The general mechanism of an air compressor is a piston or rotary element (e.g. rotary screw or vane) that allures atmosphere, which is compressed into a storage tank. Naturally, because the piston or rotary element needs to move consistently and smoothly because of this to work, it generally must be lubricated.

In a lubricated air compressor, there is lubricating oil which keeps the piston or rotary element running smoothly without damaging the mechanism. The lubricant also really helps to dissipate high temperature and keep maintaining air compression efficiency.

Oil-totally free air compressors also use a piston or rotary element, however they bypass the lubrication problem by coating the compression element with a pre-lubricating material like Teflon. Some oil-free compressors may also use water instead of oil for the lubricating and Water Lubricated Air Compressor cooling procedure. These alternate materials shield the pump and allow the mechanism to go smoothly without the need for any oil-based or synthetic lubrication.