Tips for supplying shop air

Many CNC machines require air at a certain pressure and volume to run. If the air supply goes down, it can impact the entire operation. Thus the shop air supply is a critical path in the modern metalworking shop, and a high-quality, properly maintained system is crucial. Following are some air supply considerations and tips.

Shop size and machinery dictate compressor size. Be sure to engineer in-room and branching possibilities for future expansion when choosing a piping system, compressor and storage tank.

Consider multiple, strategically located air tanks instead of one large storage tank. Often it’s easier to find precious floor space for smaller tanks.

Courtesy of All images: T. Lipton

Hose reels help store air lines.

The distribution network should be steel or copper pipe. PVC works and is safe under most settings, but has a cheap, rookie look. OSHA requires that anything below 8 ‘ off the floor must be metal, so you might as well make the whole network metal. Copper gets my nod of approval for its corrosion resistance and low leak potential.

When in doubt, place a valve. Each drop and dedicated air line to a machine should have a valve. You should have the ability to isolate areas for maintenance, repair or expansion without having to shut down the entire air distribution system.

A simple drain cock in the bottom of every drop allows shop personnel to bleed accumulated water.

Dedicated air nozzles on machines should be plumbed to the hoses without quick disconnects. This prevents the inevitable unwanted removal and wandering of the air nozzle and the time wasted hunting one down.

For whatever reason, some drops seem to collect more water than others. It’s great if you have a chiller dryer on the compressor, but few air systems are completely free of water. Therefore, provide a way to remove the water. Simple drain cocks in the bottom of every drop allow shop personnel to easily bleed accumulated water.