Recently, Paperitalo sat down and talked to Andy Cochrane, PE of Industrial Air, Inc. of Greensboro, North Carolina.
Paperitalo: Can you give us a brief overview of Industrial Air?
Cochrane: Industrial Air has been in business for over fifty years. We design, fabricate and install air systems for complete air handling for pulp and paper mills and converters, as well as work in other industries.
Paperitalo: What specific areas of the mills and converting plants are included in your experience?
Cochrane: Actually, in all areas. We have worked from incoming materials, through the entire pulping and papermaking operations and on into converting. Air handling units, ductwork, evaporative cooling, full air conditioning for roll conditioning and converting and so forth. All the way through the process.
In electrical rooms and substations, we design and install air conditioning with redundancy as needed for critical applications.
In maintenance shops, we design and install ventilation fans, exhaust hoods, ductwork--you name it.
For broke handling and waste systems we design air separator systems and dust collection systems.
Paperitalo: You seem to focus on "design and install"--can you explain what this means a little further?
Cochrane: Our systems are our design as a response to the customer's requirements. Each design is custom complying with industry standards and our own internal experience standards. Then we fabricate in our shop and our crews do the installation. This includes power and control as well.
Paperitalo: "Industry 4.0" is the buzzword these days. How does Industrial Air integrate their control schemes and systems into the industrial facility?
Cochrane: We use open PLC based controllers with similar processing and programming that the facility is already using. We can provide our own SCADA platform or incorporate with the facility's already existing SCADA system. We monitor the air and also monitor our equipment for maintenance purposes and alarms. All of this has web access with various levels of password access.
Paperitalo: Thanks, Andy. How do readers reach you?
Cochrane: Just give me a call or send me an email. Andy Cochrane. acochrane@industrialairinc.com Phone (336) 553-2013.
Paperitalo: Folks, if you have air system needs for new installations or upgrades, Paperitalo recommends Industrial Air, Inc. of Greensboro, North Carolina.
