Welcome to the Industrial Air Blog

This year we’ve had the chance to work on a range of different compressed air projects across New Zealand ranging from small to large, and unique to truly spectacular. So whether you’re keen to take a look at what we’ve worked on this year, or perhaps you’re looking for ideas for a new compressed air set up for your workshop or factory, we’ve got it covered!

We asked the team here at Industrial Air Systems to share their favourite projects of the year. From air receivers for a winery in Blenheim, to an enclosed compressor system for a chocolate cafe, there are a number of really interesting projects that really stood out to the team!

As we all know, energy is an important part of our day-to-day lives in New Zealand. Energy is needed to power the devices in our homes, heat our workplaces, and transport us where we need to go – whether that be across the country or down the road. Our energy consumption as a country is 589PJs or 0.15% of the world’s total annual consumption – while that may seem small in comparison, the effects can have long-term consequences.

An air receiver or ‘compressed air tank’ as it can commonly be referred to is an important part of any compressed air system as its primary purpose is to receive and store compressed air after it exits the air compressor. This gives you a reserve of compressed air that can be used without running your air compressor, and it also helps to minimise unstable peaks in compressed air pressure which is vital to the efficient running of an air compressor system.

Whether you need an air compressor for a small workshop or perhaps you require a more advanced system for a manufacturing operation, there are now many different types and sizes of air compressor at your disposal. As technology has advanced so too has the technology that powers air compressors – there’s no longer a ‘one size fits all’. The type of air compressor that you choose for your business will be determined by a number of factors and it’s not as easy anymore as simply deciding between a rotary screw or a piston air compressor.

Whether you run a workshop or a food manufacturing operation, there are now such a vast range of air compressors available that it can be hard to decide just which air compressor is right for you and the job at hand. One of the options to consider when you go to purchase a new air compressor is whether you should choose an oil-lubricated air compressor or an oil-free air compressor.

Beer has long been the drink of choice for many Kiwis over the years and this popularity only continues to increase with the rise of craft beer. While popping down to your local shops to pick up a beer or two is simple enough, the process behind producing beer is actually quite complex. Large steel tanks are used nowadays to produce high volumes of beer and high-tech automated systems are used to keep the whole operation ticking along in the background.

These types of systems for beer production can come with an expensive price tag however, recent advancements in technology which include the use of on-site nitrogen generation have seen brewers save impressive amounts of money throughout the brewing process.

Compressed air piping is essential for your compressed air system to operate – without compressed air piping, there’s no way for compressed air to get to where it needs to. Piping that’s inefficient for the job at hand or faulty could result in lost pressure, contamination and wasted power so it’s important to make sure that the piping you’re using is suitable for your factory or plant.

If you’re needing to install a new compressed air system or perhaps overhaul what you already have then it’s important to make sure that all components of your compressed air system are in correct working order – and that includes the piping that you use!

There are now so many different types of air compressor on the market that it can be hard to decide which compressor will work best for your requirements. Popular types of air compressor available include the rotary screw compressor, and the piston compressor. Both have their own particular uses and benefits, but what’s the difference?

To help you decide whether you need a rotary screw compressor or a piston compressor, we’ve outlined some of the main differences and benefits below! Read on to find out more.

No matter what industry you work in, it’s always important to have a clean and hygienic space to work in. With the rise of viruses like COVID-19 and the flu-season almost upon us now can be a good time to evaluate the cleaning processes you have in place, and whether you need to invest in a more robust commercial option to keep your workplace clean and free from germs and contaminants.

Maintaining the efficiency of a compressed air system is a constant battle, with leaks, lost efficiency, oil or water ingress and increasing power bills being a considerable source of the problem. 

Compressed air systems consume 10% to 15% of all industrial electricity. And yet, compressed air is an inefficient form of energy – 90% of the input energy used is discharged as waste heat. This is not only costly from a sustainability standpoint – wasting energy means wasting money. Over a 10-year period, electricity costs make up 76% of a factory’s operating costs. In many cases, the electricity used by a compressed air system in a factory makes up the largest percentage of an increasingly expensive electricity bill.