Oil-Free vs. Oil-Lubricated Air Compressors: When to Rent or Buy
By: Trey Donze
Air compressors are essential equipment for most industrial operations. When the time comes to acquire an industrial compressor, you’ll have to decide which technology, an oil-free vs. an oil-lubricated air compressor, will best serve your needs and whether industrial compressor rental or purchase is right for your business.
This blog serves as an air compressor selection guide, helping you make the most cost-effective choice for your operation.
Oil-Free vs. Oil-Lubricated Air Compressors
Understanding the basic difference between oil-free and oil-lubricated air compressors is the first step in the decision process.
Oil-lubricated compressors: These compressors use oil for efficient, reliable performance. Most often, oil-lubricated compressors are rotary screw or reciprocating units that contain moving parts within the compression chamber, so they require oil lubrication to prevent friction, overheating and wear and tear. Oil-lubricated compressors are used in applications that do not have strict air-purity requirements, per International Standards Organization (ISO) 8573 air quality standards.
Oil-free air compressors: This type of compressor contains no oil within the compression chamber, reducing the risk of oil contamination in treated air and the products being manufactured. Oil-free industrial compressors use coatings, such as Teflon, or water instead of oil to reduce friction, heat and wear and tear. Oil-free compressors are essential in industries that must adhere to ISO 8573 air quality standards for air that is free of oil particulate.
Oil-free vs. Oil-Lubricated Air Compressors and ISO 8573 Air Quality Standards
ISO established its standard 8573 for compressed air quality to ensure the generation of high-quality compressed air for certain applications.
The first part of the standard, ISO 8573-1, classifies contaminant types, including solids particulate, water and oil, and establishes allowable air quality levels for each of these contaminants for specific industries, such as general manufacturing, food and beverage manufacturing, medical device production and other sectors.
Thorough knowledge of ISO 8573 air quality standards is critical, as its guidance plays a role in air compressor technology selection, especially in high-purity applications.
Operators in industries such as general manufacturing, automotive production and construction can typically use an oil-lubricated air compressor under ISO 8573, but may have a preference for an oil-free unit for other reasons.
However, there are several high-purity applications, per ISO 8573, where an oil-free compressor is a requirement, including:
- Medical/healthcare/patient care applications
- Food and beverage processing
- Pharmaceutical production
- Electronics manufacturing
- Textile production
Which is Right for Your Operation: Compressed Air Rental or Purchase?
Deciding whether to buy or rent an oil-free air compressor or a lubricated model is a key business decision that depends on several factors, such as your air purity requirements (as discussed above), your budget, and whether your air requirements are temporary or long-term.
Below are a few questions that will help determine whether a temporary air compressor rental or purchase makes the most business sense:
- Is there a budget for the initial investment required when purchasing a unit?
- How often will the air compressor be used?
- Is the equipment needed only during repairs or peak demand?
- Is the need temporary or long-term?
- Will service be provided in-house or by an air compressor service provider?
When Buying an Air Compressor Makes Sense
Whether you’re in need of an oil-free or oil-lubricated compressor, purchasing the unit makes sense if:
- The air compressor will be the primary source of compressed air for your facility
- The air compressor will be used for daily operations or at least 60% of the time
- Your application demands a customized size, configuration or feature
- Your facility will experience excessive downtime costs if there are delays with rental delivery
- You have the budget to purchase and maintain the equipment over its lifetime
When Temporary Air Compressor Rental is the Better Solution
Renting an air compressor provides flexibility for short-term needs, seasonal demand and emergencies.
Consider compressed air rental if:
- The need for compressed air is short term, such as a special project, trial run or construction project
- Compressed air requirements are temporary during times of seasonal demand or peak production periods
- The air compressor provides backup support or standby air when your primary compressor experiences downtime
- There is not enough capital for the initial purchase of an air compressor
Why Location Matters when Acquiring an Industrial Compressor
As they say in real estate: “It’s all about location, location, location.” The same applies whether you’re buying or renting an industrial compressor. Having an experienced and reliable local air compressor partner is key to faster delivery of rented or purchased units and is imperative for immediate service and support, ensuring minimal downtime in emergencies.
In addition, transporting industrial compressors can be costly, so choosing a local supplier reduces these costs and minimizes long-distance logistical challenges.
Whether you’re looking for an oil-lubricated or oil-free air compressor rental or purchase, the experts at Tavaron and our divisions, including JHFOSTER, AIM and HTE Technologies, offer air compressor service, sales and rentals that will satisfy your air compressor capacity and performance requirements, ensuring that your operation remains efficient, cost-effective and uninterrupted!
