There are three simple steps to make sure your air line installation is providing the right pressure and that your accessories selection is correct, so you can ultimately work productively. It does not take long and it is something you can easily do yourself.
Step 1: Calculate if there is an air pressure drop between the FRL and the tool.
- First, read the FRL gauge value.
- Secondly, measure the dynamic pressure at the tool’s inlet .
- Then, calculate the difference between the two values to see if there is a drop in air pressure between the FRL and the tool.
“In the air tool installation, most of the pressure drops occur between the pipe-end and the tool,” says Annabelle Bray, global product marketing manager accessories.
Step 2: Identify where pressure is being lost by checking that your accessories have been selected and installed properly.
There are various points to inspect, the main ones being: at the tool inlet, the couplings/nipples, and hose connections, as well as the FRL.
To avoid pressure drops you want to make sure that:
- Accessories have the correct diameters and thread sizes/types
- The hose is not longer than needed
- Clamps are properly tightened
Step 3: Final measurements and adjustments.
Once you are confident that all accessories have been selected and installed correctly, measure once more the dynamic pressure at the tool’s inlet.
You can then adjust accordingly the FRL regulator to ensure you get a reading of 90 psi / 6.3 bars at the tool inlet.
“When it comes to air pressure, higher isn’t always better,” says Annabelle Bray, global product marketing manager accessories.
Information provided by Chicago Pneumatics
