Screw vs Piston vs Scroll
Air compressors — chosen by CFM + duty + noise
The 3 main industrial air compressor technologies — duty 50% vs 100% · efficiency 0.18-0.30 kW/CFM · noise 55-95 dBA · capex ฿85K-450K by CFM + ISO 8573-1 air quality
This is a knowledge page — we do not sell air compressors.
See what we sellIn short — choose by CFM + duty + air quality
Rule: 24/7 production = screw · intermittent workshop = piston · medical/food/lab oil-free and quiet = scroll
Rotary Screw
- Continuous duty 100% — for shops that use air the whole shift
- VSD cuts the power bill 25-40% (vs fixed-speed) — ROI 1.5-3 years
- Service interval 4,000 h — uptime 4-8× better than piston
- Capex 2× piston + a single unit lasts 100,000+ h
Production plant, paint booth, CNC shop, 24/7 industrial use
Reciprocating Piston
- Lowest capex — entry ฿85K for 100 CFM
- Repairable locally — wide vendor service network
- Duty 50-75% — needs cool-down → for intermittent work
- High pressure 30 bar+ for special apps (PET blow, breathing air)
Workshop, garage, intermittent tool use, HP breathing air, small factory
Scroll
- Noise 55-68 dBA — the quietest, suited to installation in an office / lab
- Oil-free standard — Class 0 air per ISO 8573-1
- Very low vibration — can sit on an upper floor + no isolation pad
- Limited CFM (max 30) — run several units in parallel for a large shop
Medical, pharmaceutical, food processing, electronics lab, dental clinic
Comparison table (14 rows)
| Item | Screw | Piston | Scroll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanism | Twin rotating helical rotors | Reciprocating piston in cylinder | Orbiting scroll meshing with fixed scroll |
| CFM range (typical) | 20-2,000+ CFM | 1-200 CFM | 0.5-30 CFM |
| Pressure range | 7-14 bar (high to 40 bar VSD) | 5-30 bar (HP industrial) | 5-10 bar |
| Duty cycle | 100% continuous | 50-75% (cool-down required) | 100% continuous |
| Efficiency (kW/CFM @ 7 bar) | 0.18-0.22 | 0.22-0.30 | 0.20-0.25 |
| Noise (dBA @ 1m) | 65-78 (enclosed) | 82-95 (loud) | 55-68 (quietest) |
| Vibration | Low (rotary balanced) | High (need isolation pad) | Very low (no piston shock) |
| Oil-free option | Yes (premium ฿+40-60%) | Yes (limited CFM) | Standard (most are oil-free) |
| Maintenance interval | 4,000 hr oil + filter | 500-1,000 hr oil + valve | 5,000-10,000 hr tip seal |
| Service life (hours) | 60,000-100,000 | 30,000-60,000 | 40,000-60,000 |
| Capex (THB / 100 CFM @ 7 bar) | ฿180K-380K | ฿85K-180K | ฿220K-450K |
| Footprint (m²) | Compact (skid-mounted) | Largest (need belt guard + cooling) | Smallest (no cooling fan large) |
| VSD energy saving | Yes — 25-40% saving (proven) | Limited (start/stop wear) | Yes — but smaller CFM market |
| Standards | ISO 1217 + ISO 8573-1 + CAGI | ASME B19.1 + ISO 1217 | ISO 1217 + Class 0 oil-free |
Prices + efficiency reference the Thai market, May 2026 · ISO 1217 (performance) · ISO 8573-1 (air quality class) · CAGI data sheet recommended for procurement
We do not sell air compressors
This comparison is for reference only. What we sell: anodes for corrosion protection, refrigerants, industrial coatings, LiDAR survey, aviation ground support equipment and aircraft paint supplies.
Decide with confidence — compare from several angles
Read the related comparison tables — full specs, real prices, and a recommendation for each use.
Common Questions
Q1.Screw vs piston — what's the ROI period?+
Q2.What is ISO 8573-1 Class 0 air quality?+
Q3.Old compressor still runs but burns electricity — what to do?+
Q4.What size receiver tank?+
Q5.Is oil-free necessary? Can oil-injected filter the oil out?+
Q6.Does Sahawatthanakit sell air compressors?+
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