Assisting aluminium & wood factories

If you run or work in an aluminium, wood, steel, cast iron, etc. factory you are probably surrounded by automation parts and machines. You cannot carry out your wok without them and you would feel more at ease if you knew that there was someplace where you could find all the parts you needed, have experienced technicians repair your machines and qualified engineers ready to design and build your custom made machines. Well, it's time to be put at ease, FIN is here to help.

We have been supporting factories such as yours for over a decade and know what you need, and how urgently you need it. We stock a wide variety of air preparation units such as filters, regulators and lubricators for all your tools and machines. We also have a wide range of hoses and pipes which are ideal for compressed air or hydraulic (we crimp those too!). For cleaning we recommend our variable blow guns, couplings and spiral tubing. The list is indeed endless, but you get the idea!

If your machines are in need or repair, we have a team of qualified and experienced technicians that come on-site, diagnose the problem and solve it within a short time, at a cost saving for you. We can also plan and carry out preventative maintenance so that you will not have to worry about your machines breaking down.

Finally, if you have a process that is requiring a lot of manual input and you want to automate it to save time and money, our skilled engineers can come on site, design your dream on a simulation and build your automated solution for you. Our combined imagination is the limit to what can be automated!

So for all your automation components, repairs and services, remember FIN.

Your compressor might need a service

It is a reliable partner that sits quietly (or not) in the corner and is always ready to assist in our hobby or work. I am talking about the compressor of course. To continue ensuring that your compressor continues to work in a reliable and efficient way, you need to service it, and we can help.








There are a number of components which might need replacing during a normal maintenance service. The pressure switch (which control when the compressor starts and stop adding air to the reservoir), the pneumatic oil and the filter are common components which need to be changed every so often. It is recommended that a trained technician does the service to as to ensure that no component is overlooked and the right replacements are correctly installed.



We recommend a service about once a year, but depending on the usage it might be better to do it earlier or later. A compressor working an 8 hour shift at a spray shop, for example, should be serviced at least once a year. A compressor kept at home and used on weekends can afford a service every 2 years. You get the idea!




Finally, a short note regarding the compressors we supply, FIMA. They are an Italian company with over 30 years experience in the compressor air sector. They are reliable, competitively priced and you can always find technical assistance from FIN when the need arises.

IP rating? What's that?

A common specification found in many of our and indeed all automation products, is IP rating. It sounds like something you'd need to be an expert engineer to understand, but in fact, it is a very simple and useful tool when choosing the right products for your application.

You should consider the IP rating of a product if you will use it outdoors or in a dirty or wet environment. This rating explains how protected the component is from solid particles and water. Enclosure cabinets and man to machine interfaces, such as push buttons are the most common items where the IP rating is important. After all, you wouldn't want that a control panel full of expensive and vital systems allows water to penetrate it, causing damage.

As we can see from the chart, the IP rating is split between 2 digits. The first digit explains the level of protection from solid particles and dust whilst the second digit shows the protection from water.

There is one rating which is not included in this chart, IP69K. This picture of a Pizzato emergency button testing explains what this high rating means. An IP69K rated component can withstand water sprayed from any direction at a pressure of upto 100BAR. Purchasing such products almost guarantees the safety and integrity of the product and components enclosed within it.

For any further information about IP rating or anything regarding automation, contact us today on https://www.facebook.com/finmalta.

Don't over lubricate!

We receive numerous requests for clarifications from our customers about air filter, lubricators and regulators. The main questions revolve around, what are they, when to use them and, most importantly, when NOT to use them.

Air regulators

They come in many forms and sizes, but in general they accept a manual input to control the pressure (not to be mixed up with flow) of the air system. This is important as pneumatic components require a certain pressure to work efficiently; too little pressure and they might not operate well, too much and they might wear and tear quicker.

Would you use a mobile phone which doesn't have a monitor? Probably not. So ensure that the regulator has a pressure gauge that reads at least 10% higher than the maximum pressure created by the compressor. How else can you regulate correctly?


Air Filters

These filters do a very similar job to your car air filter, they purify the air. The air around us is filled with tiny impurities, including water (better known as humidity). If these impurities are not captured before they enter the air line system they can cause serious damage to your pneumatic components.

There are various types and grades of filtration available. Any and every application needs to begin with a general purpose filter. Then, depending on the use of the air, more advanced filters may be required. Car sprayers, for example, would do well to have a filtration system capable of removing particles as small as 0.003micron (a fraction of the size of a hair). In humid countries such as Malta, these filters guarantee an excellent and dry paint job.

Air Lubricators

There is a general misconception about the use and need of lubricators. Their task is pretty simple; they add a small amount of lubrication oil into the air line system. They should be used in air systems designated for mechanical tools, such as a pneumatic drill. The lubricated air ensures a long life to such tools.

They should NOT, however, be used in any system which has pneumatic valves and pistons, for example. These components (and more importantly their seals) are designed to operate without lubrication. HOWEVER, if you have already lubricated these components you need to continue lubricating them, as the seals would have adapted to require lubrication.






In conclusion, plan beforehand when installing an air line system. You can use the same general purpose filter at the begin and then split the line into two, a dry system and a lubricated one.

FIN provides free consultations for all your pneumatic, hydraulic and electrical projects. We also stock a wide variety of air filters, regulators, lubricators and gauges. Contact us on 27654098 for more information. 

5 reasons to have us build your control cabinet

In a nutshell, why should you choose FIN for your control cabinet requirements?

1. 100% customisable (we can control whatever you wish)
2. Price & efficiency (we understand your needs)
3. Guarantee (starting from 1 to 3 years)
4. Modern (latest components for higher reliability)
5. Sleek and modern design (professional layout and image)

We also repair and modify existing panels should you be limited by time or space.

Contact us on +356 27654098 to book a free on-site quotation today.

FIN team at Miss European 2013

FIN is proud to support this year's edition of Miss European held in Malta. The competition, held amongst 10 national teams, was fought out stylishly with the winners being team England.

This event also proved an opportunity for FIN's creators, Glenn and Sergio to relax in preparation of an upcoming launching of the whole range of products from the world leader in automation components. More details to follow shortly.

Back to the competition, prior to the final competition FIN was visited by Team Malta and each model was given a taste of what it means to work in the automation industry. A very brief video of their day can be viewed below, but watch out for the full video that will air on ONE in December and will certainly be posted on our Facebook page.

Happy Weekend!

Leuze Electronic - hand held scanners

Leuze Electronic have recently unveiled their next generation hand held scanners, which are now available from FIN.

Probably the best attribute of these scanners is their durability; they can be dropped 5000 times without suffering any damage. They are also IP65 rated which further confirms their resistance to dust and water.

The scanners are equipped with a large reading field which, combined with superior laser alignment, guarantees fast detection of bar codes and 2D-codes alike. In simple terms, these scanners replace manual data entry almost completely.

The IT 1911i series (pictures) operates with Bluetooth Class 1, which allows the scanner to be used at a distance of up to 100m from the base station. Up to seven such scanners can communicate efficiently with the base station at a time, resulting in a further reduction and overall running costs.

For enquiries and orders, contact us today on 27 654 097 / 8 / 9 or use our contact form.