Whether we talk about an air purifier or a car air conditioner, air compressor or process cooling system, each of these products needs a perfect air filter that’s required to be matched with the product’s manufacturer's specifications. But, what are the factors that need to be kept in mind while trying to construct a custom OEM air filter? We’ll answer this question and discuss some essential points that you need to talk through with your OEM air filter manufacturer.
Every other air filter manufacturer boasts about the performance of their air filter, claiming it to be the best. To validate the claim, the manufacturers usually get their product tested, and the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers) Test Standard is used for this purpose, in general.
The ASHRAE test produces and provides a MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating to the product. The rating offer information to the user regarding the minimum efficiency of the filter at particular particle size. Also, it gives an idea of the filter’s performance when clogged with dust.
MERV rating ranges from 1 to 16. The higher the rating, the better will be the filter’s capability to remove dust from the air and trap smaller particles.
Set by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, FMVSS302 certification is an essential US Federal regulation that relates to the flammability of the interior material of a motor vehicle. FMVSS302 (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 302) is the standard that helps in determining the burn resistance capabilities of the interior compartment’s material of the motor vehicle. This certification is an essential one for an OEM air filter that will be installed in cars, buses, trucks, and any other motor vehicle.
Usually, the material which the manufacturers generally use while building an OEM air filter is Polypropylene. The main reason behind using this material is that it is highly washable, does not react to most of the chemicals, doesn’t easily fall off, and is highly heat resistant with the capability to bear up to 250 degrees. However, other material options are also available out there. While choosing the ideal material for the OEM air filter, do consider the thickness, shape, and density of the filter along with your budget.
The lead time for constructing an OEM air filter may vary as per the specification and customization you require. So, always choose a manufacturing partner that can quickly deliver your ordered customized filter, whether the order volume is high or low.
Usually, it takes around 7-10 days to build an efficient OEM air filter. So, make sure that your product gets manufactured and delivered within that time frame. Also, ensure that your manufacturing partner is capable enough to handle emergency production schedules too.
Creating an OEM air filter design prototype for the purpose of testing and approval is what we usually recommend. Your OEM filter manufacturer should discuss with you the product design, assist in the selection of the filtration media, and create a prototype as per the precise specifications you give. Then, before finalizing the product, the prototype must be used for filtration to ensure that it is perfect.
The work of your manufacturing partner doesn’t end on the delivery of the air filters. The requirement of an OEM aftermarket program will also be there for the replacement of any parts of the filter.
Every part of an OEM air filter usually contains a specific part number. In case there is a requirement to replace any particular part, the part number helps in its identification.
Ask your manufacturing partner whether it provides the service of private labelling or not. It’ll be great if your partner can design and print labels along with packaging components as per your specifications.
Variations can be there in every other OEM air filter, so this is something you should definitely ask your manufacturing partner. An electrostatic air filters works efficiently by catching and effectively obstructing the path of any dirt or dust particles. It also makes use of charged particle attraction to power up the dirt holding capacity of the product. If the filter is not up to mark or is not cut out for, then it can lose its charge, hampering the effectiveness. Such an issue can be of great concern in the areas with high humidity, like the seaboard and southern states.
Besides the humid conditions, the marine and salt environment can also be challenging for the filters. It is because corrosive salt can prove to be problematic in such an environment. So, corrosion-resistant filters will be a better option for marine utilization.
The design, frame, material, and other specifications and features must be discussed and finalized. Also, the factors like MERV rating, essential regulatory certifications, and other essential considerations must be kept in mind while choosing the manufacturing partner. The experience, quality of work, the turnaround, options available, and the pricing are also of the essence when selecting an ideal manufacturing partner for your OEM Air filter.
