A dental compressor supplies every air-driven instrument in your practice. If it is too small, it runs non-stop and its dryer has no time to regenerate. If it is well chosen, it produces dry, filtered, oil-free air at the flow your chairs need. Here is how Cattani approaches this choice.
Why an oil-free dental compressor
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 benefit for the practice is direct: oil-free air.
The durability of this solution has been tested. Cattani states that it has tested its pistons for up to 10,000 hours with no reduction in size.
The basic rule: 50 litres per minute per chair
Documentation from Cattani ESAM UK, the manufacturer's subsidiary, gives a clear rule: allow at least 50 litres/minute per chair at 5 bar, with chairs working simultaneously. As with suction, count the chairs that work at the same time.
This figure is a minimum. The Cattani compressor manual adds that the compressor's flow must clearly exceed consumption, to give the dryer time to regenerate. A compressor that is just enough on paper will therefore be too tight in practice.
A worked example. Three chairs working simultaneously use at least 3 × 50 = 150 l/min. An AC 200 produces 160 Nl/min at 5 bar: the margin is too small for the dryer. Cattani in fact recommends the AC 200 for two chairs. For three chairs, the AC 300 is the more consistent choice.
Cattani's recommendations by model
Here are the recommendations published by Cattani, quoted word for word.
- AC 100: “Suggested for 1 dental unit”. 67.5 Nl/min at 5 bar, 30 l tank.
- AC 200: “Suggested for 2 dental units”. 160 Nl/min at 5 bar, 30 l tank. Each cylinder produces about 60 l/min at about 5 bar.
- AC 300 : “AC300 3 cylinder - up to 4 surgeries (running simultaneously)”. 238 Nl/min at 5 bar, 45 l tank.
- AC 400: “Suggested for 4-5 dental units”. 320 Nl/min at 5 bar, 100 l tank, two twin-cylinder heads and two dryers.
- AC 600: “Suggested for 6-9 dental units”. 476 Nl/min at 5 bar, 150 l tank, two three-cylinder heads and two dryers.
- AC 1800: “Suggested for 20-25 dental units”. 1428 Nl/min at 5 bar, 300 l tank, six cylinders spread over three heads and six dryers.
You will find all the product sheets on the page Compressed air.
The dryer: dry, filtered air
Flow alone is not enough. The air must also be dry and clean. In Cattani compressors, air passes through silica gel, then two filters: a sintered bronze filter, then an antibacterial HEPA H14 filter. It then enters the tank. The inside of the tank is coated with a resin approved for food contact and with antibacterial properties.
The AC 400, AC 600 and AC 1800 models have several dryers, one per head. On the AC 1800, the heads start in sequence to avoid peaks in power consumption.
CAD-CAM: when you need 8 bar
Some CAD-CAM equipment requires higher pressure. Cattani offers versions that deliver air at 8 bar:
- AC 310: 165 Nl/min at 8 bar, 45 l tank;
- AC 410: 215 Nl/min at 8 bar, 100 l tank;
- AC 610: 330 Nl/min at 8 bar, 150 l tank.
Check the pressure required by the manufacturer of your CAD-CAM equipment before choosing.
Noise and space
A compressor is housed in an equipment room. Plan for the space and anticipate the noise. The AC 200 is rated at 71 dB(A), and 63 dB(A) with a cover. In a soundproof cabinet, the 1-2-3 cylinder compressors go down to 52 dB(A). Dimensions range from 620 × 460 × 720 mm for the AC 100 with dryer to 1800 × 1100 × 1100 mm for the AC 1800.
The room must stay between +5 °C and +35 °C. Cattani asks for this temperature to be checked regularly.
A single cabinet for air and suction
If space is tight, the Blok-Jet Silent 2 combines suction and compressed air in a single soundproof cabinet, for four chairs working simultaneously. The Blok-Jet Silent 1 combines a Micro-Smart with Hydrocyclone ISO 6 and an AC 200 compressor, for two chairs.
Maintenance: what to plan for
Among other things, the Cattani manual provides for periodically opening the tap under the tank; if there is moisture, call a technician. Every 12 months, the technician checks the charging time (from 6 to 8 bar: 45 to 50 seconds) and the fans. Details are on the page Maintenance.
A Cattani specialist can advise you
Tell us the number of chairs working simultaneously, your air-driven equipment (including CAD-CAM) and the space available. A Cattani specialist will suggest the right compressor, with the headroom the dryer needs.
Ask a Cattani specialist for advice
Sources: Cattani documentation, manual oil-free compressors 1-2-3 cylinders 02-2023 (EN), p. 6 and 9; Cattani documentation, manual oil-free compressors 1-2-3 cylinders 02-2023 (FR), p. 11 and 13; Cattani documentation, manual compressed air central units 02-2023, p. 13 and 16; Cattani, “Le compresseur dentaire”, rev. 2016, p. 1; Cattani, product sheets AC 100, AC 200, AC 300, AC 310, AC 400, AC 410, AC 600, AC 610 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 documentation, manual Blok-Jet Silent 09-2021, p. 9; Cattani ESAM UK (Cattani subsidiary), oil-free compressors brochure, p. 3 to 5.