What power air compressors do 3 cnc need to be equipped with?

It is usually recommended to equip three CNC machining centers with screw air compressors with power between 11KW and 22KW, the specific selection needs to be comprehensively judged based on the following factors:

1. Matching core parameters

1. Displacement demand
   • Air consumption by single CNC: CNC machine tools use approximately 0.3 – 0.5m³ of air per minute. When 3 equipment are running at the same time, the theoretical total air consumption is 0.9 – 1.5m³/min。
   • safety margin: The margin needs to be increased by 30%-50% during actual configuration to cope with peak gas consumption or future expansion demand. Therefore, it is recommended to choose the exhaust volume in 1.2 – 2.25m³/min air compressor.
2. Exhaust pressure requirements
   • CNC machining centers usually require 0.6-0.8MPa (approximately 6 – 8 kg) work pressure. The rated pressure of the air compressor must be higher than the air pressure 0.1 – 0.2MPa, that is, choose 0.7 – 1.0MPa model.
3. Relationship between power and exhaust volume
   • power range: The power of screw air compressor is positively correlated with the exhaust volume. For example:
     • 11KW model: displacement is about 2.5 – 3.5m³/min (can meet the basic needs of 3 CNC units);
     • 22KW model: The displacement is about 5 – 7m³/min (suitable for scenarios with large air consumption or future expansion).
   • recommended to choose: If the gas consumption of three CNC units is close to the theoretical upper limit (1.5m³/min) and a margin needs to be reserved,15 – 22KW models More safe; if the air consumption is low (such as only for tool change),11KW model It can also be satisfied.

2. Equipment type selection

1. screw air compressor
   • advantages: High quality gas production, low noise, stable operation, suitable for continuous gas use scenarios (such as CNC machining centers).
   • applicable scenarios: Medium and large flow requirements (5 – 100m³/min) match the air consumption of 3 CNC units.
2. piston air compressor
   • disadvantage: High noise, high energy consumption, short life, suitable for small flow, intermittent gas use scenarios, not recommended for CNC machining centers.

3. Practical case reference

1. case 1: 60 850 vertical machining centers of a certain enterprise, equipped with 2 sets of 22KW screw air compressors + 3 1000L air tanks, meet production needs and have stable air pressure.
2. case 2: 40 machining center configuration 22KW air compressor, the exhaust volume is 3m³/min, and the air storage tank is 1.5 m ³, which can provide stable gas supply.
   • derived: According to proportional calculation, the gas consumption of 3 CNC units is about 1/13 of that of 40 units, but the fluctuation of gas consumption of a single unit needs to be considered. Therefore, 11 – 22KW models All reasonable.

4. Configuration recommendations

1. basic configuration：
   • 11KW screw air compressor: The exhaust volume is about 2.5 – 3.5m³/min, which is suitable for 3 CNC machines with low air consumption (such as only used for tool change and dust blowing).
2. advanced configuration：
   • 15 – 22KW screw air compressor: The exhaust volume is 5 – 7m³/min, which is suitable for scenarios where the air consumption is large or equipment may be added in the future.
3. additional devices：
   • air storage tank: Recommended configuration 0.5 – 1m³ The air storage tank buffers fluctuations in air consumption and reduces frequent starts and stops of air compressors.
   • Dryers and filters: Ensure the dryness (pressure dew point 3 – 10℃) and cleanliness (filtration accuracy ≤0.01μm) of compressed air to avoid affecting processing accuracy.