Dust addressing contamination concerns with a sealed electric design

In an environment where carbon‑fibre dust moves as relentlessly as the work itself, you need a reliable air compressor. Hexcel needed an air solution that could outsmart the conditions around it. With an ageing diesel unit on its last breath and a temporary rental filling the gap, the search began for a tougher and more dependable source of standby air.

Hexcel, a producer of advanced composite materials, recently strengthened their plant’s compressed air system with a new stationary compressor. While this energy-efficient unit covered their daily production needs, their backup setup was a growing concern. The old diesel unit that once provided emergency air no longer operated, leaving them vulnerable to sudden downtime. Their main goal was ensuring a reliable and contamination-resistant backup air solution for their continuous manufacturing processes.

During an on-site evaluation, it became clear how critical the situation was. Hexcel had been relying on a rented standard air compressor, a solution that was neither cost-effective nor dependable for their high-demand environment. With fine carbon‑fibre dust circulating throughout the facility, it was evident that any new compressor would need to withstand harsh airborne contaminants without sacrificing performance. In conditions like these, sealed enclosures and robust filtration are essential to keeping equipment protected and production running. After reviewing their options, Hexcel identified Atlas Copco’s electric E-Air V1100 as suitable fit: a reliable and durable solution engineered to perform in tough, non-clean industrial environments.

Over the past years, carbon-fibre particles inside the production area had entered and damaged the previous electric compressors from different suppliers. So the company was skeptical in selecting a new one. Once they understood how the E-Air V1100 is built and engineered with fully sealed components to prevent particle intrusion, they got convinced to go for an electric back-up air solution again. And it turned out to be a great decision, since the compressor is working flawless.

The electric air compressor offered the contamination protection they needed while eliminating the operational downtime associated with diesel refueling and maintenance. The result was a more reliable and efficient solution, without local exhaust gases

A future-proof backup solution for tough industrial conditions

Today, Hexcel benefits from a robust and energy-efficient backup air system designed for tough manufacturing conditions where reliability cannot be compromised.

By replacing an aging diesel unit with a sealed electric air compressor, the plant now operates with greater predictability and lower operating costs.

The E-Air V1100 compressor ensures that their production remains protected, even in environments where airborne particles make high-performance compressed air a challenging requirement.