State of affairs
Giles Foodservice Tools, Montgomery, Ala., is a producer of fryers, hoods, heaters, and different merchandise for the meals service trade, serving segments together with comfort shops, grocery shops and delis, eating places and bars, enterprise and trade, sporting complexes, and film and leisure facilities.
The corporate relied solely on delivered liquid nitrogen for its laser chopping operations, however provide wasn’t at all times steady, contributing to long-term working threat.
“Bulk liquid nitrogen served its function for a very long time, but it surely additionally created uncertainty,” mentioned Josh Blalock, manufacturing engineering supervisor at Giles Foodservice Tools.
The corporate realized by producing nitrogen on-site, it might regain management over its provide and take away a variable from the manufacturing course of, providing the steadiness wanted to plan for the long run, Blalock defined.
Decision
To assist that transition, Giles Foodservice Tools partnered with Cell Mechanical Providers to design and implement an on-site nitrogen technology system centered on an ELGi air compressor. Relatively than forcing a direct cutover from delivered provide, the system was engineered to provide the producer higher management over nitrogen availability whereas supporting each present manufacturing wants and future growth.
Cell Mechanical Providers evaluated nitrogen demand, purity necessities and long-term manufacturing targets earlier than finalizing the system design.
“This was about giving Giles Foodservice Tools higher management over its nitrogen technique,” mentioned Nathan Toro, gross sales guide at Cell Mechanical Providers. “On-site technology places management again within the arms of the producer and creates a extra steady basis for its operation.”
On the core of the system is an ELGi EG75 VFD rotary screw air compressor designed for continuous-duty manufacturing environments. The 100-HP compressor delivers as much as 375 CFM of unpolluted compressed air at typical industrial pressures round 100 PSI, offering the constant airflow required to generate nitrogen and ship it on to the laser chopping machines for processing the stainless-steel elements used within the firm’s product strains.
The variable-frequency drive permits the compressor to regulate output based mostly on demand, serving to keep effectivity in periods of fluctuating manufacturing whereas guaranteeing a dependable air provide when nitrogen demand will increase.
By offsetting a portion of liquid nitrogen deliveries with on-site technology, Giles Foodservice Tools has gained extra predictable working prices and decreased publicity to provide interruptions. Over a 10-year horizon, the corporate initiatives the system might ship roughly $500,000 in financial savings as on-site nitrogen manufacturing continues to scale, whereas enhancing manufacturing continuity and long-term planning confidence.
“The monetary aspect issues, however the actual worth is management,” Blalock mentioned. “Realizing we will generate what we’d like, once we want it, modifications how we take into consideration our operation.”
