- Motor. Every air compressor will need an electric motor in order to start. The motor will drive a pulley and two belts. The pulley will facilitate the transfer of power coming from the motor to the pump pistons. This will be done with the use of a crankshaft and a flywheel. It is important to keep in mind that you should install a magnetic started in order to avoid any damages in the motor in the event that an overload occurs.
- Compressor pump. The compressor pump is responsible in allowing the air to be compressed and then consequently discharged to the receiving end. It is quite common to have two stage air compressors. These compressors require two pumps in order to work. These compressors are able to produce from 145- 175 PSI. This is done by compressing the air at least twice. The air is first compressed in the low pressure, larger cylinder and then after, it proceeds to the smaller cylinder which is highly pressurized.
- Tank. The tank is the air compressor part that serves as the storage place for the air that is being compressed. This is by far the biggest part of an air compressor. It usually ranges from 1-10 gallons and could even be bigger depending on the construction needs. However, if the purpose for your air compressor is just for small DIY projects at home then you can just simply settle for 3 gallon tanks or even less.
- Pressure switch. This switch will immediately shut down the motor every time the receiver will reach the limit set by the factory. Whenever the pressure level drops back to a pre-set level, the pressure switch then restarts the motor. The pumping is then resumed. This switch is also called as an emergency switch since it regulates the pressure inside the tank.