Challenging economic conditions may make it difficult to justify increased spending in any area of a business, but when it comes to adopting gas manifolds for a welding or fabrication shop, the expense could be a smart move. Manifold systems offer benefits in safety, productivity, and cost that can begin paying for themselves within the first few months after installation, providing savings and a safer work environment for years to come.

At its core, a manifold enables a higher volume of gas to be available to the process or application by linking two or more cylinders of gas together. Manifolds can range from a simple two-cylinder configuration up to multiple cylinder banks with an automatic changeover system with an alarm, to ensure continuous gas supply. Let’s examine the benefits in more detail.

Safety first

Safety is always a big concern for the welding and specialty gases industries and has even served as the founding principle for many of today’s companies. By installing a manifold system and moving freestanding cylinders to a remote location away from where the actual gas use occurs, it lessens the likelihood of accidents. Additionally, having multiple cylinders in a manifold configuration reduces the amount of time and effort required for individual cylinder handling, as well as limiting the risks associated with the change out process.

There are a number of organizations and agencies that provide safety direction and guidance in the use of manifolds. Underwriters Laboratories (UL) tests products to rigorous standards to ensure public safety and confidence. The Compressed Gas Assn. (CGA) develops and promotes technical information related to safety standards and practices in the welding and gases industry. The National Fire Protection Assn. (NFPA) and local fire departments have specific guidelines that the user will need to follow when installing and operating a manifold system.

Reducing the safety risks and being compliant with the published guidelines of these organizations can lead to significant financial benefit as well. The opportunity exists for lower insurance costs for the end user, depending on the size of the operation and the gases in use, so they should check with their insurance provider.

Who doesn’t like productivity?

The second major advantage to a manifold system is the increase in productivity it can provide, which obviously has cost implications as well. There are many applications and processes that require a consistent and uninterrupted flow of gas to ensure maximum productivity and performance. Using individual cylinders leads to frequent changeouts and potential costly downtime. A study done by Thermadyne found that it takes the average worker 45 minutes to change a tank because of the various steps involved. Depending on the size of the business, this can lead to dozens of hours of lost labor each month.

A manifold system, even a simple manual type, can reduce lost hours significantly. There will still be times when the empty tanks need to be replaced, but having them in a manifold system will require less frequent changes, and at times that could be more convenient, preventing interruption in jobs.

Additionally, a manifold system’s speed of delivery can help the performance of the downstream equipment, thus increasing overall productivity. Many manifolds have a flow rate of up to 3,000 SCFH of air at 70 degrees F, and an adjustable delivery pressure ranging from 0 to 200 PSIG (oxygen, inert gasses, CO2 and N2O), which is more than adequate for most applications.

More opportunities

There are additional cost-saving opportunities besides just those that fall under the category of safety and productivity. A manifold system will draw uniformly out of multiple tanks, thus utilizing the gas in each tank more effectively. This cuts down on the variability in gas use that can occur with multiple individual cylinders. The exact amount of efficiency gained depends on several factors, such as the type of gas being used, but the possibility exists to cut down on the number of tanks needed by as much as 30%.

This increased usage consistency also makes it easier to manage inventory and enables the user to avoid overspending on unnecessary tanks. As much as $100 a month can be saved on rental and demurrage costs related to gas tanks alone.

Of course better cylinder inventory management results in more effective use of space in a facility, such as freeing up room for more weld stations. Depending on the facility, it may even be possible to cutback on the amount of leased space needed.

A manifold system can provide a wide range of savings, depending on factors such as facility size and the types of gases used. On average, a 20-cylinder system with eight stations would cost around $12,000 for parts and installation. That same system can produce around $900 of savings per month when you combine the total savings from insurance, wasted gas and labor. Systems can be installed for as few as two tanks, but can also serve 20 tanks or more.

Regardless of the size of the welding facility, the advantages make it worth the time to consider the installation of a manifold system.

Alex Stem is a senior product manager specializing in gas regulation for the Global Cutting Products Group of Thermadyne Holding Corp. Contact him at astem@thermadyne.com.