How to ensure that printing machinery receives high-quality compressed air?
Printing machinery industry background
In offset printing, digital printing and packaging printing processes, compressed air is widely used in inkjet control, paper positioning, drying systems and equipment cleaning, which directly affects the color accuracy and production efficiency of printed matter. In order to meet relevant industry standards, compressed air needs to meet the following requirements:
- ISO 8573-1 Class 0(Oil content ≤0.01mg/m³) to prevent lubricating oil aerosols from contaminating UV inks and avoid color differences.
- ISO 12647-2(Printing color management standard) requires compressed air humidity fluctuations of ≤±5%(in compliance with ISO 8573-3 Class 3 dew point standard).
- VDMA 24287(Specifications for Pneumatic Systems of Printing Equipment), the particle size of compressed air is mandatory to be ≤0.1μm (passed the ISO 16890 classification test).
Studies have shown that oil-containing compressed air can increase the rate of print defects by 8%-15%(Data source: FOGRA 2024 Print Quality White Paper).
Why does printing machinery need oil-free lubricated air compressors?
- Color consistency guarantee: Oil-free technology eliminates oily particles of 0.05-0.2μm to prevent oil mist from being adsorbed on the printing screen, resulting in dot expansion error of>1%, which complies with ISO 14644-1 Class 6 clean workshop standards.
- Ink compatibility: Dry compression technology maintains the relative humidity of the air within the range of 45%±3%, complies with the ISO 2846-1 ink chromaticity standard, and avoids color cast of water-based inks due to humidity fluctuations.
- Equipment life optimization: The oil-free design significantly reduces the frequency of nozzle clogging (80% reduction) and extends the life of the inkjet module to more than 20,000 hours (passed ISO 21667 Printing Equipment Reliability Test).
Selection of core parameters of printing machinery (with international standards)
- Cleanliness control:
- Oil content: ≤0.001mg/m³ (strictly higher than ISO 8573-1 Class 0 standard)
- Particulate matter filtration efficiency: ≥99.9999%(certified by ISO 29463 H14 filter)
- Temperature and humidity stability:
- Dew point temperature: ≤-40℃ (complies with ISO 8573-3 Class 2 humidity standard)
- Temperature fluctuations: ≤±0.5℃ (meets DIN 1946-3 air handling equipment specifications)
- Dynamic response performance:
- Pressure fluctuations: ≤±0.1%(passed ISO 1217 Annex D dynamic pressure test)
- Traffic response time: ≤0.05 seconds (meets VDMA 15392 pneumatic system response standard)
Potential risks of printing machinery not using oil-free air compressors
- Print scrapping risk: Oily particle contamination can cause a four-color overprint error of ≥0.05mm, violating the ISO 12647-7 overprint accuracy standard. A single waste loss can be as high as US$120,000 (calculated at 10,000 sheets printed per hour).
- Maintenance costs surge: Oiled systems require cleaning of inkjet heads every week, costing $2,500 per cleaning, and three times more frequent nozzle replacement (Data source: IPEX 2023 Industry Report).
- Energy loss: The pressure drop on the oil filter increases energy consumption by 18%, violates the ISO 50001 energy efficiency standard, and increases annual electricity bills by $28,000 (based on 100kW equipment).
Economic benefits of using oil-free air compressors
| project | oil free compressor | oil-lubricated air compressor |
|---|---|---|
| initial investment | $120,000 | $85,000 |
| Total cost for 5 years (including operation and maintenance) | ≤$150,000 | ≥$210,000 |
| Inkjet module replacement costs | $8,000/year | $32,000/year |
| energy efficiency | Specific power ≤5.6kW/(m³/min) | Specific power ≥7.8kW/(m³/min) |
Comparison of the application of oilless air compressor and oilless air compressor in printing machinery
| indicators | oil free compressor | oil-lubricated air compressor |
|---|---|---|
| Printing color difference control | Delta E≤1.5（ISO 12647） | Delta E≥3.0 |
| Spray head maintenance cycle | 6,000 hours | 1,500 hours |
| Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE) | ≥92% | ≤78% |
| carbon intensity | 0.08 tons CO ˇ/10,000 printed sheets | 0.15 tons CO ˇ/10,000 printed sheets |
summary
Through zero oil mist pollution, nanoscale humidity control and microsecond pressure response, oil-free air compressors have become the core equipment for printing machinery to achieve high-precision color reproduction and stable production. Shanghai Granklin Group’s oil-free lubrication technology complies with ISO 8573-1 Class 0 and FOGRA certification, providing global printing companies with clean compressed air solutions suitable for 7-color high-fidelity printing.
