The objective of benchmarking is to allow companies to compare the energetic situation of their compressed air system with the systems of other companies and at the same time to receive feedback about the success of implemented measures. The questions answered include, e.g.

Benchmarks are used for the analysis of production plants. Benchmarks have been used for a long time as an effective instrument in corporate controlling since they compress an extensive amount of data into a comprehensible amount of key information. Benchmarks thus help management make decisions.

Companies can then see where they stand in comparison with other companies of a similar production structure. Benchmarking aims at a comparison with the best in the sector in order to become the best and to maintain that position. Continual controlling is necessary to achieve this.

Comparative indices are required for benchmarking. These can be formed from, e .g. all available plant-specific company data. The best and worst 5 % are omitted in order to remove outliers. The mean value of the sector is calculated from all the rest. All values which are better than the mean are averaged again and the mean of the best thus calculated. Four values would be available in this case for the comparison: the best, the worst, the mean and the mean of the best.

Basically only a little information is required for benchmarking compressed air systems. In order to obtain a meaningful sample, however, it is necessary that as many companies as possible participate in the benchmarking.

Within the project, a corresponding software tool for benchmarking is being developed. As well as entering the necessary company data via the internet with direct online data evaluation (depending on the availability of a reasonable sample size), data can also be collected via a written questionnaire. Fraunhofer ISI guarantees that company-related data will only be made available to third parties in an aggregated form.