From modern homes to pop-up coffee shops, there are many uses for the ubiquitous steel containers often seen stacked on large cargo ships. While shipping containers have been used to ship goods around the world for many years, they can also be used to move certain work capabilities to wherever they are needed.
One of the leaders in this specialty shipping container field designs mobile workspaces for all branches of the U.S. armed services, in addition to defense contractors and a range of civilian organizations. Mobile workspaces can include any number of shelves, tools, cabinets and cables that make the workspace operational.
Two Shipping Containers Equal One Mobile Machine Shop
To build mobile machine shops for the U.S. Marine Corps, the company used two matching 15,000-lbs., 20-ft. ISO containers. Painted green, they look like ordinary shipping containers from the outside, but are outfitted with the tools that machinists use to perform maintenance and repair missions in a deployed environment. On location, the containers are bridged together by a walkway that transforms the two separate containers into one repair shop.
The mobile machine shop is outfitted with an electrical generator that provides power to operate the air conditioning, lighting, machinery and tools. While two piston compressors were originally specified to meet the air production requirements, there were several drawbacks to this plan. The piston compressors drew too much current and they were noisy. There was also the issue of maintenance and reliability from the lubricating oil and filters.
Oil-free Scroll Compressor Offers Low Noise Levels on Workshop Floor
Instead of two piston compressors, the company chose to install one Atlas Copco SF 2 oil-free scroll compressor, which met the air production requirements while providing lower amp draw, quieter operation, less maintenance, increased reliability and quality oil-free air. Because of the quiet operation, the scroll compressor can be installed and used in the enclosed space provided by the shipping containers.
Unlike piston compressors, Atlas Copco scroll compressors use two spiral elements (scrolls) to compress air. Because there is no metal-to-metal contact, scroll compressors do not require oil lubrication in the compression chamber. Plus, scroll compressors are compact and feature less moving parts, which increases service intervals and overall reliability.
Learn more about Atlas Copco SF oil-free scroll compressors by visiting the Atlas Copco website, or by filling out the Request a Quote form.
