Industrial Utility Efficiency

Air Compressors

Best Practices 2024 EXPO & Conference Show Report

By Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, and Brooke Jones, Digital Content Editor, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine 

From October 29-31, 2024, professionals who operate, maintain and design industrial compressed air, vacuum, blower, nitrogen generation, process cooling and HVAC systems gathered at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, GA, for the 6th annual Best Practices 2024 EXPO & Conference. The event featured two tracks of conference presentations and panels.

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The CABP Interview: Ring Power Director of Power Systems Brian Cholmondeley and Vice President Roger Adkins

Edited by Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine 

Discover how Ring Power’s leadership philosophy, employee development programs and commitment to innovation have fueled decades of growth in the compressed air industry. Company executives share insights on building high-performing teams, fostering a competitive culture and preparing the next generation of industry leaders.
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Engineering Sales Associates Maintains Production with Preventive Maintenance

By Arthur Pue, President, Engineering Sales Associates 

Preventive maintenance is seldom newsworthy inside manufacturing facilities. By design, preventive maintenance should be a non-event. Production keeps running, shifts continue to change, trucks are reloaded and unloaded and work goes on. The reliability of a compressed air system requires focus, attention and discipline: paying attention to variables, detecting patterns and knowing when something seems amiss. Looking deeper into system performance turns routine maintenance into a strategic tool for improving reliability and production stability. 
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The 2026 AICD Show Report

By Bill Smith, Regional Sales Manager, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine

The Association of Independent Compressor Distributors (AICD) held its annual trade show in Orlando, FL, in April 2026. Participating distributor members and guests enjoyed the AICD trade show, guest speakers, golf tournament and networking. “Each year, the relationships and synergies keep growing and growing. The AICD is very proud to celebrate our 40th year,” said Sal Calvo, AICD board member and Owner, Compressed AIR USA.  
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2026 Compressed Air Distributor Sales Survey

By Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine 

Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine has conducted its first-ever reader survey for this 20th anniversary issue, and the results show a positive outlook for compressed air system sales in the near future. 
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The CABP Interview: FS-Elliott CEO Everson De Campos on Centrifugal Air Compressor Engineering

By Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine

In this interview, FS-Elliott CEO Everson De Campos discusses the company’s strategic direction, emphasizing innovation, sustainability and advanced manufacturing in centrifugal air compressor technology. He highlights investments in global production, engineered-to-order solutions and new product development, including the Polaris platform, as well as growing demand for oil-free compressed air in critical industries. The conversation also explores lifecycle service innovations, digital monitoring approaches and the importance of workforce and channel partner training in meeting increasingly complex customer requirements.
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Rotary Screw Booster Advances for Blow Molding

By Manoj Purohit, Product Marketing Manager (High Pressure Air/Gases), Atlas Copco Compressors

Compressed air boosters are engineered to amplify medium-pressure air (90–150 psig) to high-pressure ranges up to 435 psig (30 barg) using oil-free rotary screw technology, IE5 permanent magnet motors and advanced VSD+ drivetrains for improved turndown and energy efficiency. By combining Class 0 oil-free air quality, synchronous PM motor performance (up to 97% efficiency) and intelligent controls, next-generation booster systems deliver higher flow stability, reduced specific energy consumption and seamless integration into existing compressed air networks.
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Variable-Speed Rotary Screw Air Compressors, Food-Grade Oil Selection and System Audits for Food Processing Facilities

By Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine 

Through detailed plant audits, load profiling and system standardization, a regional distributor helped a multi-plant food processor optimize its compressed air infrastructure using 200 hp lubricated VSD rotary screw compressors, 10,000 gallons of storage and properly specified food-grade lubricants. By focusing on correct sizing, temperature monitoring, contamination prevention and lifecycle maintenance practices in dusty environments, the installations delivered stable operating pressures, improved energy performance and scalable capacity for continued expansion.
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Demystifying the Myths of Centrifugal Air Compressors

By Centrifugal Compressor Section, Compressed Air and Gas Institute

Centrifugal air compressors are widely used in industrial compressed air systems, yet misconceptions remain regarding capacity control, surge behavior, and operational complexity. This article provides a technical overview of modern centrifugal compressor design, explaining how inlet guide vanes, bypass controls, and microprocessor-based algorithms enable efficient operation across varying demand while mitigating surge. It clarifies proper application and sizing considerations to help engineers and plant operators make informed equipment decisions.
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Advanced Compressor Technologies Solves Oversupply Problem

By Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine 

A Southern Indiana office furniture plant was wasting hundreds of dollars per day because its oversized VSD air compressor could not turn down low enough to match reduced demand after a shift to metal fabrication. To avoid drive faults, the plant vented compressed air to create false load. The audit revealed 300 cfm of wasted air—about $400 per day—and led to a redesigned system using a fixed-speed compressor for base load and a VSD unit for trim. The new configuration eliminated artificial demand and cut compressed air energy use in half, setting the stage for further savings through advanced sequencing, storage, and demand control.
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Lubricant Analysis Improves Air Compressor Reliability

By Dave Brockett, Senior Business Development Manager, AMSOIL Industrial

Effective lubricant analysis delivers substantial and proven ROI measured in increased productivity, oil drain intervals and equipment life. With disciplined deployment and technical oversight, lubricant analysis transforms maintenance from reactive to predictive, aligning with industry best practices and RCM principles.
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