Atlas Copco’s compressor users who are already benefiting from a new or renewable complete maintenance care plan under the company’s Total Responsibility agreement, now have even greater assurance of productivity − the added option of an Availability Guarantee, a new scheme that pledges 98% productive uptime for a compressed air installation, or a credit if it falls below this level.
Availability Guarantee on top of a Total Responsibility Service plan is the ultimate way to achieve the highest availability of compressed air equipment, without risking breakdowns or downtime of the plant which relies upon compressed air. This is especially crucial to production sites which run 24 hours per day.
An Availability Guarantee provides further reassurance to Atlas Copco’s Total Responsibility Service Plan customers, who already benefit from a suite of maintenance options that do it all – on-time expert service using genuine manufacturers’ replacement parts, equipment performance monitoring and troubleshooting, and proactive repairs and priority emergency support, all achieved within a rapid and efficient workflow.
All compressed air equipment covered under an Availability Guarantee scheme has to be fitted with Atlas Copco’s SMARTlink remote monitoring solution and equipped with the Uptime and Energy SMARTlink licence. SMARTlink monitoring keeps an eye on machine parameters that have an impact on component lifetime, including running hours, load/unload ratio and behaviour, ambient conditions, oil temperatures, pressure, and many more. As long as the compressor is communicating, Atlas Copco takes responsibility for an uptime of 98%, offering a credit if it does not deliver on this promise.
Throughout the term of the Availability Guarantee agreement, as well as unscheduled repair work on listed components, Atlas Copco will include a visit from one of its energy consultants to discuss SMARTlink operational reports during the first year of the agreement. This will provide additional security to its availability pledge and an opportunity to discuss optimisation and energy savings options that are tailored to specific compressed air installations.
SMARTlink connectivity
Remote monitoring of an installation provides insights on exactly when it is time to replace components in order to achieve continued, reliable performance. Atlas Copco’s diagnostic experts continuously analyse data using artificial intelligence (AI) and smart algorithms and are able to predict and prevent failures. They proactively take care of any issues during the next planned preventive maintenance visit. As a result, it is possible to avoid breakdowns and additional stoppages, stay ahead of any problems that might occur, and keep compressed air uptime at the maximum possible level.
A company’s production management has access to Uptime figures in Atlas Copco’s SMARTlink portal at any time and can see exactly what the diagnostic team has in view.
As Atlas Copco Business Line Manager for Compressor Technique Service Sales & Marketing, Ian Ainsworth, explains:
We are confident that with the introduction of the Availability Guarantee, we have all the tools, data, knowledge, experience, people, and products to guarantee a user’s compressed air supply availability at 98% for reliable performance and sustained productivity. If the availability of an air compressor is below the agreed limit of 98%, customers will receive a credit that will be made at the end of the respective service plan year. As long as the compressor is communicating, we take responsibility for its uptime. And if we do not deliver on our promise, customers will receive a credit.
* Availability Guarantee is only available for renewals or new Total Responsibility agreements.
*Further conditions apply
Editors notes
● Availability Guarantee definitions: Availability is defined as the percentage of continuous time in which the compressor is able to deliver air. Available time is the air compressor status of either load, unload, or stop. Unavailable time is when the machine is in shutdown plus time without communication after shutdown.
Unavailable time starts as soon as the compressor goes into shutdown and only ends when the shutdown cleared status is communicated. This occurs when a shutdown reset is executed.
● Atlas Copco Total Responsibility Plan: For an all-inclusive price, Atlas Copco takes complete care of a customer’s compressor, with on-time maintenance by expert service engineers providing genuine parts. In addition to taking care of all the routine maintenance, service engineers will proactively detect and repair any developing problems. They will retrofit a compressor with the latest equipment improvements that are the result of Atlas Copco’s ongoing R&D efforts.
If technicians are aware that the reliability of a compressor’s drive line is declining, an overhaul is scheduled to give the unit a new lease of life. Under the service plan, all of a customer’s relevant compressor data are known to Atlas Copco. Advanced diagnostic services enable the identification and fixing of any deviations in the compressor performance and ensure air quality stays on-spec, protecting downstream equipment and end products.