As food safety regulations tighten, manufacturers are looking to compressed air systems with oil-free technology.
Historically, early industrial air compressors used oil or water for lubrication to prevent mechanical wear. Set as a standard in manufacturing industries, facilities today still rely on oil-lubricated air compressors. These companies often find themselves optimising around ageing systems.
However, the food and beverage manufacturing sector faces another layer of risk. Behind taste and quality, products undergo a complex web of processes and procedures. As the sector faces growing scrutiny under food safety regulations, extra caution and measures are being applied from sourcing and production through to packaging and distribution.
Choosing the right compressed air solution can lift operational burdens in food manufacturing – specifically by using oil-free air.
Oil contamination
Air purity is a priority for a range of applications where oil contamination can result in a damaged or fouled product. Oil-lubricated units may experience oil carryover, requiring additional filters, as they utilise several air treatment processes downstream to clean and dry the air.
However, compressed air oil vapour is difficult to eliminate, as not all downstream filtration offers complete oil vapour removal. When balancing food safety measures within operations, businesses can find themselves stretched in terms of operational capacity. An effective approach is to eliminate compressor oil from the compression process altogether.
While some businesses remain with oil-lubricated methods due to the higher initial capital cost of an oil-free compressor, the longer-term benefits outweigh traditional approaches. For example, oil changes and oil filter replacements are a necessity for oil-lubricated compressors. This adds an extra layer of maintenance on top of other operational tasks that often require higher priority.
In more severe cases, an unmaintained compressor and downstream filtration system can cause downstream operational challenges and shutdowns. With pressure increasing on manufacturing operators, operational downtime acts as a hindrance to overall business performance. Oil-free air compressors reduce the risks for operators, by removing the possibility of filter saturation, leading to failures, and oil being let into the system.
The food and beverage industry continues to shift towards smarter and food safer options. Providing the knowledge and solutions to support this is CAPS Australia, which aims to deliver technology to help elevate Australian industry standards.
CAPS Australia
Delivering reliable food safe air solutions, CAPS understands that every business is different, providing systems across a range of industries including food and beverage, mining, manufacturing and medicine.
The company offers oil-free rotary screw compressors ranging from 37kW to 355kW in either fixed or variable speed configurations. CAPS can also supply scroll compressors as an all-in-one solution, combining a dryer, storage tank and compressor within a single unit.
By supplying ‘Class Zero’ air quality compressors, clean and dry air minimises the risk of contamination, which can lead to recalls and reputational damage. Reduced risk to air quality also means less equipment requiring servicing, supporting long-term operational performance.
From the initial identification, supply and installation of the right air compressor solutions through to maintaining and improving the operational performance of existing equipment, CAPS supports clients throughout the full lifecycle.
CAPS Care and Ecoplant
In terms of maintenance, CAPS’ dedicated team brings together service support, expert advice and spare parts. With 10 branches nationwide, its 24/7 maintenance and breakdown service helps ensure client operations continue to run smoothly, minimising downtime.
Scheduled maintenance can also be packaged under CAPS Care programs. There are four program options designed to enhance service and support while maximising the operational performance of oil-free air compressors.
Packaged Care includes scheduled maintenance, predictive analytics and extended warranty coverage, allowing users to focus on operations without disruption. Planned Care delivers predictable servicing, diagnostics and early fault detection, supported by an extended air end warranty for new equipment.
Parts Care ensures continued access to genuine OEM parts through automated deliveries or reminder plans for in-house service teams, while Performance Care provides scheduled maintenance, diagnostics and CAPS Insights to predict faults early and reduce time and cost impacts.
These programs operate alongside a team working in the same time zones as its clients, delivering on-hand support throughout the entire process.
Complementing these programs is Ecoplant, a dynamic controls platform designed to enhance compressed air system performance. The food and beverage manufacturing sector continues to face challenges in minimising downtime while optimising energy usage. The platform delivers predictive maintenance insights and alerts for potential system failures, supporting reliability and uninterrupted production.
For example, if a leak occurs, Ecoplant detects it and dynamically adjusts system controls to maintain efficiency. The platform’s intuitive dashboard provides reporting and real-time analytics, giving teams the information needed to make proactive decisions.
Customer-tailored approach
Part of CAPS’ more than 45 years of experience in the Australian market includes designing and supplying bespoke compressed air systems tailored to individual customer requirements. This flexible approach enables businesses to maximise manufacturing output.
Supported by its Australian ISO 9001 accredited manufacturing facility, solutions are developed by an in-house engineering team. Matched to client requirements, custom-built systems allow for the integration of new technology into existing installations.
Becoming a direct part of the Ingersoll Rand global family in 2024, CAPS continues to work with partner brands including Ingersoll Rand, AIRMAN, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Sauer, Pedro Gil, Bollfilter, Next Turbo Technologies and Oxywise as elements in its designed solutions. By improving the operational performance and longevity of equipment and infrastructure, food and beverage manufacturers benefit from streamlined systems that are tailored to their specific needs.
Food regulations will not ease and are expected to become stricter. While the importance of air quality can be difficult to see, its impact is far-reaching. By partnering with solution providers such as CAPS Australia, manufacturers can access expert service and advice, supported by modern air compressor systems designed for the demands of the food and beverage industry.