This article is an implementation image based on assumed conditions. It is not a case study of a real plant or a record of actual savings. Installation images are AI-generated concept illustrations, and AirHub screens show sample data.
AirHub Implementation Image | Machining Plant
Switched to an inverter compressor, yet the power bill hasn’t changed?
An implementation image: under ¥1 million to deploy, paid back within a year
A machining plant assumed to be losing ¥7.29 million a year to compressed-air leaks. By measuring the power of each compressor and the flow of compressed air, the plant moves on to leak diagnosis and repair. Here is how a deployment costing under ¥1 million could pay for itself, together with the assumptions behind the estimate.
- Building area: 8,600 m² / Owner: Production Engineering Dept., Equipment Maintenance Section
- One compressor room: three 37 kW units and one 22 kW unit (one of them replaced with an inverter model)
- One receiver tank near the room, feeding the plant’s main air line
- A cloud gateway installed in the office, away from the compressor room
- DX is just getting started. Alongside labor saving in production, the plant wants data to support energy-saving decisions
Premise: a plant losing ¥7.29 million a year to air leaks
This implementation image assumes 24-hour, 365-day operation, an electricity rate of ¥25/kWh and an estimated leak rate of 30%. Of the ¥24.31 million annual electricity cost, the loss due to air leaks is estimated at about ¥7.29 million per year.
| Operating hours / days | 24 h/day, 365 days/year |
|---|---|
| Electricity rate | ¥25/kWh |
| Annual electricity cost | ¥24.31M/year |
| Estimated leak rate before deployment | 30% |
| Loss due to air leaks | ¥7.29M/year |
| Target leak rate after improvement | 10% |
| Potential savings at target | ¥4.86M/year |
Condition for payback within one year: if the initial deployment costs ¥1 million, achieving ¥1 million a year in savings—about 21% of the estimated ¥4.86 million potential—would recover the cost within one year by simple calculation. Actual payback will vary with repair costs, running costs and when improvements begin.
Why the effect of an equipment upgrade is hard to see
If the power bill hasn’t changed much after switching to an inverter compressor, the upgrade was not necessarily wasted. When production volume, operating hours or the power used by other equipment change, it becomes hard to read the compressor’s contribution from the plant’s total bill. And if the way compressed air is used—or leaked—hasn’t changed, upgrading the supply side alone may not deliver the expected savings.
So the first step with AirHub is to see, on the same timeline, “which machine uses how much power, and when” and “how much air is sent to the plant, and when.”
Three installation points connect power and air flow
1. Distribution board: four power sensor sets
One power sensor set is assumed for each of the four compressors’ supply circuits. Each circuit gets two clamp-type sensor heads and a small communication unit to measure power continuously. Per-machine power trends show how the inverter unit runs compared with the other three, and how much power is used outside production hours.
2. Near the receiver tank: one clamp-on air flow meter
One clamp-on air flow meter is assumed on the main line running from the receiver tank to the plant piping. It measures from outside the pipe without cutting it, capturing how the total air sent to the plant changes over time, before any branches. In the image below the sensor is mounted horizontally, with damping material placed upstream and downstream. Whether flow meters and damping material are needed, and how many, is decided after checking the actual pipe diameter, distance from joints and mounting conditions.
3. Office: a cloud gateway
A small cloud gateway with a built-in SIM is assumed in the office, away from the compressor room. It collects sensor data from the site and sends it to the AirHub cloud over a mobile network. No connection to the office LAN is needed. The flow meter output is fed into an input unit and sent to the gateway together with the power sensor data.
We check on site the communication between the sensors and the office gateway, and the mobile signal strength where the gateway will be installed.
What can you see in AirHub?
After deployment, the power of the four units and the main-line flow are checked against operating hours. AirHub’s “LEAK LIVE” and dashboard share trends in air consumption, as well as leak volume and monetary loss based on diagnosis results. For example, if main-line flow continues during holidays or production stops, that is the starting point for investigating whether some equipment is still consuming air or whether there are leaks.
Compressors, flow meters and gateways can be registered on the equipment management screen. In this plant, the four compressors and the flow meter would each be identified and managed. Data reception status is also visible, so if data goes missing, communication and sensors can be inspected.
A single main-line flow meter shows only the amount of air passing the measurement point. It cannot by itself pinpoint where leaks are or how much is leaking. The maintenance section uses these trends as a lead and moves on to on-site diagnosis.
From leak diagnosis to repair, side by side with the screens
1. Record the current state and choose when to investigate
First, compare power and flow on normal operating days, holidays and during production stops. Look at the operation of all four units—not just the inverter model—to understand changes in air supply and use. Pick time windows of concern, such as flow during stops, and diagnose piping, fittings, couplers and valves.
2. Record leaks on drawings and leak records
Leaks found on site are registered with a Leak No. on AirHub’s plant floor plan and piping drawings. By recording not only the location but also diagnosis images, leak volume and status, the next person in charge can find the same spot. Using the registered conditions, monetary loss and CO₂-equivalent values can also be checked.
3. Choose repair parts and fix the leaks
Set priorities based on leak volume, monetary loss and impact on equipment. Use AirHub’s pneumatic parts search to find fittings, couplers, valves and other parts, and arrange what is needed. After the repair, update the status in the leak record.
4. Compare before and after repair, and report the results
After repair, compare non-production-hour flow and the power of the four units under operating conditions as similar as possible. Summarize the number of leaks, converted monetary loss and repair completion rate in AirHub’s diagnosis report, and use it for the next measures and internal reporting. Actual savings are judged after reviewing the measurement results.
Collect data from a few well-chosen points, record the leaks you find, and confirm the results of the repairs. With AirHub, even a plant that is just starting its DX journey can begin from the maintenance section’s everyday improvement work.
Prepare materials showing the number of compressors and the locations of the distribution board, receiver tank and main line, and consult AirMore.
Learn more about AirHub
* This article is an implementation image based on assumed conditions, not a case study of a real plant or a record of actual savings. A deployment cost under ¥1 million, an improvement in leak rate from 30% to 10%, and annual savings of ¥4.86 million are all estimate assumptions. The scope of costs, actual savings and payback period must be confirmed through quotation and measurement/repair results. The AI-generated installation images are not photographs of actual equipment or construction drawings. Information on AirHub screens is sample data. Compatibility with piping and distribution boards, data integration, communication environment and installation methods require an on-site survey and confirmation of equipment specifications.