In our daily sales work, we have noticed that some of air compressor users don't really understand how to choose the right compressor specially if they are only responsible for purchase and finance departments.
So, we decided to start a course to help all friends, so if you are a RockyAir client or not, you are all welcome to ask us anytime if you have any question about Air Compressors.
E-mail:anna@rockymachinery.com
Today, we will start with the basics; Capacity and pressure
Pressure and capacity are the two main specifications to look for when buying an air compressor;
- Pressure is expressed in bar or PSI (pounds per square inch).
- Capacity is expressed in CFM (cubic feet per minute), liters per second or cubic meters per hour/minute.
Remember: pressure is ‘how strong’, capacity is ‘how much’.
- What’s the difference between a very small and a very large compressor? It’s not the pressure, it’s the capacity.
What pressure do I need?
Most compressed air equipment is designed to operate at around 7 to 10 bar,For this reason, most people only need a compressor with a maximum pressure of 10 bar,For some applications, an higher pressure is needed, like 15 or 30 bar. Sometimes even up to 200 – 300 bar or more (scuba diving and paintball for example).
How much pressure do YOU need?
Look at the tools or machines you use, it should state the required minimum pressure but to be sure check the specs or ask the manufacturer.
What size/capacity (CFM/m3*min) do I need?
Capacity is the amount of air that the compressor can pump out. It is expressed in CFM (cubic feet per minute).
How much capacity do you need?
Add up the requirements for all the air tools and machines that you have.
This is is the maximum capacity that your equipment requires together.