The Piston Compressors for Finishing Shop

Compressor is important equipment in the furniture industry. Compressor is an engine to generate the compressed air, which is needed as the power to run the machines and tools in the furniture industry. Most of the tools and equipment in the furniture manufacturer uses compressed air to minimize the fire risk. In the furniture factory, there is a lot of dry furniture and dry wood, the materials that are used as fuel. The electric power in the furniture factory should be minimized. Any sparks from the electricity will easily generate fire and lead to a big disaster. 

The air pressure  is also used as main power in the finishing room. The finishing room is the place off finishing materials, which are more inflammable than wood. The compressors is also needed to generate the compressed air that is used to run the finishing equipment, such as the spray gun, air gun, sanding machine, etc.

Piston compressor.

According to how it works, compressors can be categorized into 2 types: piston compressors and screw compressors. The piston compressor is a compressor that uses a piston to compress the air. While the screw compressor is using moving screws to compress the air.  In the piston compressor, a piston moves back and forth to suck the air from the intake and press the air into an air tank. In the tank, the compressed air is stored and distributed to run the machine or equipment needed. The piston is run by a crankshaft that is driven by either an electric or gas motor. The gas motor is usually available for the small-capacity compressor. The volume of the tank is designed according to the compressor capacity. The bigger capacity compressor needs a bigger volume air tank. The automatic switch is commonly equipped with the electric compressor. When the pressure in the tank drops to a certain level, the automatically switches on to connect the electricity to make the compressor work; conversely, when the air pressure in the tank rises to a certain level, the switch automatically switches off to make the compressor stop.
The piston compressor is compact equipment, inexpensive, portable, and a relatively simple machine. The piston compressor is available in various sizes. But the piston cannot generate the big volume of air pressure. 

 Things to consider when installing the compressor

• The piston compressor is more suitable to supply the compressed air in small volume.

Although this tool is also available in large sizes, generally the piston compressor has lower efficiency compared with the screw compressor. To generate the big volume and high pressure air, the screw compressor has better efficiency, but it is a more complex machine and expensive even in small size. The piston compressor is quite a simple machine, less expensive, and more portable. The piston compressors are more suitable for providing the compressed air in relatively small volume and for mobile jobs. The piston compressor is a good option for a finishing shop that needs small-volume compressed air.

But if the compressed air needed is continuously in large quantities, such as in a furniture manufacturing plant or woodworking factory, then we should consider using the screw compressor.

• Do a proper maintenance.

This tool is a mechanical device that uses a motor to generate compressed air. This device needs routine maintenance. It has some moving parts that need lubrication.  The lubricant oil must be replaced every certain period of time. Regular maintenance should be scheduled to keep the machine working properly and long-lasting.

• Choose the compressor capacity according to the air volume needed.

The air volume needed in every industry depends on the volume of work. The compressor is a relatively expensive machine, and it has an economic working time. He also requires electricity or gasoline to run it. The bigger machine will consume more energy resources. Therefore, the compressor capacity should according to the volume of compressed air needed. Do a simple  calculation to find the compress air volume we need, then find the proper compressor size. See the compressor calculation for wood furniture finishing. The compressor with too little capacity will disrupt the work, while the compressor with too much capacity will waste money since of the electricity power and the high initial price.

• Place the compressor in a room separately from the working room.

The finishing room is a place with high fire risk. Any heat and flames should be kept away from this room. A compressor will generate heat when it runs. It will also consume the fresh air. Then he needs good air circulation. To reduce the pressure drop, we need to place the compressor near the finishing room and woodworking room, but it must be placed separately. We can build a shielded room with good air circulation and the electric panel to install the compressor.