WHAT IS AN FRL OR MAINTENANCE UNIT?

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Today we analyze a very necessary device in pneumatic installations: the FRL or also known as Maintenance Unit.

An FRL guarantees the efficiency and durability of pneumatic tools, in short, it provides high quality clean air and regulates pressure.

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19/05/2022

1- What is an FRL?

Its initials correspond to the elements that compose it, which are the filter, the regulator and the lubricator.
Including an FRL in your pneumatic system is vital to an efficient air line setup and critical to achieving a good return on investment. Adding an FRL in close proximity to the power tool will ensure the necessary airflow pressure as well as good air quality by reducing the risk of moisture and dust in the air line. The FRL also aids in air line maintenance by providing lubrication.

We give you an example, a compressor takes the air from the environment, compresses it and that’s it, we already have a means of transmitting energy. But should I use it immediately in an application? The answer is no, because the air is dirty, unstable, and likely to cause components to fail soon. Therefore we must use an FRL or maintenance unit.

2- How does an FRL work?

An FRL combines 3 functions in one system: filtration, regulation and lubrication.
1-⁣Air filtration: The filter cleans the compressed air, trapping solid particles, such as dust, dirt or rust.
2-⁣ Air regulation: The regulator ensures dynamic pressure consistency, for better tool performance and overall operational efficiency.

This is important because if the pressure is lower than the manufacturer’s recommendation, the tool cannot reach its performance level and profitability will decrease. If the pressure is too high, the tool wears out sooner. A breakdown could also occur causing injury to the operator and a risk of damage to the application.

3- Air Lubrication: The lubricator adds controlled amounts of oil into the compressed air lines to reduce friction between moving parts in the tool’s motor.

Without lubrication, a tool wears out and stops reaching its maximum level of performance. This, in turn, leads to lost productivity and increased maintenance costs.

In this video we explain the three functions of an FRL:

Conseils de sécurité : MPC recommande d’utiliser un manomètre équipé d’un FRL avec chaque outil pour régler la pression.

Découvrez tous nos modèles sur notre site :

https://www.aircompressormpc.com/es/73-filtracion-lubricacion