Compressed Air has many uses and is vital to the success of a lot of industries, whether it be used in-house or a product earlier in the supply chain. Air is considered the 4th utility and that often gets overlooked by the general population. Something that is so prevalent is often disregarded both in usage and care of this utility. Most people don’t even know that Air is considered the 4th utility, let alone the applications where it is a necessity.
Take a look around you and make note of what is sitting around you. Do you have a plastic bottle? Perhaps your medication is nearby or you took it this morning using that same water bottle. No matter your location or what you are doing the results of using compressed air can be found around you.
Uses of compressed air can vary depending on the product and the industry that it is in. A paint and body shop needs air to help spray paint onto their cars, while another plant may be using compressed air to expand plastic, and a third may be using compressed air to simply move products through the facility. Air can be used for a wide array of applications and each application might use air in a different manner.
We briefly mentioned some of the versatile uses of compressed air, but the real question is how real people use it. In what ways is it benefitting these individuals? With the variety of uses available, it would take ages to talk about all of the potential uses of compressed air. Rather than that, let’s dive into some of the most common uses of compressed air.
When it comes to home use of compressed air, everything from small hand-held machines to larger 60-gallon tank-mounted machines can be used. Whether it be for leisure or getting work done around the house, compressed air is used by many in their day-to-day lives. Some of these compressed air uses are:
Although these air pumps may be simple looking and some even require manual effort to move the air, compressed air plays a large part whenever you need to inflate something. A list of common inflatables are:
Now pressure washing may seem confusing as it sprays out pressurized water. The thing is something has to pressurize the water coming in from the hose/tank so that the water can be sprayed out and used to clean off other surfaces. Pressure washers are most often used for cleaning outdoor areas of properties. Removing dirt and chemicals from siding, bricks, and decks makes the pressure washer a valuable commodity.
When it comes to woodworking, compressed air benefits everyone from the most seasoned veterans to woodworking hobbyists. Pneumatic tools like nail guns run on compressed air and that air-powered equipment allows them to make more with less work. Air also works to help remove imperfections in the wood, help sand down the wood, and for continuous work on a median.
When it comes to painting, compressed air is the key to efficiency. By using compressed air, the paint can be sprayed evenly over a wide area or if detail work needs to be done it can power an airbrush.
Whether it be in the garage, basement, or yard, you can benefit from using compressed air around the house. Air-blow guns can help with cleanup, or making a leaf pile for the kids to play in. It can also help you spread weed killer over large areas of your lawn without having to move.
When it comes to your home there are many different applications for compressed air. Although it may not be a necessity like in industrial applications, compressed air can help make your life at home just a little bit simpler and make some menial tasks a little bit more exciting. It’s extremely important to remember that compressed air needs to be used responsibly. If used incorrectly it can cause irreparable damage to you or someone around you.
When it comes to small businesses, uses of compressed air are typically a power source for power equipment and tools used during the production process. These groups use commercial air compressors rather than consumer or industrial ones. So in short, these machines are bigger than the traditional handheld air compressors you might find at Home Depot, but not as big as the machines in an industrial air compressor room.
Small businesses can be dependent on air compressors for their individual success. Most of these businesses use pneumatic tools and air compressors are needed to power those tools. Pneumatic tools provide them lighter and safer options in comparison to electric tools. These tools won’t overheat like electrical versions do after long use. This allows them to use the tools for longer without worrying about potential accidents happening with their tools.
Some of the most common applications of commercial compressors include:
Keep in mind that these are only some of the applications in which compressed air can be used and there are many other applications for commercial air compressors. Many individuals have even set up commercial-sized air compressors in their own homes.
When it comes to industrial demands, some industries have no choice but to rely on compressed air. Unlike electricity, the only place of excess heat in air compression is at the site of compression. Released heat is often reintroduced at a different location to help improve energy efficiency. Removing heat makes the downstream use of air much safer. No risk of overheating and potentially causing a reaction between heat and explosive materials.
The demand for compressed air has constantly been on the rise and due to this technology has followed suit and introduced different technologies like the rotary screw compressor and even more recently the variable speed drive that makes these machines, even more, energy efficient. This has allowed the uses of compressed air to expand as they were able to do more with the same machine,
Industrial uses of compressed air are much larger and typically have more components in their air system than a mom-and-pop shop might have. These shops have what they need to get a small job done, but when the requirements are much steeper like an industrial application where it needs to power the whole facility and the individual components downstream. These industrial uses of compressed air can vary from agriculture and farming to pharmaceuticals.
Some of these uses of compressed air include:
Compressed air is the central power source for a lot of manufacturers, especially those working with plastics, metal, assembly, or refineries. These businesses are reliant on production and without compressed air, there is no production. Compressed air is responsible for:
When it comes to farming, compressed air makes potentially difficult tasks easier. Providing long-term performance benefits alongside a low cost of ownership. Agriculture uses compressed air to move feed and grain, ventilate greenhouses, spray crops with pesticides and nutrients, and even be used as a power source for dairy machines. Farming benefits from the use of compressed air, so just remember the next time you have something with cheese, grains, or seeds that compressed air helped make that.
Cleanliness is key when it comes to pharmaceuticals. We want our medicine to be what the label says it is and not have to worry about the quality of our medications. Highly regulated industries require equipment that is accurate and precise while performing at the highest level. These machines move products on the conveyor belts, spray the coating on pharmaceuticals, and bottle/package the products.
Now, this might be an unexpected and simultaneously obvious application of compressed air. Dry cleaning relies on a reliable supply of air to clean the items that come in and to operate machines like steamers and laundry presses. This industry is about quality and consistency and that is what compressed air grants them.
Last but not least, is the industry that affects us every day, the provider of sustenance that keeps us alive. They need clean, quality air to power their systems. These operations are consistently occurring to keep up with demand and with that, there can’t be any contamination. Compressed air is used to:
These industries and many more are extremely dependent on compressed air to be able to operate at maximum efficiency and maintain desired output. Compressed air is responsible for many different components of our daily lives, it also makes the production process much easier for those involved. The uses of compressed air are continuing to be expanded upon and critiques to make sure every application is getting the most out of compressed air. The only way you can reach these expectations is when you use the best products, just like the ones we carry at Warthog.
Whether you have a current air system that needs to be updated or are looking to get your own, trust in the Atlas Copco Family of Brands. They are of the highest quality and are top-of-the-line. As they continue to push the boundaries on energy savings and technology to increase the efficiency of their machines. To get the best of the best for your personal and professional use, there is no better option than Warthog Air Compressor Store.
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