A Guide to Industrial Applications for Compressed Air Systems

How is compressed air used in industry? These versatile machines turn ambient air into energy that is used to operate pneumatic tools and equipment in numerous sectors, ranging from general manufacturing to food and beverage processing to automotive repair and assembly to mining. No matter what industry you’re in, you can be sure there’s a compressed air system at work and that it helps drive productivity, efficiency, and innovation.

This guide will walk you through a variety of applications in each industrial sector so you can better understand how to leverage air compressors in your own operation.

Why Your Application Depends on an Industrial Air Compressor

Often called the fourth utility, air compressors take in ambient air, apply pressure to convert the air into energy that is then stored for use until it is needed to drive pneumatic equipment or perform other tasks around the facility.

For industrial applications, the use of an industrial-grade air compressor is essential and should not be confused with commercial or consumer compressors. Choosing the type of air compressor that is best suited to your application is critical to the success of the operation.

Here’s a quick rundown of the various equipment grades:

•  Industrial air compressors are built to provide durability and continuous operation in demanding manufacturing and production environments.
• Commercial air compressors provide a lower output than industrial models, but are still durable and offer enough power to drive operations in industries such as construction, automotive repair, and power-cleaning services.
• Consumer-grade air compressors are designed for intermittent use and offer lower power outputs – usually below 7.5 horsepower, making them suitable for operating small tools or completing tasks such as inflating tires.

Common Uses for Air Compressors by Sector

Air compressors are the heart of many industrial operations because they generate the pressurized air needed to power pneumatic tools, drive automated equipment, move pneumatic conveyors, and perform dozens of other tasks. They are vital in just about every industry, as you can see by exploring some of the most common applications, sector-by-sector, as detailed below.

Manufacturing

• Powering air-operated equipment: Compressed air is used to drive a range of pneumatic tools and equipment in the manufacturing industry, including air-operated drills, impact wrenches, and sanders; industrial robots; and material handling equipment and conveyors.
• Blasting, finishing, and painting: Dry, contaminant-free compressed air is essential in blasting, surface prep, and other finishing applications. In paint booths, very pure compressed air is needed to atomize paint to provide a smooth, even coating, which ensures high-quality finishes.
• Clamping and stamping: Compressed air is used to generate and maintain clamping force to secure workpieces for assembly, welding, and other operations. In pneumatic stamping machines, compressed air provides the force needed to press or stamp a variety of materials, including metals and plastics.

Food and Beverage

In the food and beverage industry, clean, dry, high-purity, oil-free compressed air must be used to prevent contamination and ensure food safety. ISO Class 0 air generated by an oil-free air compressor is often required in food and beverage processing applications, such as:

• Product handling: Compressed air is used to move food products through the facility and along production lines.
• Cutting, peeling, dicing, and food prep: Industrial automation that performs cutting and dicing, peeling, and mixing tasks is likely driven by clean, dry compressed air.
• Bottling, filling, and packaging: Pure compressed air is used to fill and seal containers, bottles, and packages for consumer use.
• Nitrogen generation: Compressed air is used with nitrogen generators to provide food-grade nitrogen for packaging to extend shelf life of perishable products.

Automotive Industry

• Assembly line tools: Pneumatic tools and equipment, such as impact wrenches, drills, and sanders, are powered by compressed air to increase efficiency and quality on the assembly line.
• Painting and finishing: Very pure air is needed to apply high-quality paint jobs to vehicles on automotive assembly lines and in repair/body shops.
•  Tire inflation: In automotive assembly and repair shops, compressed air is needed to inflate vehicle tires.

Medical Device and Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Because these products treat patients, compressed air used for medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturing must be free of oil and other contaminants and must meet stringent standards. Use of oil-free compressed air a requirement in these applications.

• Cleaning, sterilizing, and transporting: In addition to driving pneumatic conveyors used in material handling and transporting, pure compressed air is used for cleaning and sterilizing equipment and the production environment in these high-purity processes.
• Packaging: Pure compressed air is used to clean and dry the interior of packaging materials for pharmaceuticals and medical devices and may be used to automate packaging machinery.
• Drying, hardening, and coating: Pharmaceutical products often need to be dried or hardened before being packaged to extend shelf life. Sterile compressed air is key to this process. Pure compressed air is also used to apply smooth, even exterior coatings to tablets.

Electronics Manufacturing

Because contamination can result in faulty electronic devices, electronics manufacturing also requires oil-free air compressors and high-quality air – often to ISO Class 0 standards.

• Cleanrooms: Electronics must be manufactured in high-purity cleanrooms. Compressed air is used to maintain a dust-free environment.
• Particulate removal: Because contaminants can result in flawed and defective products, pure compressed air is used to remove dust and debris from components.
• Assembly: Compressed air may be used to drive the robotic arm’s end-of-arm tooling, which is used to place delicate components on circuit boards.

Energy and Mining Sectors

• Heavy-duty tool operation: Heavy-duty tools and equipment, such as jackhammers and drills, in these industries are powered by compressed air so they can operate in remote locations.
• Hoists: Compressed air is used to safely and reliably power the hoists that move workers in and out of mine shafts.
• Ventilation systems: Compressed air is used to flush contaminants such as dust, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and other toxins from the air in underground environments.

What NOT to Do: 3 Essential Tips for Safety and Efficiency

Because compressed air is widely used in industrial applications, it’s easy to forget that it should be used carefully to ensure safety and efficiency in your facility. Below are some tips to help you avoid common and costly compressed air mistakes.

1. Don’t neglect air quality: Compressed air that contains oil, water or particulate contaminants can spoil and reduce the integrity of products in all industries and can result in non-compliance in industries that require very pure, ISO Class 0 air quality. Dirty air can also reduce the efficiency of the system and degrade the performance of or lead to failure in downstream tools and equipment. For these reasons, it is essential to use compressed air dryers and filters to ensure compliance in industries with strict air quality requirements and to avoid equipment failure and high electricity bills in all industries.
2. Don’t ignore piping: The air distribution piping network must be sized properly, free of leaks and blockages to remain efficient. Leaks are the number one culprit in inefficient compressed air systems as they simply waste air/energy. Suspected leaks should be identified and fixed ASAP. Blockages, which are responsible for pressure drops that can make the system work harder to deliver air, decreasing efficiency and negatively impacting the performance of endpoint tools and equipment, can be avoided with routine filter changes, preventing contamination from entering the air compression system.
3. Don’t skip maintenance: Regular inspections and preventive maintenance are key to maintaining the efficiency and reliability of the compressed air system and your facility. JHFOSTER is available to assist with air audits, inspection, and maintenance.

Partner with a Compressed Air Expert

Selecting the proper grade air compressor for your application is the first step in ensuring the success of your operation. At JHFOSTER we can help evaluate the needs and requirements of your application, design a customized compressed air system, assist with integration and provide support and service for the life of the product. Ready to power your success? Request a quote so you can start operating smarter and more efficiently.