MANUFACTURING OF AIR CONDITIONERS

Air conditioning (often referred to as AC, A/C or air con) is a system

used to cool down the temperature in an inside space by removing the
existing heat and moisture from the room.

Essentially, they work by taking warm air into a system and dispersing
cold air, but there is much more to this process.

While the basic concept behind air conditioning has been around since
the ancient Egyptian times, the very first modern air conditioning unit
was invented back in 1902 by Willis Carrier in response to an air
quality problem by a New York publishing company.

During the home air conditioning process, a fluid (normally water or

air) is cooled by the evaporation of another fluid, called the refrigerant.
Your air conditioner quickly converts gas into a liquid and back again
using chemicals that remove the warm air from inside your home. It
then gets disposed of outside. In simple terms, an air conditioning
system controls the temperature, humidity and air quality in indoor
spaces.

The invention not only controls the temperature, but also the humidity
of a space, cooling the air by flowing it over cold coils, allowing them
to control the moisture in the air. Shortly after, air conditioning was
introduced to cars and also to improve home comfort. Over the years,
the sales of air conditioning units increased dramatically as a result of
consumer needs.

Types of Air Conditioning

There are many different types of air conditioning units, and which one you
choose will depend entirely on your individual needs

Wall-Mounted, Split Unit Air Conditioning System

The split system air conditioner consists of both an outside and an

inside unit. The outside unit is installed on or near the exterior wall of
the room you’re looking to cool, and houses the compressor,
condenser coil, and expansion coil. The indoor unit sits on the wall and
contains the cooling coil and an air filter. Both units are connected
with wires and tubing.

A great option for homes, split systems are very quiet as the
compressor and fan are located in the outside unit and allow for
multiple indoor units that are connected to a single outdoor bo

Packaged Air Conditioner

While traditionally, an air conditioning system is comprised of two

parts; an outdoor condenser and an indoor air handler, in a packaged
air conditioner unit, all of the parts are enclosed in a single box,
usually located on the outside wall or roof of a building.

Packaged air conditioning systems have a higher cooling or heating

capacity, making them ideal for use in larger houses or commercial
buildings. They work by installing the single component and
connecting the system to ducts laid throughout various rooms. By
using electricity as its power source, the unit circulates the refrigerant
through the coils. Warm air is then pulled in by a fan and passes over
the cold evaporator coil, cooling it. The cool air is then pushed through
the ducts into the building.

Central Air Conditioning System

Central air conditioning systems are generally used to cool large

homes or buildings such as gyms or offices. These central systems are
the most common type of air cooling systems as they are quick and
efficient at cooling down larger areas.

The system works from a cooling compressor, which is located

outside. Much like other air conditioners, a coil filled with refrigerant
is used to cool the air, which is then blown out by a fan and circulated
throughout the building with the use of ducts located on the walls or
floors. If there is warm air in a room, the ducts will register the heat
and the air will then be transported back to the air conditioner to be
pushed outside.
BASIC RAW MATERIALS

 Compressor
The compressor is responsible for moving the refrigerant between the
evaporator and condenser coils, ensuring that the refrigerant changes to gas
or liquid as needed. You can think of the compressor as the heart of the air
conditioning system and the refrigerant as the blood
 G.I Sheet
Galvanized iron (GI) sheets are basically steel sheets which have been coated with zinc. These sheets
include a range of hot dip galvanized and electro-galvanized steel sheet. ... It reacts with the atmosphere to
provide the base steel a protection.
 Fan Motor
The air conditioner fan motor drives the AC fan, which blows air in and out of
the house. This is important for moving hot air to the outside of the building, as
well as blowing cool air through the ductwork and into the rooms. The fan motor
is a vital part that must be running well for the AC unit to do its job.
 Blower

the blower serves as one of the key components of a fully functioning air
conditioning system. An air conditioner uses blowers to transfer the warm air
away from any space and replace it with cold air. It also maximizes airflow for
better circulation and machine function.

 Condenser Fan
The condenser fan found inside the outdoor unit plays a critically important role in
your air conditioner's performance. The fan's motor powers the spinning
blades that create cooling air movement across the condenser coil, which
aids in heat transfer.
 Starting Capacitor
The capacitors are small cylindrical shaped containers that lie inside the
housing of the air conditioner. The main purpose of them is to store energy
and provide it to the motor upon start-up and when running. They are called a
start capacitor and a run capacitor.
 Running Capacitor
Once the system has started and is operating, the run capacitor takes over
and provides the extra power to run the air conditioner for long periods of
time. When the air conditioner is running, both capacitors create and store
energy for the push for the next cycle
 Wires
A wire is a flexible metallic conductor, especially one made of copper,
usually insulated, and used to carry electric current in a circuit.
 Relay Knob
A relay is an electrically operated switch. It consists of a set of input terminals
for a single or multiple control signals, and a set of operating contact terminals.
  Switch
a control consisting of a mechanical or electrical or electronic device for
making or breaking or changing the connections in a circuit.
 Plastic Grill
A grille is a vent cover through which air is blown into or out of a room for
circulation back to the central heating or cooling unit. These are commonly
found if you have heating or central air conditioning. A grille has no damper to
control air flow, so air is left to flow freely.

MANUFACTURING PROCESS

Creating encasement parts from galvanized sheet

metal and structural steel
 1 Most air conditioners start out as raw material, in the form of
structural steel shapes and sheet steel. As the sheet metal is
processed into fabrication cells or work cells, it is cut, formed,
punched, drilled, sheared, and/or bent into a useful shape or form. The
encasements or wrappers, the metal that envelopes most outdoor
residential units, is made of galvanized sheet metal that uses a zinc
coating to provide protection against corrosion. Galvanized sheet
metal is also used to form the bottom pan, face plates, and various
support brackets throughout an air conditioner. This sheet metal is
sheared on a shear press in a fabrication cell soon after arriving from
storage or inventory. Structural steel shapes are cut and mitered on a
band saw to form useful brackets and supports.

Punch pressing the sheet metal forms

 2 From the shear press, the sheet metal is loaded on a CNC (Computer
Numerical Control) punch press. The punch press has the option of
receiving its computer program from a drafting CAD/CAM (Computer
Aided Drafting/Computer Aided Manufacturing) program or from an
independently written CNC program. The CAD/CAM program will
transform a drafted or modeled part on the computer into a file that
can be read by the punch press, telling it where to punch holes in the
sheet metal. Dies and other punching instruments are stored in the
machine and mechanically brought to the punching arm, where it can
be used to drive through the sheet. The NC (Numerically Controlled)
press brakes bend the sheet into its final form, using a computer file to
 program itself. Different bending dies are used for different shapes and
configurations and may be changed for each component.
 3 Some brackets, fins, and sheet components are outsourced to other
facilities or companies to produce large quantities. They are brought to
the assembly plant only when needed for assembly. Many of the
brackets are produced on a hydraulic or mechanical press, where
brackets of different shapes and configurations can be produced from
a coiled sheet and unrolled continuously into the machine. High
volumes of parts can be produced because the press can often produce
a complex shape with one hit.

Cleaning the parts

 4 All parts must be completely clean and free of dirt, oil, grease, and
lubricants before they are powder coated. Various cleaning methods
are used to accomplish this necessary task. Large solution tanks filled
with a cleaning solvent agitate and knock off the oil when parts are
submersed. Spray wash systems use pressurized cleaning solutions to
knock off dirt and grease. Vapor degreasing, suspending the parts
above a harsh cleansing vapor, uses an acid solution and will leave the
parts free of petroleum products. Most outsourced parts that arrive
from a vendor have already been degreased and cleaned. For additional
corrosion protection, many parts will be primed in a phosphate primer
bath before entering a drying oven to prepare them for the application
of the powder coating.

Powder coating
 5 Before brackets, pans, and wrappers are assembled together, they
are fed through a powder coating operation. The powder coating
system sprays a paint-like dry powder onto the parts as they are fed
through a booth on an overhead conveyor. This can be done by robotic
sprayers that are programmed where to spray as each part feeds
through the booth on the conveyor. The parts are statically charged to
attract the powder to adhere to deep crevices and bends within each
part. The powder-coated parts are then fed through an oven, usually
with the same conveyor system, where the powder is permanently
baked onto the metal. The process takes less than 10 minutes.

Bending the tubing for the condenser and

evaporator
  6 The condenser and evaporator both act as a heat exchanger in air
conditioning systems and are made of copper or aluminum tubing bent
around in coil form to maximize the distance through which the
working fluid travels. The opposing fluid, or cooling fluid, passes
around the tubes as the working fluid draws away its heat in the
evaporator. This is accomplished by taking many small diameter
copper tubes bent in the same shape and anchoring them with guide
rods and aluminum plates. The working fluid or refrigerant flows
through the copper tubes and the opposing fluid flows around them in
between the aluminum plates. The tubes will often end up with hairpin
bends performed by NC benders, using the same principle as the NC
press brake. Each bend is identical to the next. The benders use
previously straightened tubing to bend around a fixed die with a
mandrel fed through the inner diameter to keep it from collapsing
during the bend. The mandrel is raked back through the inside of the
tube when the bend has been accomplished.
 7 Tubing supplied to the manufacturer in a coil form goes through an
uncoiler and straightener before being fed through the bender. Some
tubing will be cut into desired lengths on an abrasive saw that will cut
several small tubes in one stroke. The aluminum plates are punched
out on a punch press and formed on a mechanical press to place divots
or waves in the plate. These waves maximize the thermodynamic heat
transfer between the working fluid and the opposing medium. When the
copper tubes are finished in the bending cell, they are transported by
automatic guided vehicle (AGV) to the assembly cell, where they are
stacked on the guide rods and fed through the plates or fins.

Joining the copper tubing with the aluminum

plates
 8 A major part of the assembly is the joining of the copper tubing with
the aluminum plates. This assembly becomes the evaporator and is
accomplished by taking the stacked copper tubing in their hairpin
configuration and mechanically fusing them to the aluminum plates.
The fusing occurs by taking a bullet, or mandrel, and feeding it through
the copper tubing to expand it and push it against the inner part of the
hole of the plate. This provides a thrifty, yet useful bond between the
tubing and plate, allowing for heat transfer.
 9 The condenser is manufactured in a similar manner, except that the
opposing medium is usually air, which cools off the copper or aluminum
condenser coils without the plates. They are held by brackets which
support the coiled tubing, and are connected to the evaporator with
fittings or couplings. The condenser is usually just one tube that may
 be bent around in a number of hairpin bends. The expansion valve, a
complete component, is purchased from a vendor and installed in the
piping after the condenser. It allows the pressure of the working fluid
to decrease and re-enter the pump.

Installing the pump

 10 The pump is also purchased complete I h from an outside supplier.
Designed to increase system pressure and circulate the working fluid,
the pump is connected with fittings to the system and anchored in
place by support brackets and a base. It is bolted together with the
other structural members of the air conditioner and covered by the
wrapper or sheet metal encasement. The encasement is either riveted
or bolted together to provide adequate protection for the inner
components.

EXISTING HEALTH AND SAFETY PRACTICES

The manufacturing plant was shown following the safety health

regulations which includes the workers wearing the proper equipment (PPE),
protective devices

QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM

Quality of the individual components is always checked at various stages of

the manufacturing process. Outsourced parts must pass an incoming
dimensional inspection from a quality assurance representative before being
approved for use in the final product. Usually, each fabrication cell will have
a quality control plan to verify dimensional integrity of each part. The unit
will undergo a performance test when assembly is complete to assure the
customer that each unit operates efficiently.

FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS

Air conditioner manufacturers face the challenge of improving efficiency and

lowering costs. Because of the environmental concerns, working fluids now
consist typically of ammonia or water. New research is under way to design
new working fluids and better system components to keep up with rapidly
expanding markets and applications. The competitiveness of the industry
should remain strong, driving more innovations in manufacturing and design.
 MANUFACTURING TURBOCHARGERS

A turbocharger is a device fitted to a vehicle’s engine that is designed to

improve the overall efficiency and increase performance. This is the reason
why many auto manufacturers are choosing to turbocharge their vehicles. The
new Chevrolet Trax and Equinox are both offered with turbocharged engines
and as time goes on, more and more vehicles will be fitted with them.
How Does a Turbocharger Work?
A turbocharger is made up of two main sections: the turbine and the compressor. The turbine
consists of the turbine wheel (1) and the turbine housing (2). It is the job of the turbine housing
to guide the exhaust gas (3) into the turbine wheel. The energy from the exhaust gas turns the
turbine wheel, and the gas then exits the turbine housing through an exhaust outlet area (4).
The compressor also consists of two parts: the compressor wheel (5) and the compressor
housing (6). The compressor’s mode of action is opposite that of the turbine. The compressor
wheel is attached to the turbine by a forged steel shaft (7), and as the turbine turns the
compressor wheel, the high-velocity spinning draws in air and compresses it. The compressor
housing then converts the high-velocity, low-pressure air stream into a high-pressure, low-
velocity air stream through a process called diffusion. The compressed air (8) is pushed into the
engine, allowing the engine to burn more fuel to produce more power.
Advantages

In addition to the extra power, turbochargers are sometimes referred to as

devices that offer “free power” because unlike a supercharger, it does not
require the engine’s power to drive it. The hot and expanding gasses coming
out of the engine are what power a turbocharger so there is no drain of the
engine’s net power. Turbocharged engines are also not affected in the same
way as naturally aspirated engines are when they go at higher altitudes. The
higher in altitude a naturally aspirated engine climbs, the harder it becomes
for it to get oxygen due to the thinning atmosphere. A turbocharger gets
around this problem because it forces the oxygen into the engine’s
combustion chamber, sometimes at 2 times the pressure of the atmosphere.

Turbochargers also improve the fuel efficiency of a vehicle however there is a

misconception when it comes to turbocharged vehicles and fuel efficiency.
Taking a naturally aspirated engine and slapping on a turbocharger on it will
not improve fuel efficiency. The way that manufacturers improve fuel
efficiency though turbocharging is by down-sizing an engine and then
turbocharging it. For example, take a 2.5L inline-4 cylinder naturally aspirated
engine and decrease the displacement to 1.4L and then turbocharger it. The
smaller, turbocharged engine would still have the same performance figures
(or slightly better) but because of the smaller displacement, it would also use
less fuel.

Disadvantages

Turbochargers have 2 main disadvantages when compared to a naturally

aspirated or supercharged engine. Firstly is heat. Because a turbo is powered
by hot exhaust gasses, it gets very hot. Sometimes under certain engine
conditions, the turbocharger itself could start glowing red but of course this
doesn’t happen in everyday driving conditions; it happens when the engine is
pushed to its limits for a continuous amount of time. This is why you see some
turbocharged sports cars with vents in the hood or down the side, it’s to try to
get air moving through the engine bay and keep things cool.

The other big disadvantage of a turbocharger is something called turbo lag.

Under certain conditions, whenever you put your foot down on the throttle,
there is a delay between the time you demand power from the engine and the
moment you actually start to feel it. That is turbo lag. When the engine’s
speed is low, there isn’t a lot of exhaust gasses passing through the
turbocharger so when you do demand power from the engine, the
turbocharger turbine needs time to start spinning at an optimal speed. The
effects of this can be reduced by downshifting to a lower gear but keen drivers
can still sometimes notice the split delay in response.

So the next time you’re in a GM showroom, don’t overlook the turbocharged

vehicles. They offer the same or more power as V6 or sometimes even V8
counterparts and they usually have better fuel economy due to the smaller
displacement engine and less weight.

The most common material for turbocharger compressor wheels has been aluminum alloys. Other
materials, introduced since the 1990s, include titanium alloys, as well as magnesium and stainless steel
alloys. Turbocharger turbine wheels must withstand high temperatures, especially in gasoline
applications.

PROCESS or METHOD OF MANUFACTURING TURBOCHARGERS

(1) preparing an impeller by cutting a circular rod material for manufacturing an impeller;
(2) performing a primary processing on the cut round bar material to form an impeller-shaped material;
(3) completing the shape processing of the impeller-shaped material by performing secondary processing
of shape polishing on the impeller-shaped material obtained by performing the primary processing;
(4) performing a process for forming a center hole in the impeller-shaped material having completed the
shape processing; And
(5) completing the manufacture of the impeller by performing blade machining on the impeller-shaped
material having completed the machining of the center hole.