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  • How Are Medical Gases Made?

    How Are Medical Gases Made?

     

    The global medical gas market had an estimated value of USD 12.8 billion in 2021. Based on historical data, the market is expected to experience an 8.1% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) every year from 2020 until 2030. 

    Contributing factors include government initiatives, the prevalence of chronic diseases, an increasing geriatric population, and the steady rise in demand for home-based healthcare. Of course, we also have to consider how analytical and research labs’ consistent work on vaccines and medication is fueling the industry.

    nexAir is a trusted medical gas specialist. If you have any questions about medical gases and how they’re made, our team can readily address them. To help you get started, here’s what you need to know about these gases.

     

    What are the different types of medical gas?

    Hospitals and healthcare facilities can’t operate properly without medical gases. These include the following:

    • Medical Air: This is used for patient respiration and supplied by a specialized air compressor in the ICU, NICU, and other patient care areas within the facility
    • Medical Oxygen: This is required by all hospitals and healthcare centers; it is typically used for inhalation therapy and resuscitation efforts
    • Carbon Dioxide: This type of medical gas is typically used in less invasive surgeries such as arthroscopy, cryotherapy, endoscopy, and laparoscopy
    • Nitrogen: It is primarily used to power surgical tools and medical equipment; it serves as a support gas in healthcare facilities
    • Nitrous Oxide: This is often used as an analgesic and anesthetic in surgical procedures; it is otherwise known as the “laughing gas”

     

    What is the process for making medical oxygen?

    Oxygen remains the most important gas in any healthcare setting. Keep in mind that although industrial oxygen must meet strict regulations, it still doesn’t match the purity of medical oxygen. Industrial oxygen isn’t safe for inhalation, unlike medical oxygen which is essential in hospital treatments. As such, they can’t be interchanged.

    Let’s go over three common ways medical oxygen is made so you can have a better idea of how it differs from other types of oxygen gases and medical gases:

    • Cryogenic Plants: These industrial facilities have a relatively high set-up cost but they have a 99.95% purity
    • PSA Plants: They require electricity and are expected to have 95% to 99% purity; they aren’t a cheap solution
    • Oxygen Concentrators: These are portable machines that convert ambient air into high-purity oxygen

    Alternatively, you can conveniently store oxygen and other medical gases in industry-grade cylinders and have them refilled at an existing plant.

     

    Explore What nexAir Can Do For You

    nexAir helps your medical research or healthcare facility ForgeForward with our instrument-grade and ultra-high-purity medical gases. We can prepare custom mixtures based on your unique specifications. We also include a Certificate of Analysis with each specialty gas cylinder so you can ensure these products match industry standards.

    Additionally, our industry KnowHow includes carefully curated information and insights that put you in a better position for development and innovation. We’re a trusted gas specialist in healthcare and the medical field, along with various other industries such as research and development, automotive, and food and beverage.

    Reach out to us today for inquiries about medical gases.

     

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    Manufacturing downtime costs American companies billions annually. When production lines halt due to gas supply issues, every minute translates to lost revenue, missed deadlines, and frustrated customers. At nexAir, we've spent decades developing solutions that keep manufacturing operations running smoothly.

    The Hidden Costs of Gas-Related Downtime

    When manufacturers calculate downtime costs, they typically focus on labor and lost production. However, gas supply disruptions create cascading effects that multiply these losses:

    • Production rescheduling that disrupts carefully optimized sequences
    • Rush shipping fees to meet customer deadlines despite delays
    • Quality inconsistencies when processes restart after interruptions
    • Overtime costs to catch up after unplanned stoppages
    • Reputation damage when delivery commitments are missed

    For a typical mid-sized manufacturer, each hour of downtime represents $5,000-$10,000 in direct and indirect costs. Our analysis shows that gas-related issues cause 7-12% of total manufacturing downtime - a substantial opportunity for improvement.

    From Reactive to Proactive: The Supply Continuum

    Most facilities follow a predictable pattern in their gas management evolution:

    Stage 1: Reactive Management At this stage, facilities order gas when they notice supplies running low or, worse, after running out. Emergencies are common, and disruptions are accepted as "part of doing business." One automotive parts supplier operating this way experienced 14 production interruptions in a single quarter.

    Stage 2: Calendar-Based Management Facilities advance to scheduled deliveries based on estimated usage. While better than the reactive approach, this method still results in either excess inventory (tying up capital and space) or shortages when usage spikes occur. A plastics manufacturer following this model maintained 40% more cylinder inventory than necessary while still experiencing occasional stockouts.

    Stage 3: Consumption-Based Management Our telemetry systems monitor actual gas consumption, automatically triggering orders based on usage patterns rather than calendar dates. This approach virtually eliminates both stockouts and excess inventory. 

    Stage 4: Integrated Supply Management The most advanced approach connects gas management directly to production planning systems. Upcoming production requirements automatically adjust supply parameters, ensuring resources are precisely aligned with needs. A medical device manufacturer using this approach reports zero gas-related downtime for 27 consecutive months while operating with minimal inventory buffers.

    Our expert KnowHow™ in industrial gas applications allows us to guide customers through this evolution at a pace that makes sense for their operations.

    Customizing Solutions for Maximum Uptime

    Manufacturing environments vary dramatically in their gas requirements and operational constraints. We've developed flexible approaches that address these differences:

    • For high-volume, consistent usage operations, our bulk systems eliminate the cylinder handling that frequently causes supply disruptions. Bulk installations include telemetry monitoring and automated ordering to prevent outages.
    • For variable-demand environments, our microbulk delivery systems provide the benefits of bulk supply with lower volume commitments. These systems reduce handling requirements while maintaining the flexibility needed for changing production schedules.
    • For specialized applications requiring multiple gas types, our gas management programs combine cylinder tracking, usage monitoring, and automated replenishment. This comprehensive approach ensures that specialty gases are always available when needed, regardless of how infrequently they might be used.
    • For multi-site operations, our enterprise supply programs coordinate deliveries and optimize inventory across locations. By treating the organization's gas requirements holistically, we minimize both stockouts and excess inventory across the network.

    This consultative approach ensures that manufacturers receive solutions aligned with their specific operational patterns rather than generic "one-size-fits-all" systems.

    Beyond Traditional Supply: Integrated Services for Total Reliability

    Maximum uptime requires more than just reliable gas delivery. Our integrated services address the full spectrum of gas-related reliability factors:

    Equipment maintenance programs that prevent system failures before they impact production Technical gas specialists who resolve application issues that could otherwise cause production problems Safety training that prevents accidents leading to downtime events Emergency response capabilities that minimize impacts when unexpected events occur Supply chain redundancy that ensures continuity despite regional disruptions

    These services complement our supply solutions to form a comprehensive reliability strategy. By addressing both everyday operations and exceptional circumstances, we help manufacturers Forge Forward with confidence that gas-related disruptions won't derail their production targets.

    Measuring Success: The Results That Matter

    The ultimate measure of any downtime reduction strategy is its impact on production metrics. Our manufacturing customers consistently report significant improvements after implementing our comprehensive gas management solutions:

    Downtime reductions of 85-95% for gas-related issues Inventory cost decreases of 20-30% through optimized supply management Administrative time savings of 5-10 hours weekly through automated ordering and tracking Production schedule adherence improvements of 3-7% due to improved supply reliability

    These performance gains translate directly to bottom-line benefits that typically deliver ROI within months rather than years. More importantly, they allow manufacturers to confidently make delivery commitments, knowing that gas supply issues won't compromise their ability to perform.

    Don't let gas supply issues impact your productivity. Contact us today to explore our tailored solutions.

    Looking out for your future

    Get your career going on the right track with nexAir

    Industry Knowledge and Expertise

    Find out how nexAir KnowHow has impacted businesses all over the Southeast

    nexAir in the news

    Our expertise makes us more than a valuable partner, it makes us headlines

    nexAir is always open!