Cut Fortus Air Costs by Up to 90% with an On-Board Air Upgrade
If you’re running a Fortus 900mc or F900 on shop air, you’re likely overspending, and over taxing your facility’s compressed air system in the process.
Why? Because these machines require continuous airflow to create the vacuum that holds the foundation sheet in place:
- Fortus 900mc: ~6 CFM
- F900: ~20 CFM
That level of demand adds up fast in both energy cost and system strain.
The Hidden Cost of Shop Air
Compressed air is one of the least efficient utilities in manufacturing. Supplying continuous airflow for industrial FDM systems typically requires:
- ~1 kW per 4 CFM of air (real-world compressor efficiency)
What that means:
Fortus 900mc (6 CFM):
- ~1.5 kW continuous draw
- ~$1,300/year (at $0.10/kWh, 24/7 operation)
F900 (20 CFM):
- ~5 kW continuous draw
- ~$4,380/year (same assumptions)
And that’s just energy before factoring in:
- Compressor wear and maintenance
- Downtime risk
- System inefficiencies (leaks, pressure drops)
The Smarter Solution: On-Board Air
The Pivot AM On-Board Air Upgrade replaces centralized shop air with a dedicated, high-efficiency system designed specifically for your printer.
What You Gain
- Significant Energy & Cost Savings
On-board systems dramatically reduce power consumption by delivering air (vacuum actually) more efficiently:
- Fortus 900mc:
- ~1.5 kW → ~0.15–0.2 kW
- Save ~$1,100/year
- F900:
- ~5 kW → ~0.5–0.7 kW
- Save ~$3,500–$4,000/year
That’s up to 90% reduction in air-related energy costs.
- Improved Reliability
- No reliance on shared shop air
- Eliminate pressure fluctuations
- More consistent prints, fewer failures
- Protect Your Compressors
- Reduce demand on central air systems
- Lower risk of blown compressors and unplanned downtime
- Extend compressor lifespan
- Reclaim Air System Capacity
- Free up 6–20 CFM per machine
- Support other equipment without upgrading compressors
- Improve overall plant efficiency
- Purpose-Built Efficiency
- Up to 10x more efficient than traditional shop air
- Air delivered exactly where and when it’s needed
The Bottom Line
Running a Fortus 900mc or F900 on centralized compressed air is a hidden cost and a hidden risk.
An on-board air upgrade helps you:
- Cut thousands of dollars in annual energy costs
- Improve uptime and print consistency
- Reduce strain on your facility infrastructure
All with a fast, measurable ROI.
Stop overpaying for air and stop depending on a system that wasn’t designed for additive manufacturing. Convert your Fortus 900mc of F900 3d printers to on board air with Pivot AM. Truley an upgrade in performance, cost and sustainability.
