition, by offering air cooled air compressors,<br />

the installation costs were greatly reduced by not requiring<br />

additional cooling water capacity and piping. This<br />

was very appealing to the Windshear project team and<br />

allowed them to size a smaller cooling water system for<br />

the overall project. The smaller cooling system provided<br />

initial cost savings as well as overall operational<br />

cost savings by reducing the required cooling water<br />

flow by 250 gallons-per-minute (gpm). The system design<br />

specification calls for 8,760 hours of operation per<br />

year. This equates to 131.4 million gallons of water<br />

saved per year, simply by choosing an air-cooled air<br />

compressor. “We were able to save significant installation<br />

cost by not having to install water cooling systems<br />

here at Windshear, ” said Tom Eshelman, Compressor<br />

Center Manager for <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> in Winston-Salem.<br />

Conclusion<br />

Windshear Inc., is open for business and uniquely<br />

positioned in the North American market. The compressed<br />

air systems are up and running and the rolling<br />

road measurement systems are working perfectly. Race<br />

cars are running at 180 mph and engineers are measuring<br />

“yaw” and its effects on the dynamic downforce on<br />

the car. Quietly and efficiently, compressed air continues<br />

to play a key role with new technologies and<br />

applications.<br />

For more information please contact Compressed<br />

Air Best Practices, email: rod@airbestpractices.com,<br />

www.airbestpractices.com<br />

Left to Right: Robert and Tom Eshelman (<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong>) supervised<br />

the installation and perform the scheduled maintenance on the<br />

compressed air system.<br />

Windshear, Inc.<br />

Windshear Inc., is an independently operated division of California-based Haas Automation.<br />

Jacobs Technologies (a division of Jacobs Engineering) staffs and operates the facility.<br />

Jacobs Technology specializes in design, construction, and operation of wind tunnels for<br />

automotive and aerospace industries.<br />

www.windshearinc.com<br />

15 <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong><br />

Commitment 16


The GX11-FF compressed air system offers the legendary power and reliability of <strong>Atlas</strong><br />

<strong>Copco</strong> rotary screw compressors in an integrated package that is sized and equipped<br />

for small and medium sized industrial applications.<br />

Growing a Woman-Owned<br />

Auto Body Business Using<br />

The Power of Air<br />

Automobiles move.<br />

The environment in which they move contains objects moving<br />

in different directions at different rates of speed, and other<br />

objects that aren't moving at all. Even with rules governing<br />

what can move when, where and how fast, the predictable<br />

outcome of all this movement is occasional collisions.<br />

Fortunately, most of the damage resulting from<br />

everyday vehicle collisions can be repaired, and vehicles<br />

can be refinished to look and drive like new. Auto body<br />

repair businesses apply skilled work forces and specialized<br />

equipment to straighten bent bodies, remove dents,<br />

replace parts that cannot be fixed, and repaint surfaces.<br />

One basic resource found in practically every auto<br />

body facility is compressed air. It is used to operate<br />

pneumatic tools (such as air flanges, air nibblers, and air<br />

sanders), to blow dust off surfaces, and to apply primer,<br />

pigmented paint, and clear-coat finish.<br />

The quality of compressed air used in the painting<br />

process has a direct influence on the outcome of a paint<br />

job. If impurities such as fine particulate, moisture, or<br />

lubricating oil carry over into the compressed air, the<br />

quality of the finish can suffer from bubbles, spots or<br />

other faults. The increasing use by auto body shops of<br />

waterborne paints – whether by choice or to comply<br />

with environmental regulations – raises the issue of<br />

compressed air quality to an even higher level.<br />

Considering their scale, auto body shops are large<br />

users of compressed air. Even so, auto body shops and<br />

other light industries have traditionally settled for inefficient<br />

and noisy piston compressors, typically because<br />

they are often the low-cost option at the time of purchase.<br />

Trouble is, they cost much more to operate than<br />

more sophisticated compressors that use rotary screw<br />

technology. Since energy is the most expensive component<br />

in the production of compressed air, any<br />

savings realized when purchasing a piston compressor<br />

is quickly eaten away by higher operating costs.<br />

Piston-type compressors have other shortcomings<br />

for auto body applications. The basic design of the<br />

compression element means that lubricating oil carries<br />

through to the process air more than is the case with a<br />

rotary screw compressor. Oil carry over is something to<br />

avoid in general, but for a painting operation it’s crucial.<br />

Simply put, getting oil downstream into the paint lines<br />

can ruin a paint job.<br />

As energy costs account for a growing share of the<br />

cost of doing business and as customers demand higher<br />

standards of quality in auto body services, the owners of<br />

auto body businesses are paying closer attention to their<br />

compressed air systems. Sandra Chaney, owner of Pat’s<br />

Auto Body in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is an<br />

auto body shop owner whose success in business<br />

brought the issue of efficient, high quality compressed<br />

air to the forefront.<br />

“When I recently expanded into our newest building,”<br />

Sandra says, “I started researching upgrading our<br />

three existing air compressors. They were all older piston<br />

machines and the maintenance was getting expensive.<br />

I asked my paint distributor for advice and he told<br />

me about screw compressors. I had never heard of this<br />

type. He said they were more energy efficient than<br />

piston compressors and quieter, too.”<br />

17 <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong><br />

Commitment 18


Did You<br />

Know<br />

<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> has joined the United Nations<br />

Global Compact, the world's largest voluntary<br />

corporate responsibility initiative.<br />

A chance encounter at a neighboring business led to<br />

a solution for Sandra's compressed air needs. “It’s interesting<br />

how some sales opportunities come about,” Mike<br />

Brown explains. (Mike is a Sales Representative with<br />

Carolina Compressor Center in Winston-Salem, North<br />

Carolina.) “My boss Robert Eshelman was picking up<br />

swimming pool chemicals one Saturday and learned<br />

that Pat’s Body Shop, a business located behind his pool<br />

supplier, was expanding. He left me a message that<br />

Saturday and I dropped by the following Monday.<br />

This turned out to be great timing as they were indeed<br />

expanding and were interested in replacing their old<br />

piston compressors.”<br />

Sandra picks up the storyline. “When Mike Brown<br />

called me I was already talking to some other manufacturers,<br />

but he came over right away and was extremely<br />

helpful. I ended up getting prices from four suppliers.<br />

<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> was the second highest price, but Mike<br />

spent a lot of time with me discussing the advantages of<br />

rotary screw technology. He convinced me that his<br />

product was the highest quality and most energy efficient<br />

of all four units I was looking at. I was especially<br />

pleased that it was the most energy efficient since we<br />

are working to make our operation more ‘green.’”<br />

Sandra bought a 15 hp <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> GX-11-FF compressed<br />

air system. GX series systems include an energy<br />

efficient rotary screw compressor, refrigerated<br />

dryer, and coalescing filter in a compact, quiet, all-inone<br />

package. It has a minimum footprint, which frees<br />

up valuable floor area for other equipment or workspace.<br />

The pre-piped tank-mounted design provides<br />

for simple and economical installation – often as simple<br />

as connecting to electrical power and to the facility’s<br />

air piping system. Sandra had her plumber install an<br />

airloop system with galvanized piping to deliver air to<br />

points of use.<br />

“Even with a filtration system,” says Mike, “the old<br />

piston compressors at Pat’s Auto Body couldn't get all<br />

the oil out of the system and there was no refrigerant<br />

dryer to remove moisture. <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> offers superior<br />

filtration and an onboard refrigerant dryer to provide the<br />

high quality air needed to spray a high quality paint job.<br />

The old compressors were noisy, too, which was a big<br />

deal since they had to run continuously to provide<br />

enough air for the shop. The <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> compressors<br />

are much quieter, plus they can go into energy-saving<br />

sleep mode when demand drops and then restart automatically<br />

when demand rises.”<br />

Smart business investments like these are driving<br />

quality improvements and energy savings, helping Sandra<br />

to continue expanding Pat's Auto Body. She has 31<br />

employees, and according to statistics compiled by PPG<br />

Industries Automotive Paint Division, her business is<br />

one of just three 100% female owned body shops in the<br />

U.S. with more than $2 million in sales.<br />

Pat's Auto Body is a family business that's been in<br />

operation since 1954, and Sandra became the sole<br />

owner in 2001. The business currently has four buildings<br />

and Sandra plans to take over two more in the near<br />

future. “I want to offer my customers the option to have<br />

minor repair work done while their cars are here for<br />

body work,” she says. “Customers like this because of<br />

the convenience of not having to drop the car off at another<br />

repair shop.”<br />

Her satisfaction with her <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> compressor led<br />

her to purchase another GX11-FF and a 10 hp GX7-FF<br />

for her body shop operations. She plans to buy a 7.5 hp<br />

GX5-FF for the clean-up and detailing operation. With<br />

her <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> compressors on the job for many<br />

months now, Sandra can share her experience. “The<br />

quietness of the <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> compressors is superb. I<br />

was so glad to get rid of that noise from the piston compressors.<br />

You just don't realize what a difference it<br />

makes for the work environment. I am also very<br />

pleased with the power savings. We moved part of my<br />

operation into a larger building with two additional air<br />

conditioning units, but because of the energy efficiency<br />

of the new air compressor, my power bill for that building<br />

has gone down by about $600 each month. That's<br />

over $7,000 of savings per year, and that will pay for the<br />

compressor with power savings in less than one year!”<br />

In a sense, the benefits of lower noise and lower operating<br />

cost are a bonus, since the primary concern for an<br />

auto body business is a reliable source of high quality<br />

compressed air. “No matter how well you apply paint,”<br />

Mike Brown contends, “impurities in your compressed<br />

air supply can turn a great deal of labor and materials<br />

into expensive waste and unhappy customers.”<br />

GX series compressed air systems<br />

include a coalescing filter and integrated<br />

refrigerant dryer which remove<br />

impurities and moisture from<br />

the compressed air, ensuring a supply<br />

of clean, dry air at all times. This is<br />

particularly important for auto body<br />

repair shops, which rely on compressed<br />

air for many purposes,<br />

most importantly applying paint.<br />

Clean, dry air plays an even more important role in<br />

the application of waterborne paints. As environmental<br />

laws governing release of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds)<br />

get more and more strict, working with waterborne<br />

paints is something every auto body business will<br />

have to contend with in the future. Those with an eye<br />

toward the future can make a difference today by investing<br />

in compressed air systems that use energy efficient<br />

rotary screw technology.<br />

The GX series also features advanced<br />

sound dampening that results in operating<br />

sound levels of only 61 to 68 dB(A), much<br />

lower than piston compressors with similar<br />

output. Reducing sound levels creates<br />

a more comfortable work environment.<br />

Paint Requires High Quality Air<br />

Pat’s Auto Body knows, no matter how well you<br />

apply paint, impurities in your compressed air<br />

supply will ruin a paint job. Clean, dry air is even<br />

more important with waterborne paints.<br />

<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> has your solution. Our GX Full Feature<br />

compressed air systems include an energy efficient<br />

rotary screw compressor, refrigerated dryer,<br />

and coalescing filter in a compact, quiet,<br />

all-in-one package.<br />

19 <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong><br />

Commitment 20


Significant changes in the body core temperature can cause conditions ranging from<br />

mild weakness and fatigue to decreased athletic performance to coma and even death.<br />

To reduce these risks, the TMS system delivers cool, compressed air to airflow channels<br />

embedded in shoulder pads. The cool air flows across the chest and back of the<br />

player, cooling core body temperature and reducing the risk of heat stroke.<br />

Temperature Management System<br />

An Innovative Shoulder Pad System<br />

Cools Football Players with ...<br />

Compressed<br />

Air<br />

Bill Bates played for the Dallas Cowboys for 15 years,<br />

as safety, linebacker and on special teams, earning three<br />

Super Bowl rings along the way. He coached with the<br />

Cowboys for 5 years, and for another year with the Jacksonville<br />

Jaguars. He left the pros to coach football at<br />

Nease High School in Florida, where the team included<br />

his own sons as well as Tim Tebow, who went on to win a<br />

Heisman Trophy and two national championships at the<br />

University of Florida. Bill knows a thing or two about football.<br />

Today, he is involved with a revolutionary product that<br />

protects football players from heat related illness,<br />

on the practice field and on game day.<br />

From Pee Wees to the NFL, the game of football<br />

places extreme physical demands on players. It’s the<br />

nature of the game for football players to continually<br />

push themselves to higher limits of strength, stamina<br />

and performance. Training for the fall season typically<br />

begins in the heat of summer, and across America<br />

games are played in hot weather. Coaches and trainers<br />

do their best to keep players cool with fluids, shade and<br />

rest, but effectively cooling players’ bodies is a challenge<br />

because the helmets, pads and gloves players<br />

wear drastically reduce the effectiveness of the body’s<br />

natural temperature regulation through perspiration.<br />

A rise in core body temperature is associated with a<br />

decline in athletic performance, but preventing players<br />

from overheating is much more important. It can be a<br />

matter of life or death. According to an annual report<br />

published by the University of North Carolina, 33 football<br />

players have died from heat stroke since 1995.<br />

Heat related illness is second only to head injuries as<br />

a cause of death among athletes in the United States.<br />

Tragedy Leads to Action<br />

In 2001, a University of Florida player collapsed during<br />

practice and died of complications from heat stroke.<br />

This tragedy led the University to puts its intellectual<br />

resources to work in search of a solution.<br />

“Physicians and scientists from the University of<br />

Florida immediately began researching a means to prevent<br />

heat stroke in football players,” according to Bill<br />

Bates. “Researchers determined that the air temperature<br />

under a football player’s shoulder pads often reached<br />

dangerously high levels, leading to severe dehydration.<br />

Players frequently remove their helmets to cool down,<br />

but this only fools their bodies into thinking that they’re<br />

cooler. In fact their core body temperature remains<br />

dangerously elevated. In looking for solutions,<br />

researchers found that they could reduce the body’s core<br />

temperature by passing cool air over strategic areas of<br />

the player’s shoulders and back.”<br />

A Revolutionary Idea<br />

Dr. Nikolaus Gravenstein of the University of Florida<br />

developed the concept of a pad that players could wear<br />

to enable this method of cooling with air. This concept<br />

was brought to Fred Williams of Williams Sports<br />

Group, LLC of Jacksonville, Florida, who has invented<br />

numerous protective designs used by NFL and college<br />

football programs. “Fred Williams developed an air<br />

flow channel system built into the protective cushion of<br />

an existing shoulder pad,” Bill explains. "The system<br />

was field tested by University of Florida research scientists.<br />

In short, it worked.”<br />

This revolutionary system is called the Temperature<br />

Management System, or TMS. With TMS, cool, dry air<br />

is blown under pressure into a tube on the back of the<br />

player's shoulder pads and through the airflow channel<br />

system. This distributes the cool air onto the shoulders<br />

and back, lowering a player's core body temperature to<br />

prevent it from rising to dangerous levels. (This air-cooling<br />

technology also has applications beyond football,<br />

including for the military, bomb squads, mascots,<br />

and more.)<br />

A Business Venture<br />

When Bill began coaching a new freshmen team at<br />

Nease High School, he went to Williams Sports Group<br />

of Jacksonville, Florida, to source protective gear for his<br />

team. It was there that Fred Williams introduced him to a<br />

new shoulder pad product being used by the University of<br />

Florida. Bill immediately recognized the potential of the air<br />

cooled shoulder pads for players and teams at all levels.<br />

21 <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong><br />

Commitment 22


Did You<br />

Know<br />

<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> just celebrated their<br />

136th anniversary.<br />

To take this potential to market, Bill, Fred and Melvin<br />

Carter became business partners in TMS Sports. “The<br />

University of Florida owns the patent on the air-cooling<br />

system,” Bill explains, “and Williams Sports Group has<br />

the exclusive rights to sell the technology through TMS<br />

Sports.”<br />

Bill is hard at work getting this important system into<br />

the hands of football programs at all levels nationwide.<br />

“The NFL’s league office needed us to explain the benefits<br />

of the TMS system in order to approve its use in the<br />

League,” Bill says, “so the NFL gave the University of<br />

Florida a grant to study it and determine whether it’s<br />

medically beneficial. The University of Florida finished<br />

the study summer 2008 and found that the TMS system<br />

effectively cools the core body temperature significantly<br />

and keeps the body’s core temperature from rising to<br />

potentially dangerous levels.” (See sidebar for a summary<br />

of UF findings.)<br />

Working with the NFL<br />

The Green Bay Packers were the first team in the<br />

NFL to use the TMS system. (In case you're wondering,<br />

it also can be configured with heated air to warm players<br />

– an advantage if you play in Green Bay!) Today the<br />

Miami Dolphins own a TMS system. The Dallas Cowboys,<br />

Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts and<br />

Houston Texans use the system as well. It was featured<br />

on Monday Night Football, which introduced air-cooled<br />

shoulder pads to football fans all over.<br />

The NFL still has some issues to work through<br />

regarding the TMS system, notably whether its use<br />

constitutes an unfair advantage. When the Indianapolis<br />

Colts played the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI in<br />

Miami in 2007, the Colts had been using a TMS system<br />

all season. The Bears had not, and the NFL ruled that<br />

the Colts couldn’t use their TMS system in the Super<br />

Bowl. “The NFL is going to review the system during<br />

this off season and make a ruling for usage in the future,”<br />

according to Bill. “Our goal is to get TMS systems,<br />

complete with air compressors, in every NFL<br />

23 <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong><br />

stadium. We want to make the system a permanent<br />

fixture in every stadium.”<br />

In college football, the University of Florida, UCLA,<br />

South Carolina and Georgia Southern are among early<br />

adopters of the TMS system. Three high schools in<br />

Florida own systems, and a lot of teams are renting.<br />

Air – Lots of Air<br />

In addition to new air-cooled shoulder pads or<br />

retrofitting of existing pads, the TMS system includes a<br />

custom cooler, a high-efficiency air compressor, a manifold,<br />

and tubes and fittings for distributing cool air to<br />

multiple players at once.<br />

“At the time when we were getting TMS off the<br />

ground, one big issue was getting the right air compressor,”<br />

says Bill. “It’s really the backbone of the system.<br />

When a football player is connected, the system replaces<br />

the air across his chest and back over 100 times<br />

a minute. To move that much air, you need to produce<br />

compressed air at 8 to 10 cubic feet per minute per<br />

player. Remember, TMS is designed to take care of 12<br />

players, maybe more, all at once. We sourced the idea to<br />

<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> in Houston, and they were kind enough to<br />

let us borrow a compressor for testing.”<br />

"The cool, dry air used during the COOL sessions<br />

decreased the core body temperature of the research<br />

participants at specific time points leading to a positive<br />

impact on other measured parameters. The results<br />

suggest that the use of cool, dry air can potentially<br />

help decrease the risk of heat related illnesses in<br />

football players."<br />

Discussion & Conclusion from Intermittent Cold and Dry<br />

Air Underneath Football Shoulder Pads as a Method to<br />

Assist in Temperature Homeostasis: Evaluation of<br />

Efficacy, by:<br />

Enrique D Escobar, MS, University of Florida College<br />

of Medicine<br />

Kathryn LuCante, MS, University of Florida Department<br />

of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation<br />

Samsun Lampotang, PhD, University of Florida<br />

Department of Anesthesiology<br />

Sedat T Aydog, MD, University of Florida Department<br />

of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation<br />

William Schwab, PhD, University of Florida Department<br />

of Anesthesiology<br />

Nikolaus Gravenstein, MD, University of Florida<br />

Department of Anesthesiology<br />

MaryBeth Horodyski, EdD, University of Florida<br />

Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation<br />

The air compressors being offered in conjunction with<br />

the TMS system are <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> GA WorkPlace Full<br />

Feature compressed air systems. These are electrically<br />

powered, plug-and-play systems designed for industrial<br />

use. They include the air compressor, tank, filter and<br />

dryer all integrated into one compact cabinet. <strong>Atlas</strong><br />

<strong>Copco</strong> offers GA compressed air systems in a wide range<br />

of sizes to address the needs of different applications.<br />

With the GA at work, clean, dry air leaves the compressor<br />

under pressure and is routed through a network<br />

of copper pipes immersed in an ice bath inside a<br />

custom-made cooler. As the air circulates through the<br />

copper pipes, its temperature drops significantly. The<br />

air delivered to the players’ shoulder pads can be 30 or<br />

even 40 degrees (F) cooler than the outside air, resulting<br />

in the desired cooling effect.<br />

Prospects Look Good<br />

Currently, Bill is working with the Miami Dolphins<br />

to get an air compressor for the visitor's sideline. “This<br />

off-season we hope to learn the NFL’s ruling on the<br />

TMS system from the competitive standpoint,” he<br />

explains. “<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> is helping us to develop<br />

compressor specs for the system and will partner<br />

in testing for the NFL.”<br />

Word is spreading, and by all accounts the Temperature<br />

Management System air cooled shoulder pad<br />

system accomplishes its objective of protecting football<br />

players from the potential danger of heat stress illness.<br />

And that’s cool.<br />

Temperature Management System<br />

Fo more information about the Temperature Management System:<br />

email Bill Bates at:<br />

Bbates0000@aol.com<br />

Q. What does TMS stand for<br />

A. Temperature Management System.<br />

Q. What is it<br />

A. A system that reduces the core body temperature<br />

of football players by delivering cool air<br />

through their shoulder pads.<br />

Q. Why was this invented<br />

A. To help fight heat stress illness and possible<br />

fatalities in football players, which occurs much<br />

too often.<br />

Q. Who invented it<br />

A. Medical doctors and research scientists from<br />

the University of Florida Research Foundation<br />

developed the concept; Fred Williams from<br />

Williams Sports Group developed the airflow<br />

channel for use in commercially available<br />

shoulder pads.<br />

Q. Is the medical data available from the<br />

University of Florida Research Foundation<br />

A. Yes. It can be accessed through<br />

www.footballshoulderpads.com under<br />

the TMS tab.<br />

Q. Is the system already in use<br />

A. Yes, the TMS system is commercially available<br />

through TMS Sports and is being used in<br />

every level of football – from Pee Wee Football<br />

to the NFL – in practice, scrimmage, and game<br />

settings.<br />

Q. Is the TMS system easy to use<br />

A. Yes. Set up and take down requires just minutes.<br />

Q. How much manpower is needed to operate<br />

the system<br />

A. During a game it usually requires someone<br />

behind each bench to connect and disconnect<br />

players as they come and go.<br />

Q. What shoulder pads is TMS available with<br />

A. TMS has been incorporated into the Douglas<br />

Custom Pro and Riddell Power Shoulder Pads.<br />

Existing pads can be retrofitted.<br />

Commitment 24


Save Money While Maximizing Compressed Air Productivity:<br />

Top 10 Tips from a World Leading Compressor Manufacturer<br />

Where to Start Measure.<br />

You can’t build a cost saving strategy around unknowns, so begin by measuring your compressed<br />

air system’s energy consumption, flow rates and operating air pressure. This will provide baseline<br />

values, help to identify problem areas and compute actual cost savings from any improvements you<br />

make. A great way to analyze a compressed air system is to draw a pressure profile that shows the<br />

pressure drops through a system. These pressure measurements give feedback for control adjustments,<br />

determine pressure drops across components, and help to determine system operating<br />

pressures. Ask your <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> representative to show you how.<br />

5<br />

6<br />

7<br />

Check Drains. Are your condensate drains stuck open<br />

Condensate drains on timers should be adjusted periodically to ensure they open as<br />

intended and aren’t stuck open. Better yet, replace timer drains with zero-loss drains to<br />

stop wasting compressed air.<br />

Review Piping Infrastructure. Many systems aren’t optimized.<br />

Your piping system design should optimize transfer of compressed air at the desired flow and<br />

pressure to the point of use. Increasing the size of your pipe from 2” to 3” can reduce pressure<br />

drop up to 50%. Shortening the distance air has to travel can further reduce pressure<br />

drops by about 20-40%. The more flow you try to put through a pipe the greater the pressure<br />

drop will be. Pressure drop in a pipe increases with the square of the increase in flow.<br />

For example, if you triple the flow, the pressure drop will increase nine times what is was!<br />

Air distribution piping should be large enough in diameter to minimize pressure drop.<br />

Change Filters Systematically. Not every once in a while.<br />

Just as you change oil in your car at scheduled intervals to ensure optimum performance,<br />

change filters in your air compressor and air system regularly to ensure air quality and to<br />

prevent pressure drops. Inspect and replace filters systematically to ensure the quality of<br />

your air. Go beyond the air compressor and compressor room. There are several air line and<br />

point of use filters within your facility. Those are just as important to maintain as the air compressor<br />

and air compressor room filters.<br />

1<br />

2<br />

Turn It Off. Set your machines to switch off nights and weekends.<br />

There are 168 hours in a week, but most compressed air systems only run between 60-100<br />

hours at anything near full capacity. Depending on your shift pattern, turning your<br />

compressors off evenings and weekends could reduce your energy bills up to 20%.<br />

Fix Existing Leaks. Start with the oldest and biggest pipes.<br />

A quarter-inch air leak at 100 psi costs more than $2,500 a year! Pipe systems older than five<br />

years can have leaks of up to 25%. You must spend money to compress air, so air that leaks<br />

out is money wasted. Fix leaks, save money. A word of caution here is that around 80% of air<br />

leaks are not audible and so to really minimize these problems, third party help in detecting<br />

these is a necessity.<br />

8<br />

9<br />

Recover Heat. Compressing air generates heat – reuse it!<br />

It’s simple physics that compressing air gives off heat, and you can recover as much as 90%<br />

of the heat for use in your operation. For example, you can produce hot water for washrooms<br />

or direct warm air into a workspace, warehouse, loading dock, or entryway. The savings can<br />

really add up!<br />

Emphasize Proper Maintenance. Ignoring maintenance costs more.<br />

As with most industrial machinery, a compressor runs more efficiently when properly maintained.<br />

Proper compressor maintenance cuts energy costs around 1% and helps prevent<br />

breakdowns that result in downtime and lost production. Protect your reputation and profits<br />

with proper maintenance.<br />

3<br />

4<br />

Prevent New Leaks. Dry and clean your compressed air.<br />

Prevention beats cure, so be proactive and look inside your piping system. A clean, dry pipe<br />

means you have good quality air and should have no corrosion issues. Dust in the pipe is<br />

caused by particles in your air. If you don’t filter it, or if your filter is clogged, you’ll have pressure<br />

drops and increase the risk of contaminating your end product. Sludge in the pipe is bad<br />

news and must be fixed immediately. In addition to the problems that occur with dust in the<br />

pipe, your pipes will corrode very quickly (if you see sludge it’s likely started already) and<br />

leaks will greatly increase. Dried and filtered compressed air keeps piping clean.<br />

Reduce Pressure. Run at required pressures, not beyond.<br />

Each 2 psig reduction cuts energy consumption 1%. Check the pressure your system is<br />

running and don’t keep turning up the pressure to compensate for leaks or drops in pressure<br />

due to piping problems or clogged filters. Fix these issues and the chances are you can drop<br />

the pressure. A central supply side controller can greatly reduce the operational pressure<br />

band and orchestrate air production much more efficiently and effectively.<br />

10<br />

Stop inappropriate use of compressed air. Cut these to save even more.<br />

Inappropriate uses of compressed air include any application that can be done more effectively<br />

or more efficiently by a method other than compressed air. For example, often high<br />

pressure air is used for cooling or applications where much lower air pressure is effective.<br />

For a free copy of <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong>’s 156-page Compressed Air Best Practices Guide, please send an email<br />

to paul.humphreys@us.atlascopco.com. Put “Manual” in the subject line and provide your delivery<br />

address in the body of the mail. We’ll send you a copy with our compliments.<br />

Did you know<br />

• If your existing compressor is running at less than, say, 65% of capacity, a smaller one could pay for<br />

itself in 18-24 months on average. If your compressor is more than 10 years old, cost savings with<br />

today’s compressor technology could result in a pay back of 18-24 months on average. A compressor<br />

that is both smaller and using today’s technology could pay for itself even faster.<br />

• The most expensive component in the total cost of compressed air is energy. In fact, over the<br />

lifespan of a typical compressor, energy typically costs several times more than the purchase price<br />

of the compressor. Maximizing energy efficiency saves you money.<br />

25 <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong><br />

Commitment 26


Spend Less For Compressed Air.<br />

Let <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> Show You How.<br />

<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> offers a specialized, one-day energy management seminar focusing exclusively on<br />

compressed air systems. Now you can learn about your compressed air system’s true cost—and<br />

how to reduce it.<br />

Compressed air is one of the most expensive uses of energy in a manufacturing setting, yet many<br />

facilities are not aware of the true costs of their compressed air system – and the many ways this<br />

cost can be reduced. <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong>’s one day energy management seminar focuses on real ways<br />

you can change your compressed air system to reduce energy consumption and therefore save<br />

money. Attendees leave armed with real-world knowledge to apply to your compressed air system<br />

to improve reliability, protect production, cut energy consumption, and save money.<br />

If you have an product application story you would like share<br />

with our readers please contact:<br />

Paul Humphreys at paul.humphreys@us.atlascopco.com<br />

or Holly Boutot-Lalonde at holly.boutot-lalonde@us.atlascopco.com<br />

About <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong><br />

Satisfying customer needs with<br />

ground-breaking integrated compressed<br />

air technology, quality air<br />

accessories and 24/7 service support<br />

enhanced with remote monitoring<br />

tools positions <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> as a<br />

leading global compressor manufacturer.<br />

Our unwavering commitment<br />

is to be First in Mind – First in Choice ®<br />

for all your compressed air<br />

requirements.<br />

Who Should Attend<br />

Managers and engineers responsible for maintenance, plant,<br />

facility, energy, environment or quality – and anyone involved<br />

with your compressed air system.<br />

Topics Covered<br />

• True cost of compressed air<br />

• Reducing plant air demand<br />

• Eliminating artificial demand<br />

• Benefits of compressed air storage<br />

• Choosing the correct air piping system<br />

• Compressor controls<br />

• Variable speed drive technology<br />

• Heat recovery<br />

• Energy savings technologies<br />

Date Location Phone Number Contact<br />

May 20 Seattle, WA 206-244-3818 John Scofield<br />

Sept 16 Commerce, CA 323-722-6603 Bruce Lidie<br />

Oct 27 Tampa, FL 904-636-8555 Mark Steven<br />

www.atlascopco.us<br />

866-344-4887<br />

<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> Compressors LLC<br />

1800 Overview Drive<br />

Rock Hill, SC 29730<br />

© 2009 <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> Compressors LLC<br />

27 <strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong>


<strong>Atlas</strong> <strong>Copco</strong> Compressors LLC<br />

1800 Overview Drive<br />

Rock Hill, SC 29730<br />

We are commited to your superior productivity<br />

through interaction and innovation

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