Compressed Air in Manchester’s Creative & Digital Economy: Powering Innovation with Oil-Free Efficiency
Manchester has always been a city built on the exploitation of industrial power.
From the hydraulic networks of the First Industrial Revolution to the digital infrastructure of today, the town has continually evolved in its approach to harnessing and deploying energy.
Today, compressed air sits at the centre of both industrial and digital activity in the city. It’s clean, quiet, and easy to control. You’ll find it powering robotic cameras on film sets, running cooling systems in data centres, and driving pick-and-place automation in electronics labs.
For the thousands of businesses based in Manchester’s new hubs of innovation – like MediaCityUK or The Sharp Project – compressed air is more than just infrastructure.
Recognising the role of compressed air in Manchester’s creative and digital economy is a strategic move. It shapes product quality and influences day-to-day efficiency. It also plays into the city’s wider goal of reaching net zero by 2038.
This article describes the key applications of compressed air and the technology needed to power them.
Where Compressed Air Delivers Value Across Creative Industries
Compressed air is a high-technology enabler embedded in many of Manchester’s most innovative sectors. Its applications are diverse, demanding specific levels of purity, pressure, and quietness.
Film, TV, and Theatre Production
Film sets and theatre productions use compressed air to power the reliable force needed in many critical production systems, such as:
- Special Effects (SFX): Air mortars (aka “air cannons”) are used to create safe and repeatable simulated explosions.
- Atmospherics: Fog, smoke, and haze machines use compressed air to atomise the effect liquids and blow them out into the air.
- Automation: Pneumatic systems for animatronics, robotic camera rigs, moving heavy stage scenery, and more.
Any production where sound is being recorded must avoid expensive compressor noise problems. Ultra-quiet, sound-dampened compressors must be used, capable of operating at a noise level below 60 dB.
Digital Infrastructure and Data Centres
A sprawling physical infrastructure of data centres sustains Manchester’s digital economy.
Reliable cooling is crucial to their round-the-clock operation, accounting for as much as 40% of total energy costs. Industrial-grade compressors are the beating heart of chilled water systems that keep servers from overheating.
Beyond cooling, clean and arid compressed air is used to clean sensitive server components, where even trace moisture or oil could cause corrosion or critical failure.
Electronics, 3D Printing, and Digital Fabrication
Clean air isn’t just a preference for electronics manufacturers and digital fabrication laboratories (Fab Labs) in Greater Manchester. It’s a requirement.
Contamination is a serious risk. And that’s true whether you’re producing printed circuit boards (PCBs) or other electronics. Why? Because even the tiniest particle at a microscopic level can trigger a short and ruin the product.
That’s why these industries rely on oil-free air compressors. They help them to deliver the highest levels of air purity. Clean, dry air keeps pick-and-place robotics precise. It also helps preserve material integrity in 3D printing.
Compressed Air in Manchester’s Creative & Digital Economy Powering Innovation with Oil-Free Efficiency
Choosing the Right Compressor Technology for Creative Precision
Meeting the standards of these industries requires more than a standard compressor. It requires a comprehensive system designed for purity, efficiency, and reliability.
The Purity Mandate: ISO Class 0 Oil-Free Air
For any sensitive application, the risk of oil contamination is unacceptable. The solution is 100% oil-free technology.
- ISO 8573-1 Class 0 Certified: This is the industry’s most stringent classification. It ensures that no oil aerosols or vapours will enter the airstream from the compressor.
- Pressure Range: 4–13 bar(g)
- Flow: Up to several thousand m³/h, suitable for various scales of operation.
The Efficiency Imperative: Variable Speed Drive (VSD)
Creative industry workflows often involve fluctuating demand. A fixed-speed compressor running at full power during idle periods is highly inefficient. Variable Speed Drive (VSD) technology provides a direct solution.
- Atlas Copco’s GA VSD⁺: This technology adjusts motor speed to match air demand, delivering energy savings of up to 60%.
- This intelligent matching of supply to demand is one of the most effective strategies for air compressor efficiency, particularly for media and design companies that balance cost and output.
Supporting Manchester’s Net Zero 2038 Target
Manchester’s low-carbon agenda is directly supported by Atlas Copco’s energy-efficient systems. This includes VSD compressors and heat recovery solutions. Recovering up to 94% of waste heat and significantly reducing electricity use, businesses can dramatically lower operating emissions. And not just that, they can also increase their long-term profitability.
Reliability and Uptime: Advanced Monitoring
Unexpected downtime can halt production. It can even bring a data centre offline.
Modern monitoring systems help prevent this by enabling predictive maintenance.
By leveraging Advanced Air Compressor Monitoring Systems and IoT-enabled Compressor Connectivity Solutions, managers gain real-time data – helping them to address potential issues before they lead to failure.
Why Search Air Is Manchester’s Compressed Air Specialist
Navigating compressed air technology requires an expert partner with local knowledge and expertise. For over 78 years, Search Air has supplied and serviced compressed air systems across Manchester and the North.
As Atlas Copco’s 2022 Distributor of the Year, our team provides trusted expertise tailored to the demands of the creative and digital sectors.
We offer comprehensive Air Compressor Services in Manchester, from system design and installation to 24/7 emergency callouts to minimise downtime. The right compressed air setup improves reliability, cuts energy costs, and ensures clean performance.
Search Air’s local team will help you get it right.
Do you need the right system for your facility? Talk to Search Air’s Manchester team today.