Episode 7: How Compressed Air Impacts Product Quality and Efficiency in Automotive Manufacturing

In this episode of Beyond Compression, we explore the critical role compressed air plays in modern automotive manufacturing and why system design decisions can have a major impact on production uptime, product quality, energy consumption, and long-term operating costs. From robotic assembly and paint operations to EV battery manufacturing, compressed air supports some of the industry's most important processes.

We discuss the key factors manufacturers should consider when evaluating compressed air systems, including reliability, redundancy, scalability, air quality, energy efficiency, and lifecycle cost. We also examine common design mistakes that can limit performance and increase operating expenses, as well as strategies to help facilities improve reliability and prepare for future growth.

In this episode, you'll learn:

•  Why compressed air is considered a production-critical utility in automotive manufacturing 
•  How reliability, redundancy, and advanced controls help reduce downtime risk 
•  The importance of planning compressed air systems for future facility growth and automation 
•  Why air quality matters in paint operations, EV battery manufacturing, and other sensitive applications 
•  How compressor selection and system optimization can reduce energy consumption and lifecycle costs 

As automotive manufacturers continue investing in automation, electrification, and production efficiency, compressed air systems must do more than simply supply air. A properly designed system can help improve product quality, support reliable operation, reduce energy costs, and provide the flexibility needed to meet future production demands.

To learn more about compressed air system design considerations for automotive manufacturing, read our blog:
How Compressed Air Impacts Product Quality and Efficiency in Automotive Manufacturing

Follow FS-Elliott on LinkedIn and Facebook for more insights from our engineering and service teams, and join us as we explore smarter, more reliable compressed air systems.

Transcript

Introduction

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Beyond Compression, the podcast where we explore the ideas, technologies, and real-world challenges shaping today's compressed air industry. Each episode brings you conversations with engineers, product experts, and industry professionals focused on improving reliability, efficiency, and performance across compressed air systems. I'm Barbara, and I'll be your host for today's episode. Today we'll be talking about the evolving

The Hidden Role of Compressed Air in Automotive Manufacturing

SPEAKER_01 0:31

automotive manufacturing industry. Plants are becoming more automated, production demands continue to increase, and manufacturers are under constant pressure to improve efficiency while maintaining product quality and uptime. One area that often gets overlooked is the compressed air system. And today we're discussing how automotive manufacturers can improve reliability, efficiency, and product quality through better compressed air system design. And joining me today is Mallory, one of our application engineers here at FS Elliott. Mallory, thanks for being here today.

SPEAKER_00 1:06

Thanks, Barbara. Happy to join you for this episode. This is a great topic because compressed air impacts almost every area of an automotive facility. Yet it's often

Where Automotive Plants Depend on Compressed Air

SPEAKER_00 1:17

viewed simply as a utility rather than a production critical system.

SPEAKER_01 1:22

Let's start there. So why is compressed air so important in automotive manufacturing?

SPEAKER_00 1:27

Compressed air is often called the fourth utility because so many manufacturing processes depend on it. In automotive plants, compressed air supports areas such as robotic assembly systems, pneumatic tools, paint booths, finishing operations, and leak testing. It also delivers air for material handling, instrumentation and controls, automated conveyors, and EV battery manufacturing processes. When compressed air isn't available, production can slow down or stop entirely. In highly automated facilities, compressed air reliability is directly tied to production throughput, equipment availability, and product quality.

SPEAKER_01 2:09

So we're talking about something that impacts far more

Designing for Reliability and Uptime

SPEAKER_01 2:12

than just the compressor room.

SPEAKER_00 2:14

That's correct. Compressed air really affects the entire operation. A loss of air pressure can stop robots and interrupt assembly lines and can impact paint quality and create production bottlenecks throughout the facility. That's why automotive manufacturers increasingly view compressed air as a strategic asset rather than simply a utility expense.

SPEAKER_01 2:36

Now, what about reliability? What should automotive manufacturers consider when designing a reliable compressed air system?

SPEAKER_00 2:44

Honestly, one of the biggest considerations is redundancy. A common mistake is relying too heavily on a single compressor or having very little backup capacity. And every facility needs to plan for maintenance events, unexpected equipment issues, and future production demands. That means evaluating their backup compressor capacity, their current multiple compressor configurations, elimination of single points of failure, and long-term maintenance planning. Facilities that build redundancy into their system can often continue operating during maintenance or equipment issues, dramatically reducing the risk of unplanned downtime.

SPEAKER_01 3:23

And with redundancy, that's where control panels become

Smarter Controls and Built-In Redundancy

SPEAKER_01 3:26

important too, right?

SPEAKER_00 3:28

Absolutely. Having multiple compressors is only part of the equation. The system also needs to manage those compressors efficiently. For example, FS Elliott Regulus control panels offer integrated compressor control, or ICC, which allows up to six compressors to operate as a coordinated peer-to-peer network. Any compressor can serve as the master, which provides built-in redundancy while coordinating sequencing, load sharing, and system pressure control. If one compressor is offline, another can automatically assume control and maintain system operation.

SPEAKER_01 4:04

One thing that's clear is that automotive manufacturing today looks a lot different than it did even a few years ago. With more automation and continued investment in EV production, how can manufacturers make sure the compressed air system they're installing today can support

Planning for Future Growth and EV Production

SPEAKER_01 4:20

tomorrow's needs?

SPEAKER_00 4:21

That's a critical question. Many facilities size their compressed air system based only on current demand. The problem is that automotive plants rarely stay static. You might add new production lines or additional robotics, for example, to increase automation and expand their plant capacity. All of those can increase compressed air demand. If future growth isn't considered during the design phase, facilities often end up facing expensive upgrades or capacity limitations later.

SPEAKER_01 4:51

So it sounds like it's definitely a lot more than just looking at today's requirements. Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 4:57

Manufacturers should evaluate where the facility may be 5, 10, or even 15 years from now. That includes future airflow requirements, pressure requirements, utility infrastructure, and production changes. Planning ahead can significantly reduce future costs and unexpected disruptions.

SPEAKER_01 5:15

Okay, let's switch gears for a minute and talk about air quality. When people think about clean compressed air, industries like food and beverage or pharmaceuticals usually come to mind first. But clean air is also incredibly important in automotive manufacturing. Can you explain why

Why Air Quality Matters

SPEAKER_01 5:33

air quality should be considered?

SPEAKER_00 5:35

Because compressed air often comes into contact with critical production processes. One of the best examples is automotive paint operations. Even very small amounts of contamination can contribute to surface defects, adhesion issues, and fish eyes, and can even lead to rework and reduce product yield. The same concerns exist in EV battery manufacturing and other contamination-sensitive processes.

SPEAKER_01 6:00

So that's where oil-free air becomes important.

SPEAKER_00 6:04

Without a doubt. And that's one of the advantages of oil-free centrifugal compressors. They eliminate the possibility of oil contamination from the compression process itself. At FS Elliott, our compressors provide

Oil-Free Air and Contamination Control

SPEAKER_00 6:18

ISO 8573-1, Class Zero oil-free air, giving manufacturers added confidence that they're protecting sensitive equipment, products, and processes.

SPEAKER_01 6:29

How about other contamination concerns? Are there any others beyond oil?

SPEAKER_00 6:34

Yes, and that's really just one piece of the puzzle. Many automotive and EV battery manufacturers are looking beyond oil-free air and taking a closer look at overall contamination control. Depending on the application, they may require silicone-free or PTFE-free components, or place restrictions on materials like copper, zinc, and lead. As production processes continue to evolve, these requirements are becoming more common. In fact, we're seeing them specified on automotive projects far more often than we did in the past.

SPEAKER_01 7:09

Let's shift to energy efficiency. How significant are energy cost concerns for automotive manufacturers?

SPEAKER_00 7:16

The concerns over energy costs are critically important. Over

Reducing Energy Costs and Lifecycle Expenses

SPEAKER_00 7:20

the life of a compressor system, energy typically represents 70 to 80% of total ownership costs. That's why efficiency has such a major impact on long-term operating expenses.

SPEAKER_01 7:31

What are some ways automotive facilities can improve efficiency?

SPEAKER_00 7:36

Several areas contribute to overall system efficiency, such as compressor selection, system pressure optimization, partload performance, leak management, piping design, and control strategy. As we mentioned earlier, advanced controls play a significant role in overall system efficiency. For example, our regulus control panels include several features designed to help manufacturers reduce energy consumption and optimize performance. Pressure band optimization, or PBO, helps minimize unnecessary system pressure. Energy Advisor provides visibility into operating trends and performance data. Ambient Compensation Control, or ACC, automatically adjusts operation based on inlet air temperature conditions. Together, these features help facilities reduce energy consumption while maintaining air supply for production. So efficiency isn't just about the compressor itself. That's right. The most successful facilities look at the entire compressed air system. That's where the biggest opportunities for long-term savings usually exist.

SPEAKER_01 8:39

What are some of the most common mistakes you see when plants evaluate compressed air systems?

SPEAKER_00 8:45

A few stand out, such

Common Compressed Air Design Mistakes

SPEAKER_00 8:47

as undersizing their system and failing to plan for future growth, focusing only on initial purchase price, ignoring redundancy requirements, and neglecting controls, and monitoring our other mistakes along with overlooking piping design. Interestingly, some of these factors can have a greater impact on long-term performance and lifecycle costs than the compressor itself.

SPEAKER_01 9:11

Thanks, Mallory. Now is there a customer project that comes to mind that ties some of this together?

SPEAKER_00 9:16

Yeah, I have one from a facility just a few hours south of our headquarters, and it involved a North Carolina manufacturer of automotive components. The facility was operating five oil-flooded rotary screw compressors and was facing two major challenges. First, rising energy costs were impacting operating expenses. Second, the compressors simply couldn't keep up with growing production demand. And they were actually experiencing

Real Customer Success Story

SPEAKER_00 9:42

routine production shutdowns because there wasn't enough compressed air available to support operations.

SPEAKER_01 9:48

It really shows how important it is to take a long-term view when designing a compressed air system.

SPEAKER_00 9:54

That's right. The maintenance team was looking for a way to increase available air capacity while reducing energy and maintenance costs. After reviewing the facility's air demand and operating requirements, we recommended replacing three oil-flooded rotary screw compressors with a single FS Elliott centrifugal compressor, while keeping two rotary units in the system to provide additional flexibility and backup capacity.

SPEAKER_01 10:20

And what kind of results did they see after making that change?

SPEAKER_00 10:23

The new centrifugal provided the additional air capacity the facility needed while working alongside the remaining rotary units to support continuous production. As a result, the plant was able to retire three of its original compressors. The customer improved reliability, increased overall energy efficiency, and reduced maintenance requirements. In fact, the project generated more than $100,000 in annual savings through lower energy consumption and reduced maintenance costs.

SPEAKER_01 10:55

That's a great example because it shows how compressed air improvements can impact much more than the compressor room.

SPEAKER_00 11:01

That's correct. The project started as a capacity problem, but the solution ultimately improved reliability, reduced operating costs, and helped support uninterrupted

$100,000+ in Savings: The Results

SPEAKER_00 11:11

production. That's really the goal of a well-designed compressed air system.

SPEAKER_01 11:15

Mallory, thanks for joining us today and sharing your insights. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 11:19

It was great to be here.

SPEAKER_01 11:21

And to our listeners, thanks for tuning in to another episode of Beyond Compression, an FS Elliott University podcast. If you're evaluating reliability, air quality, energy efficiency, or future expansion plans within your automotive facility, remember that compressed air system design can have a significant impact on production performance and operating costs. To learn more about automotive

Key Takeaways for Automotive Manufacturers

SPEAKER_01 11:47

compressed air solutions, visit our website to connect with one of our team members. And don't forget to follow FS Elliott on LinkedIn and Facebook for future episodes, engineering insights, and updates from our team. Until next time, thanks for listening and thanks for letting us be part of your journey towards smarter, more efficient, and more reliable compressed air systems.