- Author
- Byron Raal, CAS Founder-Editor About the author
- Date last checked
- 10 September 2026
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A manufacturing compressed air system should be specified from the work it must do: required flow, pressure at the machines, air quality, operating pattern and the consequences of an interruption. There is no single compressor size, pressure or purity class that suits every Australian factory.
This guide helps plant managers, maintenance teams and procurement staff prepare a brief and compare proposals. It covers the compressor, treatment, storage, distribution and controls as one system. For the broader layout, see the compressed air systems guide.
What size and architecture does the plant need?
Start with a representative record of production and air demand. Include each shift, changeovers, cleaning, idle periods and unusual peak events. Choose the logging interval with the assessor so it captures the events that matter; a one-minute average can hide a short pressure collapse. Record where each instrument measures and the flow units and reference conditions.
The Australian Government’s compressed air guidance recommends measuring system performance and reducing unnecessary demand before investing in replacement capacity. A motor’s rated kW alone does not establish delivered airflow or annual electricity consumption.
| Operating situation | Record | Ask the supplier to demonstrate |
|---|---|---|
| Normal production | Sustained flow, simultaneous machines, hours and pressure at critical users | Required output and package input power at the specified conditions |
| Short peaks | Extra flow, event duration, repetition and lowest acceptable pressure | Response, storage contribution and recovery before the next event |
| Low demand or idle | Essential overnight uses, leakage observations and operating states | Unloaded, minimum-flow, shutdown and restart behaviour |
| Maintenance or failure | Loads that must continue, acceptable interruption and restart sequence | Capacity and treatment available with the selected component unavailable |
| Future production | Named new equipment, timing, likelihood and expected simultaneous use | A staged expansion option with each assumption identified |
Use the sizing guide and demand-planning calculator to organise estimates when measurements are incomplete. Keep estimates labelled. Replace a generic growth percentage with a stated expansion scenario, and ask for the cost of adding capacity later.
Compare central supply, local supply and backup
A central compressor room can consolidate servicing and treatment. Local supply can separate a distant work cell or a process with different pressure, quality or operating hours. Compare actual pipe routes, ventilation, noise, access, electrical work, maintenance and annual operating cost. There is no plant-wide airflow threshold that automatically makes one arrangement cheaper.
A ring main gives air more than one route to a take-off, but the layout still needs a pressure-drop calculation for the expected flow. Long branches, restrictive fittings, filters and point-of-use connections need attention too. Specify an acceptable pressure at each critical machine under the agreed simultaneous load; do not choose a layout from the number of outlets alone.
Define what backup must keep running
Instead of writing only “N+1”, describe the failure case. If one compressor is unavailable, must the remaining system support the whole factory, essential production or a safe shutdown? Include the dryer, drains, isolation points, controls, electrical supply and distribution in that review. An extra compressor does not remove every single point of failure.
Ask the designer to document the capacity calculation and a safe commissioning test. Price planned maintenance access, temporary-air connections and expected repair support alongside any permanent standby equipment.
Choose the package and controls together
Rotary screw compressors are one option for sustained industrial duty. Confirm the exact model’s permitted operating conditions and compare it with alternatives that meet the same brief. Avoid choosing by motor rating, technology label or a general claim that larger machines are more efficient.
For each proposed package, request delivered flow and electrical input at the required pressure, plus performance across the expected operating range. CAGI data sheets and performance verification provide a common reporting framework for participating equipment. Check the exact model, test basis and whether the stated power includes the complete package and relevant auxiliaries.
A variable speed drive can help a suitable package follow changing demand. Compare its minimum stable output, behaviour below that level and part-load input power with the alternative. For multiple compressors, request a sequence that covers base, trim and standby operation without unnecessary unloaded running. The DOE’s control strategy guidance treats controls, storage and demand as connected decisions.
An air receiver can support temporary demand, but it cannot supply a sustained flow deficit indefinitely. Its useful capacity depends on the allowed pressure change and the rest of the system. Ask for event duration, recovery and treatment capacity to be included in the selection. See the DOE’s storage guidance.
Obtain the exact maintenance schedule, consumables, warranty conditions and local parts support. The maintenance guide can help organise questions; it does not replace the offered model’s manual.
Specify air quality at the point of use
ISO 8573-1:2010 classifies compressed air contaminants, including particles, water and oil. The classification does not itself select a suitable class for every machine or product. Obtain requirements from the equipment manufacturer and the person responsible for process quality.
Write down the required limits, measurement location, operating conditions and acceptance test. Identify any additional contamination risks relevant to the process. A compressor described as oil-free does not, by itself, prove the quality of air delivered through the whole installation.
Compare shared treatment with separately treated process branches. Include pressure loss, dryer operating limits, condensate handling and maintenance in the proposal. Do not assume that all food, paint or instrument applications require the same class. Our classification guide, food processing guide and automotive guide provide further reading; the process specification remains essential.
Calculate operating cost from measured input
Estimate annual electricity by adding package input power multiplied by time in each operating state. Include separately powered treatment and auxiliaries as appropriate. Apply the site’s actual electricity contract, including relevant demand charges, rather than assuming one national tariff.
| Assumed state | Average electrical input | Annual hours | Energy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Production | 60 kW | 4,000 h | 240,000 kWh |
| Reduced demand | 30 kW | 1,000 h | 30,000 kWh |
| Unloaded running | 15 kW | 500 h | 7,500 kWh |
| Total modelled operation | — | 5,500 h | 277,500 kWh |
At an invented energy-only rate of A$0.30/kWh, this example costs A$83,250 a year. It excludes other hours, separate auxiliaries, demand charges and non-energy costs. It is not the annual cost of a compressor merely because its nameplate says 75 kW.
Prioritise measured losses
Record leaks, inappropriate air uses, avoidable idle operation and pressure restrictions before selecting an upgrade. Arrange safe repairs and compare performance under equivalent production conditions afterwards. A leak survey’s estimated airflow is not automatically the electricity saved: the compressor controls must respond to the reduced demand.
Set pressure from the critical users’ requirements and measured system losses. Test any proposed reduction through the site’s change process, checking process performance and safe operation. Do not apply a universal extra-pressure margin or promise a fixed saving for every pressure reduction. The leak cost calculator provides estimates from stated assumptions; the leak detection guide and energy assessment guide help organise further investigation.
Match recoverable heat to a useful demand
Compressor heat can sometimes be used for water or space heating. Assess available temperature, timing and useful heat demand, then include heat exchangers, controls, pumps or fans, maintenance and backup cooling in the proposal. The Australian Government’s waste heat recovery guide explains the assessment. Use the heat recovery calculator for an explicitly assumed scenario; obtain a supplier design before relying on the result.
Compare alternatives over the same study period: purchase, installation, energy, maintenance, downtime assumptions and residual value. Check grants and incentives separately for current eligibility before including any support in the business case. No saving percentage, payback period or funding entitlement is assumed here.
Confirm pressure equipment and site requirements
Ask the supplier and appropriate competent people to identify the requirements for the exact equipment, installation and jurisdiction. Keep pressure-equipment classification, design registration, item registration, inspection and routine maintenance as separate questions. A hazard level alone is not a complete national registration or inspection decision.
For example, NSW’s item registration guidance includes hazard-level A, B and C boilers and pressure vessels with exceptions. Queensland’s guidance also lists exclusions, including serially produced vessels. Victoria identifies pressure equipment design registration under its own rules. Confirm the applicable obligations and any exclusions before use.
Request the vessel identification, design documents, applicable standards and editions, registration evidence where required, inspection arrangements and operating limits. Have the relevant people address piping, electrical installation, machinery hazards, isolation and commissioning as well. Use the registration guide and NSW guide to organise questions, and verify the answer against the current regulator requirements. Standards are available through Standards Australia.
What a useful supplier proposal should answer
Ask each bidder to respond to the same demand record and acceptance conditions. Request a clear equipment schedule, exclusions, installation scope, commissioning method and ongoing support. Identify which assumptions still need a site visit or measurement, who will resolve them and how they affect the price.
For a repair-versus-replacement decision, compare documented repair scope and remaining support with a correctly sized replacement. Include expected operating cost and downtime; avoid a universal age, repair-cost percentage or specific-power threshold as the sole decision rule.
Further primary guidance is available from the US Department of Energy compressed air programme and Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity.
Need Help Specifying Compressed Air for Manufacturing?
Tell us about your production processes, air demand, and quality requirements. We can review your brief and discuss a suitable Australian provider if one is available. We ask for your written permission before an introduction and explain any referral payment arrangement. There is no cost to enquire.
Describe your manufacturing requirement
What to send us: compressor make and rated kW, operating hours, demand profile, state and suburb, and the air quality requirements set by your process owner. Include what is prompting the enquiry, such as a new fitout, energy assessment, capacity bottleneck or redundancy planning. We can review your brief and discuss a suitable Australian provider if one is available. We ask for your written permission before an introduction and explain any referral payment arrangement. There is no cost to enquire.
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Frequently asked questions
What ISO 8573-1 class do general industrial machine tools need?
Obtain the required air quality from the machine manufacturer and the person responsible for process quality. ISO 8573-1 classifies contaminants; it does not establish one default class for every manufacturing application. Specify the limits, measurement location, operating conditions and acceptance test. An oil-free compressor label alone does not establish delivered air quality.
What pressure should I run my manufacturing compressor at?
Set pressure from the critical machines’ requirements and measured losses through treatment, piping and point-of-use equipment. Investigate restrictions before raising the whole system pressure. Have the responsible people assess and safely test any proposed change across relevant production conditions. There is no universal extra-pressure margin or guaranteed saving per unit of pressure reduction.
What’s the order of operations to lift compressed-air energy efficiency in manufacturing?
Measure the current system and production pattern, identify unnecessary use, leaks and restrictions, then compare improvements to controls, pressure, treatment and capacity. Recheck demand after repairs before buying replacement equipment. Verify savings against comparable operating conditions. The assessment scope and project economics are site-specific; no fixed saving or payback is assumed.
How much compressed air does a typical manufacturing plant leak?
A general percentage cannot establish leakage at your plant. Arrange a survey or suitable measurement method, distinguish leakage from legitimate non-production uses, and document the operating pressure and assumptions. After safe repairs, verify reduced demand and actual package energy response. An orifice-size estimate alone is not a measured annual electricity saving.
When should I replace my industrial compressor instead of repairing it?
Compare the documented repair scope, condition, remaining parts support and expected downtime with an installation that meets the current demand and quality brief. Use comparable energy, maintenance and installation costs over the same study period. A machine age, repair-cost percentage or generic specific-power threshold alone does not decide whether replacement is worthwhile.
Discuss Your Manufacturing Air Requirement
Describe your manufacturing facility and compressed air requirements. We can review your brief and discuss a suitable Australian provider if one is available. We ask for your written permission before an introduction and explain any referral payment arrangement. There is no cost to enquire.