Leslie Controls, a CIRCOR International brand, makes catapult valves used by the U.S. Navy to launch fighter jets. Compressed air powers the company’s CNC machines, solenoids, air guns, hydrotesting pumps, steam generators and pneumatic controls.
“Compressed air is as important to us as electricity,” said Brian Clark, Leslie’s lead maintenance technician.
Two aging compressors were constantly breaking down, and when Leslie cranked up a large sandblaster, they couldn’t keep up. Then the airend went out on the main unit.
The manufacturer wouldn’t honor their warranty, resulting in a “legal nightmare,” and the service they were getting from their compressed air company was terrible. In addition, Leslie had difficulty obtaining parts and needed to rely on a rental.
“If either one of them went out, I’d have to rent a unit we put in the parking lot,” Brian said. “At one point, I had one out there permanently.”
Complicating matters, the units produced air containing high levels of moisture and contaminants, a potential problem for the two state-of-the-art 3D printers the company was acquiring.
For what he was paying in rent, Brian said he could have purchased a new compressor. “I don’t like repeating the same issue over and over again,” Brian said. “It gets old. We’re done with this.”
Leslie Controls replaced two aging compressors with two Kaishan KRSP premium rotary screw air compressor, cutting downtime and giving him peace of mind.
Brian contacted Keith Swanson, area manager at Industrial Air Centers in Tampa. The good news was that the rental unit he had been relying on was a Kaishan, so he was already familiar with the brand.
“We pushed for the budget to get the ones that I love,” he said.
He ended up buying two 50-HP KRSP premium rotary screw air compressors with a VSD and a dryer. IAC installed both units in a single day.
“The Kaishans are a sharp-looking set, so perfect. We haven’t had any problems.”
— Brian Clark, Lead Maintenance Technician, Leslie Controls
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