When manufacturing electronics, clean instrument air is needed. This ensures no quality issues arise like rust or corrosion. To achieve optimal conditions, you'll want an oil-free compressor capable of generating dry air. It's also good to invest in equipment that's versatile and can be used for various steps in electronics production.
A machine that meets these needs is an oil-free scroll compressor. It can be used for cleanroom environments, precision assembly, circuit board etching, and for preventing moisture and corrosion. In addition, having the right dryer is vital for high-purity air. A complete setup is needed to ensure no dust, debris, or other particles enter delicate electronic components.
Whether you're etching patterns on circuit boards or powering tools used on assembly lines, you'll want precision and control over the compressed air needed. An all-in-one solution is the Atlas Copco SF+ scroll compressor series. Its compact design comes with an integrated refrigerant or desiccant dryer. In the following article, we'll explain the benefits of using such a machine.
What is instrument air?
Instrument air follows stricter guidelines than general industrial air. It's free of oil, moisture, microorganisms, and other contaminants. With this in mind, not every compressor setup is optimal for delivering instrument air. In particular, oil-injected machines are not suitable. This is because it's impossible to remove all oil particles through filtration.
With many industrial applications, oil isn't an issue. However, when dealing with electronics assembly, this contaminant can damage the end product. To ensure you're generating the best instrument air possible, look for ISO 8573-1:2010 Class 0 compressors. While you may come across ISO 8573-1:2010 Class 1 "technically oil-free" machines, they won't be sufficient for instrument air.
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An all-in-one scroll compressor
As mentioned above, the Atlas Copco SF+ series offers a suitable range of scroll compressor solutions, depending on your needs and applications. Due to the design of how a scroll compressor works, oil isn't needed as a lubricant. This is because no friction is created between the two scrolls used to compress air. Instead, a fan is used for cooling during long periods of use.
This frictionless design means the SF+ series offers maximum reliability. In addition, it comes with remote monitoring with the SMARTLINK app to make sure everything is running smoothly. Regarding efficiency, it has an IE3 motor to meet the latest standards as well as an Elektronikon® Touch controller, and Variable Flow Technology for the larger models. The latter automatically starts and stops scroll elements to meet demand.
Another benefit of the SF+ range is that the compressors are relatively quiet. With as little as 52 dB(A) generated, your employees will benefit from improved working conditions. In addition, it offers versatility with various sizes - depending on your needs.
Generating nitrogen
If you're making printed circuit boards (PCBs), high-purity nitrogen is needed for wave, reflow, and selective soldering. The best way to guarantee consistency with this is to generate your own nitrogen (N2) onsite. The SF+ series is capable of producing the compressed air necessary for N2 used in PCB assembly.
Controlling much of the air and gas production yourself allows you to confidently manufacture products on behalf of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Onsite N2 generation also saves money, as there is no need to deal with logistics for N2 delivery.
Choosing the best equipment
We hope this article helps you understand the benefits of using a scroll compressor for producing instrument air. That said, the right solution will depend on your pressure and flow needs. You'll want to properly size and dimension and your space and applications to find the right machine.
Our knowledgeable team is happy to help you navigate this and provide an assessment designed for you. We're also happy to discuss and compare other compressor options, and explain why a scroll machine is more suitable than other compressed air technologies. When you're ready to get started, feel free to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.
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