Air Compressor Oil Filtration: Preserving Air Quality and Prolonging Equipment Life
August 7, 2024
Reducing Compressed Air Demand
August 21, 2024Best Air Compressor for Trucks and Transportation
Kaishan USA | August 14, 2024| Uncategorized
A variety of automotive applications need high-quality compressed air.
Although we don’t technically make air compressors for trucks, our products support the trucking industry in virtually every kind of truck repair shop or service area.
In addition, you’ll find our rotary screw air compressors throughout the broader transportation industry, including the automotive industry, aerospace manufacturing, and the railway industry.
Most observers wouldn’t immediately think these transportation uses require high-quality air. But they all have painting or powder coating applications where air quality is required.
And while the standards for processes like pneumatics or robotics are not as rigid as for painting, these applications are sensitive to moisture and particulates and thus need high-quality compressed air.
We’ll provide more detail on the quality story later. But first, let’s review the role of compressed air in the various industries in the transportation sector.
Quality Is Job One in the Automotive Industry
Compressed air powers many of the systems used in the automotive manufacturing process.
Compressed air powers the robotic arms that often do the heavy lifting in assembly plants, grabbing engines and transmissions and placing them on the chassis. The same goes for quarter panels, door pillars, side panels and roof pieces.
And while we think of robotics and large conveyor systems mostly going to the larger OEMs and maybe the tier one companies, you’ll find other air-driven products, like ratchet guns and torque wrenches, at almost any level in the automotive supply chain. Compressors are even used to manufacture batteries for electric vehicles (See our blog post, “Choosing the Right Air Compressors for Electric Car Battery Manufacturing.”
Meanwhile, anywhere finishes are applied, clean, high-quality air helps the OEMs, as well as aftermarket body shops and collision centers, achieve the rich, lustrous finish we all prize on our vehicles. For more information on automotive painting, read our blog post, “What Size Compressor Do I Need to Paint a Car?”
Compressed air also plays a vital role in the automotive aftermarket, especially auto repair shops and body shops.
For more information on the role of compressed air in the automotive industry, see our blog post, “Quality Is Job One in Automotive Air Compressors.”
Automotive Repair
Auto repair shops use many of the same processes automotive original equipment manufacturers use, including painting, grinding and sanding. Even pneumatic tools and lifts.
Small automotive repair and body shops often start with smaller 5 to 7.5 HP reciprocating (or piston) air compressors, primarily because they are inexpensive. However, most businesses eventually outgrow these practical workhorses for various reasons.
Larger automotive service shops ultimately trade up to rotary screw air compressors because of their reliability, energy efficiency, low noise level and low cost of ownership. Read one body shop owner’s story about outgrowing a reciprocating compressor and enjoying the relative quiet of a rotary screw air compressor. “When an Aging Compressor Goes ‘Kaboom,’ Kaishan USA Comes to The Rescue”
Almost every community in America has a collision center, body shop or car dealership that does automotive painting. That takes quality air compression far beyond the assembly plants in Detroit (and other scattered locations), making it a nationwide, bread-and-butter activity. For more information on the role of compressed air in automotive repair, see our blog post, “Industrial Compressors for Automotive Shops.”
Automotive painting applications need a steady flow of high-quality compressed air to achieve the mirror finish car owners love.
A similar division of labor occurs in the aerospace industry between major OEMs and the maintenance shops that keep fleets in operation.
Aerospace and Aviation
Like automobile manufacturing, the sprawling aviation industry has a wide range of compressed air applications.
Industrial air compressors can be found in almost every aspect of the industry, including the following:
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- In planes themselves, air compressors maintain cabin pressure levels, supply air to the cockpit and help operate environmental controls.
- In aircraft manufacturing, compressed air is used throughout the airframe assembly process as engines, wings and the fuselage are moved into place. It drives pneumatic tools like grinders, hammers and welding equipment and provides pressurized air for sandblasting and finishing.
- In testing, industrial air compressors power the simulators that subject engines to conditions they might encounter in flight. In addition, avionics bench testing equipment often relies on compressed air.
- In aircraft hangars coast to coast, compressors are involved in airplane and jet ground support, repair and maintenance. They power many of the same tools used in aircraft manufacturing and help transfer fuel from one location to another.
Even major aircraft manufacturers like Boeing, Airbus and Lockheed Martin use compressed air for tasks such as operating pneumatic tools, painting and structural testing.
For more information on the role of compressed air in the aviation industry, see our blog post, “How to Choose the Best Air Compressor for Optimal Aviation Operations.”
The aviation industry needs high-quality compressed air not only for sensitive electronics and engine manufacturing but also to prep and paint a plane’s exterior.
Rail Industry
We don’t usually consider railways and locomotives as an obvious application for compressed air technology.
One reason is that rail transportation is a challenging environment for air compressors and compressed air systems. The equipment is often squeezed into compact, hard-to-reach spaces. It is exposed to weather extremes, including the elements and varying temperatures. It is often subject to dirt, dust and debris. Not to mention shaking, shock and vibration. On top of that, there’s constant pressure to keep the trains running with little time for maintenance. And concerns about lifecycle costs.
But, as in many industries, you’ll find air compressors and compressed air systems “all aboard” in train and rail operations. They’re not only on the trains but also back at the station, supporting some critical functions:
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- On the train, compressors power doors, brakes, suspension systems and pantographs that stay in touch with the catenary wires above the tracks, supplying the electrical current to the train. They also are used to pressurize railway tank cars carrying oil and chemical products.
- In the station, many of the controls rely on pneumatics driven by compressed air. And it plays a key role in helping maintain rail cars.
For more information on the role of compressed air in the rail industry, see our blog post, “Compressed Air Solutions: The Core of Railways and Locomotive Operations.”
Compressed air systems play a pivotal role in railway systems on trains and back at the station.
Rotary Screw Air Compressors—the Best Choice
Because of their reliability, efficiency and long life, rotary screw air compressors are the industrial air compressors of choice for the vast majority of these transportation applications. Even manufacturers or major fleet operations with thousands of employees sometimes select rotary screw machines because their facilities are too large to make centralized units practical.
In addition, rotary screw air compressors are known for producing steady streams of high-quality compressed air and handling large-capacity loads. And they are backed by the industry’s best warranties—Kaishan’s KRSP and KRSP2 premium rotary screw air compressors are backed by a lifetime warranty on the airend.
Kaishan’s KRSP and KRSP2 screw compressors are backed by an unmatched lifetime airend warranty.
Quality Is Paramount
As mentioned, some transportation applications choose to use oil-free compressors like the Kaishan KROF oil-free rotary screw air compressor.
Kaishan KROF: Changing the Rules of the Oil-Free Game
Kaishan’s new oil-free compressor, the KROF, sets new standards for reliability, efficiency and warranty protection, producing ISO 8573-1, Class 0 oil-free compressed air. It is available in 100-, 125- and 150-PSIG models with integrated air or water cooling.
The KROF has robust features that make it the best choice for demanding oil-free operation:
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- Two intermeshing PTFE-coated rotors machined to micron precision.
- Oversized stainless-steel precoolers on each stage that lower temperatures for both intercoolers and aftercoolers.
- Integrated lubrication passages between stages to ensure proper lubrication and reduce leak points, service requirements and lifetime costs.
- Bearings that eliminate the need for an outdated balance piston and require no maintenance to achieve proper thrust loading.
- An inlet valve featuring closed-system hydraulics to guarantee sealing and prevent contamination.
- Oversized moisture separators equipped with reliable, zero-loss drains that prevent moisture from passing between stages and handle contamination better than traditional, orifice-style drains.
- A dual-centrifugal fan to reduce noise.
With precise engineering and high-quality output, the KROF rotary screw air compressor is a reliable workhorse you can count on to drive productivity for the long haul.
Best of all, it is the only oil-free compressor designed, engineered and manufactured in the U.S. for a global market. It is manufactured at our state-of-the-art 65,000-square-foot plant in Loxley, AL (currently being expanded to 130,000 square feet).
Industry-Leading Warranty
Because it’s so reliable and durable, Kaishan backs the KROF with an industry-leading five-year warranty on major components, including the airend.
Kaishan’s new KROF two-stage oil-free compressor is an excellent choice when you need uncontaminated, highly efficient, reliable air.
Local Help
No matter what part of the transportation industry you’re in, Kaishan can help you find the right air compressor for your application. Kaishan USA works with a nationwide network of independent distributors, who can provide on-site help and consultation as needed. These factory-trained air compression experts can service your air compressor system without a problem. And they have staff members who are skilled in advanced technology. Learn all the benefits of working with your local distributor in our white paper, “The Top 25 Reasons an Independent Air Compressor Distributor Enhances Compressed Air Performance.”
Key Takeaways
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- Rotary screw air compressors throughout the broader transportation industry, including the automotive industry, aerospace manufacturing, and the railway industry.
- Compressed air powers many critical functions in the automotive industry, including the robotic arms that often do the heavy lifting in assembly plants.
- Industrial air compressors are used in almost every aspect of the aviation industry, including in planes themselves, as well as in aircraft manufacturing, testing and maintenance.
- Air compressors and compressed air systems are “all aboard” in train and rail operations, not only on the trains themselves, but also back at the station, supporting some critical functions.
- To get the quality they need, some transportation applications choose to use oil-free compressors like the Kaishan KROF oil-free rotary screw air compressor.
Let Us Help
Having the right air compressor for your application is essential in any industry, but especially in transportation applications. If you need help determining the right compressor for your application, get in touch with the experts at Kaishan. Contact us today.
