Some are barely as large as your fingertip. But packed inside modern miniature vacuum and pressure pumps are surprising performance capabilities that can be unlocked through proper system design. The keys are recognizing, first, that the smaller the pump the more precise a designer needs to be and, second, that involving the pump manufacturer early on can help avoid substantial re-design or reverse-engineering later. It’s much more than a flow and pressure (or vacuum) game. Different miniature pump technologies – or even subtle modifications within the same technology – can have big effects on an entire range of critical system design parameters including product size and shape, noise, operating temperature, power consumption, service life and reliability. Miniature pumps play critical roles in a wide range of products. In medical applications, you’ll find miniature pumps at work in devices that monitor gases in surgical operating rooms, keep tabs on patient pulse rates, or check blood pressure. In laboratories, miniature pumps are found in devices that draw samples, dispense fluids, and wash or sterilize vials and slides. In industry, portable devices that measure carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, oxygen and other gases are powered by miniature pumps. Miniature compressors even touch your taste buds – as critical components in the espresso-makers found in coffee shops as well as in the home.

If you work with pressurized air or vacuum systems, chances are you’ve either specified or considered a pump that uses WOB-L piston technology. It’s no wonder. You’ll find WOB-L pumps so small that they fit in the palm of your hand, with lots of room to spare. You’ll also find double- cylinder versions that require both arms and a strong back to lift. And all sizes in between. WOB-L piston pumps represent what is arguably the most versatile pressure and vacuum technology available today. Despite this versatility, however, selecting the appropriate WOB-L piston pump is not a job for the uninformed; even more basic, WOB-L technology is not necessarily the best choice for every application.

They’ve been used by OEMs and their customers since the dawn of electric- motor-driven compressors. And despite the emergence of alternative technologies – wobble piston and diaphragm among them – articulating piston compressors remain a preferred source of air pressure and vacuum for many demanding applications. Robust and environmentally tolerant, articulating piston compressors tend to be the choice for the most demanding situations. Their straight up/straight down piston motion is tailor-made for delivering high-pressure, high-volume airflow – and for stopping and restarting against back pressure. Plus, today’s oil-less designs eliminate contamination concerns, so that articulating piston compressors can be used even in critically clean medical, laboratory and beverage systems.