ISO class O extension
September 1st 2007

Atlas Copco has gained ISO 8573-1 CLASS 0 certificates for oil-free air compressors in the centrifugal, tooth, scroll and water-injected screw ranges

The 'Class 0' rating for these compressors is the next step in a continuous drive in innovation that began with the certification of the Z screw compressor range in 2006. With these latest 'Class 0' certificates, Atlas Copco can offer its customers a wide range of optimal and efficient compressor solutions capable of meeting every compressed-air application where high air purity is critical.

Testing of Atlas Copco oil-free compressors was carried out by the independent Technische Überwachungs- Verein (Technical Monitoring Association, or 'TÜV'), using the most stringent test methods available and simulating realistic industrial environments. Even with such rigorous testing, the TÜV found no traces of oil in the output air stream under any of the test conditions.

'The fact that we can now offer a wide range of Class 0 certified compressors means that we can help customers select the best and most efficient compressor technology to improve their productivity and profitability,' says Ronnie Leten, Atlas Copco's business area president Compressor Technique.

Importance of 100% oil-free air Applications where 100% oil-free air is important include food and beverage processing, pharmaceutical manufacturing and packaging, chemical and petrochemical processing, semiconductor and electronics manufacturing, the medical sector, automotive paint spraying, textile manufacturing and more.

Contamination by even the smallest quantities of oil in such purity-critical compressed-air applications can result in damaged products or product batches, high rejection rates and returns, and costly production downtime and cleanup.

For Atlas Copco's customers, Class 0 certification means zero risk of contamination, zero risk of damaged or unsafe products, and zero risk of losses from operational downtime.

Ranges receiving Class 0 certification The Class Zero certification of the Z screw compressors is now extended with a wide range of oil-free air technologies, including the high-capacity ZH centrifugal compressors, the ZR/ZT tooth compressors, the AQ water-injected screw compressors, the SF scroll compressors and the P series of rental compressors.

The ZR/ZT screw compressor range is generally the most efficient and reliable technology for critical applications between 55 and 900 kW.

With the ZH centrifugal compressor range, Atlas Copco is now able to offer efficient and certified 100% oil-free air for higher capacity base-load applications such as the fermentation, air separation and aeration processes that are important in chemical and pharmaceutical processing. Semiconductor and other electronics manufacturing, textile production and automotive applications can now also rely on 100% oil-free air in this capacity class.

Tooth compressor technology is said to be the most energy-efficient for applications up to 50 kW. Here, Atlas Copco's ZR/ZT tooth compressors are useful in food and beverage facilities, pharmaceutical production and electronics.

Within the water-injected AQ series, now also Class 0 certified, Atlas Copco offers an oil-free air compressor which achieves 13 bar. The water-injected screw technology has proven to be of significant use for applications such as cosmetics manufacturing, tobacco industry and automotive fabrication.

Atlas Copco's SF scroll compressor range delivers pure air for hospital, dental and medical applications, printing industry, laboratories and dairy industry processing.

These compressors benefit from low noise and offer high energy efficiency.

The PT, PTS and PNS rental oil-free portable compressors have recently also received Class 0 certification, answering industry needs for oil-free air in applications that are short-term yet puritycritical.

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