The purchasing decision for a pneumatic conveying system is often based on a price comparison. This is understandable, but it can lead to a costly mistake.
The true cost is not revealed in the quote. It becomes apparent after years of use. Explore pneumatic conveying and see what total cost accounting means in practice.
The purchase price is just the tip of the iceberg
The procurement costs for a pneumatic conveying system cover equipment, installation, and commissioning. These are visible and easily comparable.
But they are only part of the bigger picture. A system that costs less at the procurement stage could become considerably more expensive over the next ten years.
Hidden costs typically arise from these factors:
- High energy consumption in air freight compared to road freight
- Frequent servicing intervals due to rapid wear of wearing parts
- Unexpected downtime that interrupts production
- Material loss in open or poorly sealed systems
- Premature replacement of the pipeline due to high material flow rates
The purchase price tells you what you pay today. Operating costs tell you what you pay over the entire life cycle.
Total cost of ownership determines profitability
Total Cost of Ownership, or TCO, is the figure that truly describes the financial impact of a system on your business.
TCO comprises three main areas:
- Procurement costs equipment, design, installation, commissioning
- Operating costs energy consumption, compressed air production, operation
- Maintenance costs Maintenance, spare parts, downtime, upgrades
In industrial material handling, operating and maintenance costs typically form a significantly larger part of the life cycle costs than the initial investment. This is especially true for demanding processes where the system runs around the clock.
In a pneumatic conveying system, energy efficiency is one of the most significant variables. Pulse slugging uses less compressed air than dilute phase conveying because the material transfer speed is lower. This directly translates to lower energy costs per hour of operation.
A lower material flow rate also reduces wear on piping and components. Result: longer service life for parts, fewer maintenance needs and less unexpected downtime.
Why Kopari's solutions pay for themselves
We favour pulsed plug conveying whenever it is justified by the material and process. The reason is simple: it is the most cost-effective option in terms of life-cycle costs in most demanding applications.
In practice, this means the following benefits for you:
- Lower energy consumption compared to air transport
- Less wear and tear on piping and components
- Improved usability and production continuity
- Fully automated operation, which integrates directly into the plant's control system
- A closed system that reduces material waste and improves work safety.
We have almost 50 years of experience in the design, manufacture and commissioning of pneumatic conveying systems in the energy, metallurgical and process industries. Each project is unique to us, and we always dimension the system based on the material properties, capacity requirements and the overall process.
Our pressure conveyors can be configured to operate as either a plug or dense phase conveyor with minor software changes if required. This flexibility protects your investment should process requirements change in the future.
Explore our pressure transmitters and see how they fit into your production plans.
Get in touch – let's map your system's cost-saving potential
Purchasing decisions should be made based on the overall picture, not just the bid price. We will help you assess what the system will truly cost over its entire life cycle.
In the survey, we will go through:
- The energy consumption profile of the current or planned system
- The properties of the material and their influence on the choice of transport method
- A realistic estimate of maintenance and downtime costs
- Life cycle cost comparison of different transport options
Our goal is for you to have all the necessary information to support decision-making before investing.
Contact us together we will map out how the pneumatic conveying system can be optimised from both a performance and life-cycle cost perspective. You can also explore our pneumatic conveying solutions before contacting.
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Let us help! Contact us for more information about our products and services.