Dental compressed air supplies your air-driven instruments, in direct contact with treatment. Its quality matters as much as its flow. It must be oil-free, dry and filtered. Here is how a Cattani compressor achieves this, step by step, and what you can check at the practice.
Step 1: producing oil-free air
It all starts at the cylinder. In Cattani compressors, the piston moves inside the cylinder without oil lubrication. It is coated with a self-lubricating material, paired with a compatible cylinder. The result for the practice: oil-free air from the moment it is produced.
Cattani states that it has tested its pistons for up to 10,000 hours with no reduction in size.
Step 2: drying the air by desiccation
The air drawn in from the room contains moisture. On leaving the compressor, it passes through a dryer. At Cattani, the air first passes through silica gel, which retains the moisture.
This dryer needs time to regenerate. That is why the Cattani compressor manual requires the compressor's flow to clearly exceed consumption. A compressor that is too tight runs non-stop and deprives its dryer of this regeneration time.
Step 3: filtering the air
After the silica gel, the air passes through two filters:
- a sintered bronze filter;
- then an antibacterial HEPA H14 filter.
Only then does it enter the tank. The benefit described by Cattani: dry, hygienically filtered air for the instruments.
Step 4: storing the air in a treated tank
The air is stored before being distributed to the chairs. According to the Cattani manual for compressed air central units, the inside of the tank is coated with a resin approved for food contact and with antibacterial properties. The aim: to keep the compressed air in good condition.
Capacity varies by model: 30 l for the AC 100 and AC 200, 45 l for the AC 300, 100 l for the AC 400, 150 l for the AC 600 and 300 l for the AC 1800.
Several heads, several dryers
On the larger models, each head has its own dryer. The AC 400 has two twin-cylinder heads and two dryers. The AC 600 has two three-cylinder heads and two dryers. The AC 1800 has six cylinders spread over three heads and six dryers. Drying thus keeps pace with air production.
The right flow, the condition for dry air
Dry air requires a well-sized compressor. Cattani's UK subsidiary recommends allowing at least 50 litres/minute per chair at 5 bar, with chairs working simultaneously. On top of this minimum comes the headroom the dryer needs.
Cattani's recommendations, quoted word for word:
- AC 100: “Suggested for 1 dental unit”;
- AC 200: “Suggested for 2 dental units”;
- AC 300: “AC300 3 cylinder - up to 4 surgeries (running simultaneously)”;
- AC 400: “Suggested for 4-5 dental units”;
- AC 600: “Suggested for 6-9 dental units”;
- AC 1800: “Suggested for 20-25 dental units”.
For CAD-CAM equipment that requires 8 bar, Cattani offers the AC 310, AC 410 and AC 610. Compare them on the page Compressed air.
What you can check at the practice
A few simple checks, taken from Cattani documentation, tell you about the quality of your air:
- Periodically: open the tap under the tank. If there is moisture, call a technician.
- Regularly: check the temperature of the equipment room, which must stay between +5 °C and +35 °C.
Moisture in the tank is a signal not to ignore. It indicates that the installation needs checking.
What the technician does
Cattani entrusts routine compressor maintenance to a trained technician. The schedule includes in particular:
- every 6 months: check the electrical current draw with a clamp meter;
- every 12 months: check the fans;
- every 12 months, in a clean environment: clean the head filters with compressed air, then replace them;
- every 12 months: check the charging time, from 6 to 8 bar in 45 to 50 seconds;
- according to operating hours: bearings, service life of about 10,000 hours; anti-vibration mounts, about 5 years or 5,000 hours.
A charging time that gets longer is a useful indicator. Details are on the page Maintenance.
In short
Quality dental compressed air goes through four stages: oil-free production, drying with silica gel, double filtration up to HEPA H14, storage in a treated tank. It requires a compressor sized with headroom and regular maintenance. To choose your model, use the tool Choose my equipment.
A Cattani specialist can advise you
Noticed moisture in your tank, or equipping a new practice? A Cattani specialist will help you choose and maintain your compressor.
Ask a Cattani specialist for advice
Sources: Cattani documentation, manual oil-free compressors 1-2-3 cylinders 02-2023 (EN), p. 9; Cattani documentation, manual oil-free compressors 1-2-3 cylinders 02-2023 (FR), p. 10, 11, 13 and 14; Cattani documentation, manual compressed air central units 02-2023, p. 13; Cattani, “Le compresseur dentaire”, rev. 2016, p. 1; Cattani, product sheets AC 100, AC 200, AC 300, AC 400, AC 600 and AC 1800 (cattani.it); Cattani documentation, routine maintenance poster for suction units and compressors, p. 2; Cattani documentation, extraordinary maintenance poster for suction units and compressors, p. 2; Cattani ESAM UK (Cattani subsidiary), oil-free compressors brochure, p. 3 and 4.