Industrial Utility Efficiency

Technology

Safe Compressed Air Drying Systems for Class I, Division 1 Environments

By Jess Elley, Product Marketing Manager, Suburban Manufacturing Group – Tsunami Compressed Air Solutions

Learn how engineers can safely remove moisture from compressed air systems in hazardous environments by eliminating ignition risks through pneumatic controls. This article explores design considerations, performance characteristics and reliability factors for regenerative desiccant dryers operating in Class I, Division 1 locations.

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The CABP Interview: Sauer Compressors USA, Inc. President, CEO and Chairman of the Board, Don Eaton

Edited by Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine 

Don Eaton, CEO of Sauer Compressors USA, discusses the company’s growth in high-pressure air compressors and industrial air and gas compression. He explores compressor technology, reliability, uptime, strategic investments and distributor training designed to improve customer support and long-term system performance.
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Understanding the ISA-7.0.01-1996 Instrument Air Standard

By Joe D’Orazio, National Sales Manager, Kaeser Compressors

This article examines the ISA-7.0.01-1996 instrument air standard and its requirements for pressure dew point, particle size, oil content and contaminants. It explains how to select and size refrigerated and desiccant compressed air dryers, filtration systems and air compressors based on operating conditions and application requirements. The article also addresses dew point optimization, compressed air demand, system redundancy, maintenance and leak management, with practical examples from food packaging, oil refining and remote industrial applications.
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Magnetic Pickups Reduce Compressed Air Demand at Automotive Plant

By Nasr Alkadi, Ph.D., CEM, CSRM, Strategic Energy Management Consultant and Coach, CLEAResult

This article focuses on a project to replace vacuum cups with spring-return magnetic pickups for handling ferrous metal parts at an automobile assembly plant in Missouri. The application is most familiar in automotive stamping and body shop operations, but the lesson applies to any plant using vacuum cups to grab steel blanks, panels, brackets or formed parts. The original equipment in this case study used vacuum cups served by venturi devices.
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OSHA-Compliant Air Guns: Safety, Performance and Industrial Cleaning

By Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine

Industrial air guns are essential for cleaning manufacturing equipment and production areas, but improper selection or misuse can create serious safety and compliance risks. This article explains OSHA Standard 1910.242(b), the engineering behind OSHA-compliant safety air guns, and how nozzle design, thrust, noise control, and operator training help facilities improve worker safety while maintaining effective industrial cleaning performance.
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Understanding Centrifugal Air Compressor Intercoolers

By the CAGI Centrifugal Compressor Section

Intercoolers play a critical role in removing heat between compression stages, directly affecting centrifugal air compressor efficiency and reliability. This article explains the fundamentals of intercooler operation, compares common heat exchanger designs and cooling methods, and explores the design tradeoffs engineers should consider when selecting intercoolers for compressed air applications.
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Safe Compressed Air Drying Systems for Class I, Division 1 Environments

By Jess Elley, Product Marketing Manager, Suburban Manufacturing Group – Tsunami Compressed Air Solutions

Learn how engineers can safely remove moisture from compressed air systems in hazardous environments by eliminating ignition risks through pneumatic controls. This article explores design considerations, performance characteristics and reliability factors for regenerative desiccant dryers operating in Class I, Division 1 locations.
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The CABP Interview: Ring Power Director of Power Systems Brian Cholmondeley and Vice President Roger Adkins

Edited by Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine 

Discover how Ring Power’s leadership philosophy, employee development programs and commitment to innovation have fueled decades of growth in the compressed air industry. Company executives share insights on building high-performing teams, fostering a competitive culture and preparing the next generation of industry leaders.
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Engineering Sales Associates Maintains Production with Preventive Maintenance

By Arthur Pue, President, Engineering Sales Associates 

Preventive maintenance is seldom newsworthy inside manufacturing facilities. By design, preventive maintenance should be a non-event. Production keeps running, shifts continue to change, trucks are reloaded and unloaded and work goes on. The reliability of a compressed air system requires focus, attention and discipline: paying attention to variables, detecting patterns and knowing when something seems amiss. Looking deeper into system performance turns routine maintenance into a strategic tool for improving reliability and production stability.
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The 2026 AICD Show Report

By Bill Smith, Regional Sales Manager, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine

The Association of Independent Compressor Distributors (AICD) held its annual trade show in Orlando, FL, in April 2026. Participating distributor members and guests enjoyed the AICD trade show, guest speakers, golf tournament and networking. “Each year, the relationships and synergies keep growing and growing. The AICD is very proud to celebrate our 40th year,” said Sal Calvo, AICD board member and Owner, Compressed AIR USA.
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2026 Compressed Air Distributor Sales Survey

By Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine 

Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine has conducted its first-ever reader survey for this 20th anniversary issue, and the results show a positive outlook for compressed air system sales in the near future.
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The CABP Interview: FS-Elliott CEO Everson De Campos on Centrifugal Air Compressor Engineering

By Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine

In this interview, FS-Elliott CEO Everson De Campos discusses the company’s strategic direction, emphasizing innovation, sustainability and advanced manufacturing in centrifugal air compressor technology. He highlights investments in global production, engineered-to-order solutions and new product development, including the Polaris platform, as well as growing demand for oil-free compressed air in critical industries. The conversation also explores lifecycle service innovations, digital monitoring approaches and the importance of workforce and channel partner training in meeting increasingly complex customer requirements.
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Morey Cuts Nitrogen Costs by $270,000 with On-Premises Generation

By Michael Dolan, Director of Sales and Marketing, South-Tek Systems

What started as a cost concern quickly exposed deeper risks tied to supply reliability, contract constraints and production downtime. Facing a tight deadline, the electronics manufacturing company executed a rapid transition to an on-site nitrogen system that reshaped how its operation is powered. The results reveal why more manufacturers are rethinking their dependence on delivered industrial gases.
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R&D Labs Shifting to N2 Generation

By Dave Henning, Sales Manager, MCE Diversified Air

This article explores how on-site nitrogen generation, using PSA and membrane technologies, enables engineers to produce nitrogen on demand with greater control over purity, flow and pressure. It also highlights real-world applications and the operational benefits of improved uptime, reduced handling risks and lower total cost of ownership.
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Leland Brewing Adopts Modular Nitrogen Generation

By Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine 

A modular nitrogen generation system integrated with compressed air infrastructure enabled on-site nitrogen production, reducing reliance on delivered CO₂ and improving process efficiency. Adjustable nitrogen purity levels (e.g., 99.99%) optimized flow rate and demand matching while maintaining product quality in brewing applications. The implementation demonstrates how scalable nitrogen generation technology can lower operating costs and support growth in small to mid-sized industrial operations.
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CAGI Releases Compressed Air Purity Guide

By Chad Larrabee, Technical Editor, Compressed Air and Gas Institute

The Compressed Air and Gas Institute has released a Compressed Air Purity Guide to help industries achieve clean, dry compressed air and improve system reliability. The guide applies ISO 8573-1 to classify contaminants such as particles, water and oil, and defines purity levels for plant, instrument and process air. It also outlines key technologies like dryers and filtration systems to ensure optimal air quality and equipment protection.
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Dishaka Strengthens Operational Efficiency with Onsite Nitrogen Generation

By Joshua Blair, Sales Engineer, Liberty Systems

A snack manufacturer, strengthened operational efficiency and product freshness by implementing onsite nitrogen generation at its Houston facility. By replacing delivered nitrogen with PSA-based systems from Liberty Systems, the company gained 24/7 supply reliability, reduced operating costs and improved sustainability performance. The investment supports scalable Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP), enhances business continuity and positions Dishaka for long-term growth in the competitive food manufacturing industry.
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Variable-Speed Rotary Screw Air Compressors, Food-Grade Oil Selection and System Audits for Food Processing Facilities

By Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine 

Through detailed plant audits, load profiling and system standardization, a regional distributor helped a multi-plant food processor optimize its compressed air infrastructure using 200 hp lubricated VSD rotary screw compressors, 10,000 gallons of storage and properly specified food-grade lubricants. By focusing on correct sizing, temperature monitoring, contamination prevention and lifecycle maintenance practices in dusty environments, the installations delivered stable operating pressures, improved energy performance and scalable capacity for continued expansion.
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Rotary Screw Booster Advances for Blow Molding

By Manoj Purohit, Product Marketing Manager (High Pressure Air/Gases), Atlas Copco Compressors

Compressed air boosters are engineered to amplify medium-pressure air (90–150 psig) to high-pressure ranges up to 435 psig (30 barg) using oil-free rotary screw technology, IE5 permanent magnet motors and advanced VSD+ drivetrains for improved turndown and energy efficiency. By combining Class 0 oil-free air quality, synchronous PM motor performance (up to 97% efficiency) and intelligent controls, next-generation booster systems deliver higher flow stability, reduced specific energy consumption and seamless integration into existing compressed air networks.
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Designer Furniture Manufacturer Reduces Compressed Air Costs by 20%

By Cynthia Kuiper, Operations Director, VPInstruments

After a sudden air compressor failure exposed hidden inefficiencies, a furniture manufacturer launched a comprehensive compressed air system audit. Using advanced flow, pressure, dew point and energy monitoring, the assessment revealed aging equipment, piping restrictions and costly air leaks across the factory. A full system upgrade combined with continuous compressed air monitoring reduced energy consumption by 20%, improved reliability and delivered a two-year payback.
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Demystifying the Myths of Centrifugal Air Compressors

By Centrifugal Compressor Section, Compressed Air and Gas Institute

Centrifugal air compressors are widely used in industrial compressed air systems, yet misconceptions remain regarding capacity control, surge behavior, and operational complexity. This article provides a technical overview of modern centrifugal compressor design, explaining how inlet guide vanes, bypass controls, and microprocessor-based algorithms enable efficient operation across varying demand while mitigating surge. It clarifies proper application and sizing considerations to help engineers and plant operators make informed equipment decisions.
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Advanced Compressor Technologies Solves Oversupply Problem

By Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine 

A Southern Indiana office furniture plant was wasting hundreds of dollars per day because its oversized VSD air compressor could not turn down low enough to match reduced demand after a shift to metal fabrication. To avoid drive faults, the plant vented compressed air to create false load. The audit revealed 300 cfm of wasted air—about $400 per day—and led to a redesigned system using a fixed-speed compressor for base load and a VSD unit for trim. The new configuration eliminated artificial demand and cut compressed air energy use in half, setting the stage for further savings through advanced sequencing, storage, and demand control.
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Lubricant Analysis Improves Air Compressor Reliability

By Dave Brockett, Senior Business Development Manager, AMSOIL Industrial

Effective lubricant analysis delivers substantial and proven ROI measured in increased productivity, oil drain intervals and equipment life. With disciplined deployment and technical oversight, lubricant analysis transforms maintenance from reactive to predictive, aligning with industry best practices and RCM principles.
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Egger Modernizes Its Compressed Air System for the ESG Era

By Graham Coats, Director of Strategic Product and Business Development, CMC

Wood-based materials manufacturing plant transformed its compressed air system from an invisible utility into a data-driven energy asset by deploying a modern, multi-zone monitoring and control platform. The upgrade delivered real-time transparency, ISO 50001- and ESG-ready reporting, and verified annual savings of 1.43 GWh, $166,500 and 889 tons of CO2.
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Best Practices 2025 EXPO & Conference Show Report

By Troy Dreier, Senior Editor and Brooke Jones, Digital Content Editor, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine 

The Best Practices 2025 EXPO & Conference was the busiest one yet, with 89 presentations, 84 exhibitors and nearly 1,000 registered attendees. It included two conference tracks, five workshops and five EXPO classroom pavilions. The event was so big, we’re splitting our show report into three reports to capture all the activity.
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Hitachi Celebrates 60 Years of Sullair Air Compressors

By Roderick Smith, Publisher, and Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine

In this article: We sat down with Hideki Fujimoto, President and CEO of Hitachi Global Air Power Timeline: Major Moments from Sullair’s 60-Year Journey A Picnic 60 Years in the Making Manufacturing in the Midwest: A Conversation with Andy Fayyad
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