Average air consumption of common air tools

Average Free Air consumption of some common air tools are indicated in the table below. The air consumption is based on the commonly used working pressure of approximately 90 psi (620 kPa, 6.2 bar).

Air Tool/EquipmentAverage Free Air Consumption
(cfm)
Air Bushing20
Air Filter Cleaner3
Air Hammer, light4
Air Hammer, heavy22
Air Hoist, 1000 lb5
Air Motor – 0.5 hp6 – 10
Air Motor – 1 hp12 – 15
Air Motor – 2 hp18 – 20
Backfill Tamper30 – 35
Bead Breaker12
Bench Rammer5
Brad Nailer0.5
Blow Gun3
Body Polisher2
Body Orbital Sander5
Brake Tester4
Burr Tool, small4
Burr Tool, large5 – 6
Bus Lift6
Car Lift6
Carbon Remover3
Carving tool10 – 15
Caulking Gun4
Chain Saw7 – 22
Chipping Hammer30 – 40
Chisel Hammer3 – 10
Circle Saw – 8 inch12
Circle Saw – 12 inch17
Compression Riviter1
Concrete Vibrator20 – 50
Demolition Tool30 – 40
Cut-Off Tool4 – 10
Die Grinder 1/4″4 – 6
Disc Grinder – 7″5 – 8
Drill, Reversible or Straight-Line3 – 6
Drill 3/8″4
Drill 1/2″4
Dust Blow Gun3
File/Saw Machine3-5
Floor Rammer7
Framing Nailer2.5
Garage Door, Pneumatic3
Grease Gun4
Grinder 2 in Horizontal5 – 10
High Speed Grinder8
Hoists, 1 ton1
Hydraulic Riveter4
Hydraulic Lift, 8000lb6
Hydraulic Floor Jack6
Impact Driver 1/2″4
Impact Driver 3/4″7.5
Impact Driver 1″12
Impact Wrenches – 3/8″2 – 5
Impact Wrenches – 1/2″4 – 5
Impact Wrenches – 1″10
Jackhammer, medium135
Jitterbug Sander6
Lift, Bus or Truck10
Lift, Car6
Mini Die Grinder4 – 6
Nailer, Brad (30 psi)2
Nailer, Framing (50 psi)4
Needle Scaler8 – 16
Nibbler4
Nutsetter – 3/8″ inch3 – 6
Nutsetter – 3/4″ inch5 – 8
Orbital Sander6 – 9
Paint Sprayers, production gun20
Paint Sprayers, Small Hand Operated3 – 7
Pavement breaker35 – 60
Pneumatic doors2
Rammers – small3
Rammers – large10
Ratchet, 1/4″3
Ratchet, 3/8″4
Rivet Buster40 – 50
Rock Drill100
Rotational Sander8 – 15
Sand Blasters6 – 400
Sander, Dual11 – 13
Screwdriver1 – 6
Shears8 – 16
Spark plug cleaner5
Speed Saw5
Spray Cleaner5
Spray gun, Basic (20 – 45 psi)0.5 – 3.5
Spray gun, Commercial (30 – 70 psi)4 – 7
Spring Oilers4
Strait line Sander4 – 7
Tapper – 3/8″ inch3 – 5
Tire Changer1
Tire Inflation2
Transmission flusher3
Upholstery Stapler (30 psi)2
Vacuum Cleaners6
Valve Grinders2

 

Air Tool/EquipmentAverage Free Air Consumption
Liter/s
Air Bushing20
8
Air Filter Cleaner3
1.2
Air Hammer, light4
1.6
Air Hammer, heavy22
8.8
Air Hoist, 1000 lb5
2
Air Motor – 0.5 hp6 – 10
2.4 – 4
Air Motor – 1 hp12 – 15
4.8 – 6
Air Motor – 2 hp18 – 20
7.2 – 8
Backfill Tamper30 – 35
12 – 14
Bead Breaker12
4.8
Bench Rammer5
2
Brad Nailer0.5
0.2
Blow Gun3
1.2
Body Polisher2
0.8
Body Orbital Sander5
2
Brake Tester4
1.6
Burr Tool, small4
1.6
Burr Tool, large5 – 6
2 – 2.4
Bus Lift6
2.4
Car Lift6
2.4
Carbon Remover3
1.2
Carving tool10 – 15
4 – 6
Caulking Gun4
1.6
Chain Saw7 – 22
2.8 – 8.8
Chipping Hammer30 – 40
12 – 16
Chisel Hammer3 – 10
1.2 – 4
Circle Saw – 8 inch12
4.8
Circle Saw – 12 inch17
6.8
Compression Riveter1
0.4
Concrete Vibrator20 – 50
8 – 20
Demolition Tool30 – 40
12 – 16
Cut-Off Tool4 – 10
1.6 – 4
Die Grinder 1/4″4 – 6
1.6 – 2.4
Disc Grinder – 7″5 – 8
2 – 3.2
Drill, Reversible or Straight-Line3 – 6
1.2 – 2.4
Drill 3/8″4
1.6
Drill 1/2″4
1.6
Dust Blow Gun3
1.2
File/Saw Machine3-5
1.2
Floor Rammer7
2.8
Framing Nailer2.5
1
Garage Door, Pneumatic3
1.2
Grease Gun4
1.6
Grinder 2 in Horizontal5 – 10
2 – 4
High Speed Grinder8
3.2
Hoists, 1 ton1
0.4
Hydraulic Riveter4
1.6
Hydraulic Lift, 8000lb6
2.4
Hydraulic Floor Jack6
2.4
Impact Driver 1/2″4
1.6
Impact Driver 3/4″7.5
3
Impact Driver 1″12
4.8
Impact Wrenches – 3/8″2 – 5
0.8 – 2
Impact Wrenches – 1/2″4 – 5
1.6 – 2
Impact Wrenches – 1″10
4
Jackhammer, medium135
54
Jitterbug Sander6
2.4
Lift, Bus or Truck10
4
Lift, Car6
2.4
Mini Die Grinder4 – 6
1.6 – 2.4
Nailer, Brad (30 psi)2
0.8
Nailer, Framing (50 psi)4
1.6
Needle Scaler8 – 16
3.2 – 6.4
Nibbler4
1.6
Nutsetter – 3/8″ inch3 – 6
1.2 – 2.4
Nutsetter – 3/4″ inch5 – 8
2 – 3.2
Orbital Sander6 – 9
2.4 – 3.6
Paint Sprayers, production gun20
8
Paint Sprayers, Small Hand Operated3 – 7
1.2 – 2.8
Pavement breaker35 – 60
14 – 24
Pneumatic doors2
0.8
Rammers – small3
1.2
Rammers – large10
4
Ratchet, 1/4″3
1.2
Ratchet, 3/8″4
1.6
Rivet Buster40 – 50
16 – 20
Rock Drill100
40
Rotational Sander8 – 15
3.2 – 6
Sand Blasters6 – 400
2.4 – 160
Sander, Dual11 – 13
4.4 – 5.2
Screwdriver1 – 6
0.4 – 2.4
Shears8 – 16
3.2 – 6.4
Spark plug cleaner5
2
Speed Saw5
2
Spray Cleaner5
2
Spray gun, Basic (20 – 45 psi)0.5 – 3.5
0.2 – 1.4
Spray gun, Commercial (30 – 70 psi)4 – 7
1.6 – 2.8
Spring Oilers4
1.6
Strait line Sander4 – 7
1.6 – 2.8
Tapper – 3/8″ inch3 – 5
1.2 – 2
Tire Changer1
0.4
Tire Inflation2
0.8
Transmission flusher3
1.2
Upholstery Stapler (30 psi)2
0.8
Vacuum Cleaners6
2.4
Valve Grinders2
0.8

Ratings based on a 25% load factor – tools running 25% of the time.

  • 1 psi (lb/in2) = 6,894.8 Pa (N/m2) = 6.895×10-3 N/mm2 = 6.895×10-2 bar
  • 1 cfm (ft3/min) = 1.7 m3/h = 0.47 l/s

 

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