Air Compressors for Printing Equipment

Whether you work in commercial screen printing or paper printing, air compressors likely play a significant role in your operations. They can power a range of equipment in a printing facility, from the cylinders within a printing press to the dryers in a screen printing operation. They're also important for many packaging tasks.

Let's take a closer look at the role of air compressors in printing equipment and how you can choose the right one for the job.

printing industry

Screen Printing

Most screen printing machines, particularly at the industrial level, will require air compressors. The amount and power of your air compressor will depend on the number of screen printing stations, each of which increases your operation's air demand.

Automatic screen printing machines depend on the quality of your air compressor — it often powers many different components such as the press itself and the flash dryer unit. Powerful air compressors for your screen printing equipment ensure that these parts move smoothly and reliably and won't hurt your printing process.

Print Finishing

Air compressors in print finishing equipment help remove moisture, which is essential when you're working with paper and systems that need to stay clean and dry. They also power tools such as:

  • Collators.
  • Folders.
  • Paper drills.
  • Cutters.
  • Presses.
  • Rollers.
  • Vacuum pumps.

Air compressors are a reliable form of power that can keep large industrial print operations moving at every step, from handling pulp to vacuum-wrapping stacks of paper.

 

Selecting Your Equipment

In both screen printing and print finishing, you need other components to support your air compressor, such as a tank to hold the compressed air and a dryer to remove any excess moisture.

In addition to these extra parts, you should consider several aspects of your air compression environment:

  • Noise: Some compressors are louder than others, so pay attention to how important this is in your print facility.
  • Space: Think about how much space you have for your commercial print finishing equipment and look for an air compressor that fits well. There are many different sizes and shapes of air compressors to choose from.
  • Demands: You also need to know how much pressure and speed you need and how much power the compressor will use. Remember that air compressors can come with increased energy demands, so efficiency in your system is essential.

Working With C.H. Reed

A lot goes into selecting an air compressor, but the experts at C.H. Reed can help. Our knowledgeable staff is on hand to help you find an air compressor with the right combination of power and price for your printing business. As a full-service compressed air group, we also offer a wide range of services to help you optimize and maintain your compressed air system. These services include planned maintenance programs, system audits and analysis, leak detection, emergency service and air quality testing.

Let C.H. Reed help you implement an air compressor in your printing operation for an efficient and cost-effective system. Reach out today to speak with an air compressor expert.