The Compressed Air Challenge places laboratories in its instrument air quality level, between plant air and process air. Inside the instruments, Thomas lists gas analysers, mass spectrometers and autosamplers among the laboratory equipment that uses its piston pumps. Ultra Controlo distributes and services Thomas, which its catalogue describes for analytical, laboratory and medical applications.
The Compressed Air Challenge places laboratories in its instrument air level; Thomas, a maker of pumps for equipment builders, lists these laboratory uses for its pumps.
Laboratories sit in the instrument air level, with paint spraying, powder coating and climate control, per the Compressed Air Challenge.
Oil-less vacuum for autoclaves, analysers, vacuum ovens, rotary evaporators, degassing systems and aspirators, per Thomas for its 8211 series.
Piston pumps in laboratory equipment including nitrogen generators, DNA sequencers, mass spectrometers, electron microscopes, gas analysers and autosamplers, per Thomas.
Miniature rotary vane pumps in gas sampling, gas detection, water analysis and medical diagnostics, per Thomas.
Peristaltic pumps for laboratory and analysis technology, and liquid diaphragm pumps for in-vitro diagnostics, per Thomas.
Thomas gas diaphragm pumps have a sealed air path to avoid gas sample contamination.
Sources: Compressed Air Challenge, Fact Sheet #1 (May 2026); Thomas (thomaspumps.com), pages on piston pump technology, the 8211 series, rotary vane pump technology, the SR 18 series, liquid diaphragm pumps and gas diaphragm pumps, read 24 October 2026.
The Compressed Air Challenge groups compressed air quality in four levels and says industrial applications typically use one of the first three; the higher the quality, the more the air costs to produce.
| Quality level | Applications listed |
|---|---|
| Plant air | Air tools, general plant air |
| Instrument air | Laboratories, paint spraying, powder coating, climate control |
| Process air | Food and pharmaceutical process air, electronics |
| Breathing air | Hospital air systems, diving tank refill stations, respirators for cleaning and/or grit blasting |
Ultra Controlo distributes and services Thomas and Elmo Rietschle, two of its five partner brands.
Oil-free gas diaphragm pumps, compact and light, with sealed air paths for equipment builders, and rotary vane pumps for vacuum and gas sampling, per the Ultra Controlo catalogue.
ThomasPeristaltic pumps for precise fluid handling in medical and industrial applications, and liquid diaphragm pumps for in-vitro diagnostics, per the catalogue.
ThomasContact-free, oil-free and low maintenance in the Ultra Controlo catalogue; Elmo Rietschle lists medical and laboratory technology among their applications.
Elmo RietschleSources: Ultra Controlo Industrial 2026 catalogue, pp. 10, 11 and 15; Thomas, gas diaphragm pumps page; Elmo Rietschle, claw vacuum pumps page.
Ultra Controlo is a Portuguese manufacturer of compressed air, vacuum and technical gas systems, with 40 years of experience. We design, assemble and test our own compressors, dryers and carbon towers in Portugal, and supply and service five partner brands.
ULTRASCREW compressors, ULTRASEC and ULTRADRY dryers and ULTRAK activated carbon towers.
Gardner Denver, Elmo Rietschle, Thomas, Speck Pumpen (Circutec) and Speck Triplex.
Preventive and corrective maintenance, original spare parts and emergency support, by our own team.
Source: Ultra Controlo Industrial 2026 catalogue, pp. 3, 10, 16, 17 and 22.
The Compressed Air Challenge Fact Sheet #1 (May 2026) places laboratories in its instrument air level, with paint spraying, powder coating and climate control, above plant air for air tools and below process air for food and pharmaceuticals.
Thomas lists laboratory equipment including nitrogen generators, DNA sequencers, mass spectrometers, electron microscopes, gas analysers and autosamplers among the uses of its piston pumps, and gas sampling and detection for its miniature rotary vane pumps.
Thomas lists autoclaves, analysers, vacuum ovens, rotary evaporators, degassing systems and aspirators as uses of the oil-less vacuum of its 8211 series diaphragm pumps.
No. The Compressed Air Challenge Fact Sheet #1 (May 2026) lists laboratories under instrument air and keeps breathing air, for hospital air systems, diving tank refill stations and respirators, as a separate level.
It distributes and services Thomas, which its Industrial 2026 catalogue describes for analytical, laboratory and medical applications, with gas diaphragm, rotary vane, piston, peristaltic and liquid diaphragm pumps, and Elmo Rietschle vacuum pumps.
The instruments, the vacuum and the gases, or the equipment you build. We reply with the pumps that fit.
