Background
A U.S.-based energy producer set out to enhance the performance of its compressed air system after acquiring a new Atlas Copco VFD compressor to operate alongside two existing Ingersoll Rand fixed-speed units. The goal was a more efficient, reliable setup capable of adapting to fluctuating demand while balancing running hours across all machines.
Challenge
Before the Atlas Copco investment, the site relied on its two Ingersoll Rand compressors. These units used OEM-supplied local load-sharing software, which provided just enough sequencing to keep operations running.
Adding the Atlas Copco VFD immediately exposed the limitations of OEM-centric control:
- Protocol conflicts – The Atlas Copco and Ingersoll Rand units used different communication protocols, making integration impossible.
- No unified visibility – The customer could not rely on OEM tools to monitor or optimise the system as a whole.
- Operational imbalance – The Atlas Copco needed to serve as the trimming machine, while the Ingersoll Rand units required equal base-load hours. OEM systems offered no way to coordinate this across brands.
Solution
The customer adopted the Metacentre CORE controller – a brand-agnostic platform designed for exactly this type of mixed-OEM environment.
- Direct data connectivity was established with the Ingersoll Rand Xe145M controllers, retaining visibility and enabling balanced base-load operation.
- DRIVE+ fully integrated the Atlas Copco VFD, assigning it as the trimming machine.
- CORE sequenced all three compressors seamlessly, balancing hours, optimising performance, and providing SCADA connectivity from a single point of control.
This was only possible because Metacentre CORE is OEM-independent and knowledge-driven. Where OEM load-sharing software reached its limit, CORE delivered a future-proof, system-wide control strategy.
Results
Even without formal energy or CO₂ measurement, the benefits were immediate:
- Seamless sequencing across mixed OEM equipment
- Balanced utilisation and improved reliability
- Efficiency gains from running the VFD in the trimming role
- Greater flexibility for future upgrades through brand-agnostic control
Representative Quote
“By implementing the Metacentre CORE, connecting directly to the Ingersoll Rand Xe145M controllers, and integrating the Atlas Copco VFD via DRIVE+, the customer achieved what OEM systems could not – a unified, efficient, and fully transparent compressed air system.”