ISO 8573-1 Compressed Air Quality Verification for a Medical Device Manufacturer
Independent testing confirms ISO 8573-1 Class 2:4:1 following compressed air system optimisation
A UK manufacturer of disposable medical devices commissioned ISO 8573-1 compressed air testing as part of a continuous improvement programme and preparation for future manufacturing requirements.
To further optimise compressed air quality, Search Air assessed the existing system and recommended an upgraded Atlas Copco filtration solution. Following installation and independent verification testing, all four sampling locations achieved ISO 8573-1 Class 2:4:1. This exceeded the site’s required Class 2:4:2 specification.
Project Background
As manufacturing processes evolve, compressed air quality becomes increasingly important for supporting future production requirements and maintaining confidence in controlled manufacturing environments.
As part of its ongoing investment in manufacturing infrastructure, the customer commissioned independent ISO 8573-1 testing and implemented additional filtration. ISO 8573-1 testing was repeated after installation to verify the result. The objective was to further optimise compressed air quality and obtain documented, independently verified evidence that the system could support both current operations and future manufacturing requirements.
The Solution
Search Air, Atlas Copco Premier Distributor since 2002, assessed the compressed air system and recommended the installation of:
- An Atlas Copco QDT20 Activated Carbon Tower
- An Atlas Copco PDp 25+ filter
Search Air supplied the filtration equipment and coordinated independent ISO 8573-1 verification testing across four sampling locations after installation.
Results
Independent testing confirmed:
- ISO 8573-1 Class 2:4:1 at all four sampled locations
- Oil vapour levels between 0.0001 and 0.0002 mg/m³
- Particulate levels within ISO 8573-1 Class 2 limits at all sampling points
- Air quality exceeding the site’s required ISO 8573-1 Class 2:4:2 specification
The testing provided documented evidence that the upgraded compressed air system achieved the required air quality classification at every measured location.
What the Class 2:4:1 Result Means
ISO 8573-1 presents the particle, water and oil classes in that order. The final Class 2:4:1 result matched the site’s required particle and water classes and achieved an oil class one grade more stringent than the required Class 2:4:2 specification.
The result confirmed that every tested location met the site’s specification and achieved the more demanding Class 1 classification for oil.
Why Independent Testing Matters
Verification testing provides objective evidence that a compressed air system performs as intended following system improvements. For manufacturers operating in controlled environments, independent ISO 8573-1 testing provides documented evidence of system performance and a benchmark for future monitoring.
In this project, repeat testing confirmed the successful implementation of the Atlas Copco filtration solution and verified Class 2:4:1 performance across all four sampling locations.
Customer Feedback
“The testing and filtration upgrade gave us confidence that our compressed air quality met the requirements of our cleanroom environment. The support from Search Air throughout the process was excellent.”
Search Air’s Contribution
Search Air assessed the compressed air system, recommended the Atlas Copco filtration upgrade, supplied the equipment and coordinated independent ISO 8573-1 verification testing.
The project provided independently verified evidence that the compressed air system was achieving ISO 8573-1 Class 2:4:1 across all tested locations and exceeding the site’s required Class 2:4:2 specification. The results established a documented benchmark for future monitoring and gave confidence that the compressed air system was supporting both current operations and future manufacturing requirements.