As a leading supplier of portable air compressors to the Australian construction and civil market, Sullair Australia is constantly looking for new ways to develop its products to better suit customers’ needs.
A portable air compressor plays a vital role on any given construction project, and Lance Maizey, Sullair Australia’s Portable Product Manager, says that customer feedback on the performance of its products in the field is integral to how the company designs and modifies its range.
Sullair’s newest model, the 185A Portable Air Compressor, for instance, is designed with that all-important feedback in mind. “The big market for us is the hire and rental business in a range of different jobs and worksites. Mining companies, construction companies and civil works contractors all use this sort of machine on site,” he says. “Sullair Australia has consulted customers in this rental market and taken on board all of their feedback to ensure the 185A is a strong and robust machine.”
The design of the 185A, for example, has taken into account market demand for larger total fluid volume, or containment.
“Some of the big things other models on the market don’t cater for is full containment.
“110 per cent containment is the industry standard, but companies have come to us and said: ‘What if there’s water in it?’ Or ‘What about the jobs taking place over a long period of time?’ That’s a problem,” he says.
“A lot of the mining companies also want 120 per cent containment.”
Off the back of this customer feedback, the Sullair 185A is designed fully bunded to contain 142 litres, or 126 per cent, total fluid volume – an exclusive feature of the model.
Not only is Sullair Australia’s 185A Portable Air Compressor a prime example of the company’s customer service focus in action, it also shows how the company is constantly staying ahead of the curve.
It is the company’s latest model to enter the Australian market and its unique features make it a must-have for any project site.
The 185A model is being launched at the 2016 Hire and Rental Industry Association Conference in May, and will subsequently be showcased at various trade shows and events across the country.
Its compact, lightweight design and powerful Kubota Turbo direct injection diesel engine under the hood make it an efficient and versatile addition to the job site.
“One of the key things the compressor has is the Sullair Air End, which is the heart of the machine and is widely recognised within the industry,” says Mr. Maizey. The direct drive LS14 Air End eliminates gear box losses and provides optimum tip speed for greater efficiency. Fuel burn is reduced by 19 per cent when compared to the previous model.
It has a dedicated after-cooler with a moisture separator, while its high ambient design means the unit is capable of operating continuously at full load at 50 degrees Celsius.
Another key element in the design is the triple filter system, which results in excellent filtration.
The unit’s engine and compressor utilises Sullair’s three-stage air filtration system, which staggers the cleaning process into cyclonic (for large particle removal), primary filter elements and secondary filter elements stages.
The unit’s oil filter is simple and environmentally friendly in its design.
When the oil filter needs to be changed only the filter element needs to be replaced, which can then be sent off to be recycled.
Likewise, the spin-on separator element is quick and simple to service thanks to its ergonomical positioning.
The model’s custom-designed heat shielding on all hot exhaust surfaces minimises the risk of personal injury and also reduces internal preheat to allow for higher ambient running conditions.
“We’ve included that as a major safety feature and have also gone to extremes to make sure all the fans, alternator, belt, rotary parts and so forth are fully contained with guard casing,” says Mr. Maizey.
The 185A’s running gear is all Australian AL-KO designed and standards approved, which provides customers with a convenient and quick service should the running gear need replacing or repairing.
Ultimately, it is the Sullair 185A Portable Air Compressor’s simple control system and straightforward design that makes it an essential tool on any job site.
The 185A’s instrument panel contains a range of gauges and stop/start functions which make it very easy to operate.
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