EG Series compressors<\/a> feature a three-stage oil separation system that delivers high-quality, contaminant-free air. This was essential to Mann+Hummel\u2019s efforts to maintain product integrity during chemical mixing, where it helped maintain consistent formulations (e.g. creating air blankets to prevent premature reactions) and performing leak testing on oil filters.<\/p>\nPattons then installed three ELGi AR-2350<\/strong> refrigerated dryers to eliminate moisture-related failures. Equipped with an automatic condensate drain, these dryers remove moisture without air loss, minimizing maintenance and preventing water-related issues in the compressed air system. Before the overhaul, up to 30 gallons of water was infiltrating the air system per hour, damaging seals, cylinders and pneumatic tools, leading to misaligned and inconsistent product assembly.<\/p>\nAdditionally, the ELGi AR-2350<\/strong> refrigerated dryer\u2019s energy-efficient thermal mass control provides significant power savings during partial and no-load conditions, supporting the company\u2019s efforts to reduce operational costs and enhance energy efficiency.<\/p>\nPattons included Airmate Air Receiver<\/strong> wet and dry tanks to help normalize moisture levels across the system, reducing pressure fluctuations and further protecting Mann+Hummel\u2019s sensitive manufacturing processes. The tanks help stabilize the pressure and flow of compressed air by absorbing fluctuations caused by compressors cycling on and off. This ensures a steady and consistent supply of compressed air.<\/p>\nInside the Airmate Air Receiver<\/strong> tanks, moisture has an opportunity to settle and separate from the compressed air. The tank is equipped with a drain valve at the bottom, allowing accumulated condensate to be periodically removed, ensuring that the compressed air remains dry and clean.<\/p>\nThe implementation took 12 weeks, during which Pattons provided Mann+Hummel with rental air compressors to help the company save approximately $500,000<\/strong> during the transition.<\/p>\n\u201cPattons made the entire process seamless. They handled everything \u2014 from engineering to installation to rentals \u2014 so we didn\u2019t have to slow down production,\u201d Owens said. \u201cWe never had to shut down. Even during installation, Pattons kept us running with rentals, which saved us from hundreds of thousands in potential downtime.\u201d<\/p>\n
Immediate Impact<\/h2>\n
Production stabilized overnight. What had been a daily scramble to troubleshoot pressure drops, clogged lines and water contamination was suddenly replaced by reliable, consistent performance across the plant. Air-related failures, which had previously occurred up to 20 times a day, dropped to zero<\/strong> after the installation.<\/p>\nMann+Hummel\u2019s maintenance team was no longer reacting to constant failures, and operators could focus on hitting production goals instead of bracing for breakdowns. For the first time in
\nyears, Mann+Hummel had full confidence in its compressed air system \u2014 and it showed in both uptime and output.<\/p>\n
\n
\n- Filtration components more consistently passed integrity tests<\/li>\n
- Improved throughput and reduced scrap rates<\/li>\n
- Production hours increased<\/li>\n
- Improved tool and equipment lifespan<\/li>\n
- Increased accuracy during assembly, lowering in-line adjustments<\/li>\n
- Customer satisfaction improved<\/li>\n
- On-time delivery dates increased<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
With production efficiency immediately improving and products clearing quality control tests more frequently, Mann+Hummel stabilized its manufacturing schedule, met delivery deadlines, and regained the confidence of key customers in the automotive and industrial sectors. The company began clearing the facility\u2019s 6-million-unit backlog<\/strong>, a feat that previously seemed unachievable.<\/p>\n\u201cFor a lot of customers, our filtration products are mission-critical. Delays can significantly affect automotive, industrial and energy operations,\u201d Owens said. \u201cKeeping our equipment running consistently was the key to clearing the backlog and making sure our customers got what they needed on time. This project gave us the stability and predictability we needed to catch up and stay ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n
Energy Efficiency & Long-Term Savings<\/h2>\n
Mann+Hummel\u2019s performance gains were matched by energy savings that dramatically reduced costs and helped unlock a six-figure rebate from the local utility \u2014 further validating the business case for the overhaul.<\/p>\n
The new air system is much more efficient. With upgrades like the VFDs and air tanks responding more dynamically to system needs, electricity is better managed. Pattons also installed a smart control system that dynamically adjusts air usage and optimizes energy consumption.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore, we had six compressors running full throttle all the time. Now we\u2019re averaging just three and a half. That alone is a huge efficiency gain,\u201d Owens said.<\/p>\n
The project saved Mann+Hummel 2 million kWh per year<\/strong> in electricity and an estimated $16,000 per month<\/strong> in energy costs. It provided the company the equivalent savings of removing more than 300 homes’ worth of energy usage from the grid.<\/p>\nPattons also helped Mann+Hummel take advantage of a rebate program offered by the regional energy utility, Duke Energy. It handled much of the work to verify and technically validate the new working system to ensure energy improvements were properly documented and verified. This included compressor performance, energy load reductions and heat recovery analysis among other tasks.<\/p>\n
The process involved several meetings among Pattons, Mann+Hummel and an outside engineering firm. After all the data collection and rebate negotiations, Mann+Hummel was awarded a $300,000 rebate<\/strong> from Duke Energy. Together, these outcomes made the project not only an operational win but a financial one.<\/p>\n\u201cWe didn\u2019t just take the easy route and accept the flat rebate. We really got into the details, making sure every bit of savings was captured. In the end, we squeezed everything we could out of this project, and it paid off,\u201d said Trey Carter, a systems specialist at Pattons.<\/p>\n
Strategic Partners<\/h2>\n
Mann+Hummel and Pattons have built a long-term partnership rooted in reliability, expertise and proactive support.<\/p>\n
Based on this project\u2019s success, Mann+Hummel is now expanding its work with Pattons to optimize other air-dependent systems including additional dryer units, a long-term service agreement and advanced leak detection programs supported by real-time monitoring.<\/p>\n
The relationship has evolved beyond technical support into strategic collaboration. Pattons is now helping Mann+Hummel develop a roadmap for system-wide efficiency improvements, including predictive maintenance and energy use benchmarking.<\/p>\n
Mann+Hummel is also exploring opportunities to replicate the success of this project at other facilities, leveraging Pattons\u2019 expertise to standardize best practices across its operations.<\/p>\n
“There\u2019s a big difference between a vendor and a partner,” Owens said. “We didn\u2019t just buy compressors \u2014 we gained a support team. We know that when we call, Pattons will be there. That level of support is invaluable.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Pull Quotes<\/h2>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard to overstate how big of a change this was. It didn\u2019t just improve efficiency, it completely transformed how we operate.\u201d \u2013 Steven Owens, Mann+Hummel<\/p>\n
\u201cThis project wasn\u2019t just about fixing equipment. It was a business decision with long-term ROI.\u201d \u2013 Steven Owens, Mann+Hummel<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore the upgrade, we were constantly reacting. Afterward, it felt like we were walking into a brand-new plant.\u201d \u2013 Steven Owens, Mann+Hummel<\/p>\n
\u201cWe finally had consistent air quality, and that translated into a more consistent, higher-quality product.\u201d \u2013 Steven Owens, Mann+Hummel<\/p>\n
Before and After<\/h2>\n
\n\n\n <\/strong><\/td>\n Before<\/strong><\/td>\n After <\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n| Daily Air Failures<\/td>\n | 20+<\/td>\n | 0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n| Compressors in Use<\/td>\n | 6<\/td>\n | 3.5 avg<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n| Energy Cost<\/td>\n | High & unmonitored<\/td>\n | $16K\/month saved<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n| Product Backlog<\/td>\n | 6M units<\/td>\n | Cleared<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n| Downtime<\/td>\n | Daily interruptions<\/td>\n | None<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n| Quality Complaints<\/td>\n | Frequent<\/td>\n | Significantly reduced<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nTakeaways for Industrial Leaders:<\/h2>\n\n \n- Don\u2019t overlook compressed air \u2014 it\u2019s as critical as electricity<\/li>\n
- System inefficiencies multiply across the supply chain<\/li>\n
- Upgrades can deliver operational, financial and environmental wins<\/li>\n
- A partner who provides engineering, installation and rebate support makes all the difference<\/li>\n
- Real-time controls = smarter energy use + predictive maintenance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":7870,"template":"","tags":[],"class_list":["post-7869","blog","type-blog","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","resource-category-case-studies"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.elgi.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/7869","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.elgi.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.elgi.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/blog"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.elgi.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/7869\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7884,"href":"https:\/\/www.elgi.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/7869\/revisions\/7884"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.elgi.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7870"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.elgi.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7869"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.elgi.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7869"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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