Compressed Air Quality Testing

Service overview

Your air's purity class, measured rather than assumed

We measure the contaminants in your compressed air at defined points in your system, under your actual operating conditions, and report the result as a purity class under ISO 8573-1:2010: solid particles, water and total oil, written as a three-digit designation such as [1:2:1]. Every concentration is corrected to the standard's reference conditions of 20 °C and 1 bar absolute.

Each test is scoped to the class your application needs. A general plant air audit may cover dew point, particles and oil. Food, pharmaceutical and breathing air systems add oil vapour, microbiological sampling and gases such as CO and CO₂, measured against BCAS Guideline 102, the European Pharmacopoeia, HTM 02-01 or EN 12021. Your report gives each location, the conditions at sampling, the measured and corrected values, the class achieved and the corrective action for anything that misses.

[A:B:C]Particles, water and oil, each measured
20 °C, 1 bar aEvery result corrected to reference
Per test pointA class for each location
In serviceSampled at line pressure, system running

Benefits

The problems it solves

At the levels that matter, contamination can't be seen, smelled or wiped off a nozzle. Here is why only measurement settles it.

Ratings aren't results

The problem

A filter or dryer delivers its class only at its rated inlet conditions, and saturated carbon passes oil vapour with no change in pressure drop.

How it solves it

You get a measured ISO 8573-1 class for each test point, based on what's in the air, not what the equipment is rated for.
Invisible limits

The problem

The Class 1 oil limit of 0.01 mg/m³ is about 8 parts per billion by mass.

How it solves it

Calibrated instruments measure each contaminant separately, in the units the standard sets.
Pipework that changes your air

The problem

Rusting pipes shed particles, old oil deposits release vapour and dead legs grow bacteria, so air at the process can be worse than air leaving treatment.

How it solves it

Testing at successive points builds a profile that separates the compressor, the treatment plant and the pipework as sources.
Customers and auditors want proof

The problem

Food, pharmaceutical, medical and breathing air standards set limits that can only be shown by measurement.

How it solves it

Reports with traceable calibration and documented methods satisfy auditors, customers and regulators.
The cost of getting it wrong

The problem

Oil or microbes in food or medicine can mean batch recalls, and CO and oil mist in breathing air harm operators.

How it solves it

Food, medicines and breathing air are verified against their own limits for oil, water, particles, microorganisms and gases.
Maintenance by guesswork

The problem

Without results, filter elements and carbon are changed too early or too late.

How it solves it

Measured loads show where treatment falls short and where it exceeds the need, so elements and carbon are changed on real demand.

Where it’s used

Wherever air touches product or people

Any plant with a purity class to meet can have it measured. These are some of the places it matters most.

Food and beverage
Bottle blowing, conveying, cutting and packaging, to BCAS Guideline 102 Class 2:2:1 for direct contact and 2:4:2 for indirect.
Pharmaceuticals
Air contacting tablets, capsules or sterile product, tested for particles, dew point, oil and microorganisms for GMP validation.
Automotive and surface finishing
Paint shop air, where oil and silicone traces cause craters and adhesion failure.
Textiles
Air-jet looms blowing air straight into yarn, where oil stains the finished fabric.
Plastics and PET
High-pressure blow air that contacts the inside of beverage containers.
Oil, gas and petrochemicals
Instrument air checked against the dew point requirement of ISA-7.0.01.