What Is Vacuum? All You Need To Know.

Often the first thing that comes to mind when we think about the vacuum is outer space. Space is a vacuum because there is no air, no atmosphere. Looking at an image of the Earth from a distance we can see how the gravity of the planet holds the atmosphere - a band of air close to its surface, beyond that there is nothing.

What we should be asking is - What is pressure? You can compare the Earth's atmosphere to a pool of water. Just as with a pool as you go deeper the pressure gets higher and that's because the pressure is related to the weight of air above you. Because the earth is round there is always a fixed depth of atmosphere down to sea level and that leads to our concept of a fixed atmospheric pressure that is the depth of atmosphere down to this point.

If we could run a tube up to space the pressure at the bottom would be the head or height of all the gas in the tube and it equates to about 1 kg/cm² surface area. When we speak a vacuum what we normally mean is less pressure than that - lower pressure then we experience at the surface of the earth, less pressure than atmospheric pressure.


Energy efficient vacuum solutions for industrial applications

Vacuum, the invisible force, is indispensable in industrial production facilities around the world. When an industrial application requires a clean environment or pressure below atmospheric levels, a steady supply of vacuum is needed. Our vacuum products are the starting point to providing a total vacuum solution for dedicated point-of-use machines and central vacuum systems.

Vacuum solutions for every application

From food packaging, electronics, glass bottle and can production, paper printing, toothpaste degassing, automotive parts handling, pharmaceuticals conveying, plastic extrusion, woodworking, brick and clay manufacture, to almost all general manufacturing, utility vacuum is used across industries in multiple applications. As the leading innovator in the industrial vacuum market, we have continued focus on energy efficiency that translates into savings for our customers. Whatever the application, we provide the apt vacuum solution.


Learn about our offering of Atlas Copco Vacuum products

Claw Pumps

The Ash Air range of rotary claw vacuum pumps is the best alternative to rotary vane pumps. A vacuum claw pump is virtually zero maintenance and compared to rotary vane pumps can work at vacuum levels of 400 to 1000 mbar without overheating. Rotary claw vacuum pumps are the best choice for CNC guided wood routers.

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Liquid Ring Pumps

The Ash Air range of humble liquid ring pumps is still the most reliable form of large volume vacuum generation available today. These liquid ring pumps are simple to use and very reliable, and the best option when sucked air contains a large amount of saturated gas.

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Rotary Vane Pumps

Dry and oil-sealed vane vacuum pumps are robust, affordable and easy in maintenance. You can use DVP vane pumps for wide range of application, for skin packaging, holding, lifting, thermoforming.

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Screw Vacuum Pumps

We have a quality range of oil-sealed screw pumps for sale that are energy efficient and have low life-cycle costs.

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Who we are and how Ash Air can help your business!

Ash Air has been around in New Zealand since 1979, and we’ve grown into a nationwide company with international support and a reputation for quality and reliability.We look after all things compressed air for your business!

  • Rotary Screw and Piston Air Compressors
  • Vacuum Pumps and Blowers
  • Nitrogen Generation
  • An extensive line of Air Treatment components
  • AIRnet Piping System and  Filtration
  • Mobile Compressors, Generators, and Light Towers

Ash Air's range of Chicago Pneumatic, ALUP, Pneumatech, and Atlas Copco products are used extensively around the world in industries ranging from oil and gas to food, automotive and farming, and we bring you these world-class compressors here in the land of the long white cloud.Our technicians are compressed air equipment experts and are dedicated to addressing customer needs. Supported with nationwide coverage, Ash Air offers one of the widest selections of compressed air, vacuum pump, and industrial gas equipment and parts available today in New Zealand.

Reliability and Efficiency

With Ash Air, you can count on reliability and high performance for even the most demanding applications. We focus our efforts on the following:

  • Increasing uptime
  • Reducing unexpected repairs
  • Reducing energy consumption and meeting our sustainability goals
  • Improving the cleanliness of compressed air


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When it comes to laser cutting and other industrial processes, the choice of assist gas is crucial in achieving optimal results. Nitrogen and oxygen are commonly utilized as assist gases, each with its own unique properties and applications. Understanding the characteristics of both gases, will help you to make an informed decision to ensure precision, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in your operations.