Lapho i-piston ephindayo isesilinda idlulela kwesokudla, ingcindezi esegumbini elingakwesobunxele le-piston ku-cylinder iphansi kunengcindezi yasemkhathini PA, i-valve yokudonsa iyavulwa, bese kuthi umoya wangaphandle ungene ku-cylinder. Le nqubo ibizwa ngokuthi inqubo yokucindezela. Lapho ingcindezi kusilinda ingaphezulu kwengcindezi P kupayipi lomoya elikhiphayo, kuvuleka i-valve yokukhipha. Umoya ocindezelweyo uthunyelwa kumbhobho wokudlulisa igesi. Le nqubo ibizwa ngokuthi inqubo yokukhipha. Ukunyakaza okuphindayo kwe-piston kwakhiwa indlela ye-crank slider eqhutshwa yinjini. Ukunyakaza okujikelezayo kwe-crank kuguqulwa kube yi-sliding - ukunyakaza okuphindayo kwepiston.

I-Piston air compressors inezinhlobo eziningi zesakhiwo. Ngokuya ngemodi yokumisa isilinda, ingahlukaniswa ngohlobo oluqondile, uhlobo oluvundlile, uhlobo lwe-angular, uhlobo lwebhalansi olulinganayo nohlobo oluphikisanayo. Ngokuya ngochungechunge lokucindezelwa, lungahlukaniswa lube uhlobo lwesigaba esisodwa, uhlobo lwesigaba esimbili nohlobo lwezigaba eziningi. Ngokuya ngemodi yokusetha, ingahlukaniswa ngohlobo lweselula nohlobo olungaguquki. Ngokuya ngemodi yokulawula, ingahlukaniswa ibe uhlobo lokwehlisa kanye nohlobo lokushintsha kwengcindezi. Phakathi kwazo, imodi yokulawula ukulayishwa kusho ukuthi lapho ingcindezi ethangini lokugcina umoya lifinyelela kunani elibekiwe, i-air compressor ayiyeki ukusebenza, kepha yenza umsebenzi ongacindezelwe ngokuvula i-valve yokuphepha. Lesi simo sokungenzi lutho sibizwa ngokukhipha umsebenzi. Imodi yokulawula inkinobho yokucindezela isho ukuthi lapho ingcindezi ethangi yokugcina umoya ifinyelela inani elibekiwe, isiguquli somoya sizoyeka ukusebenza ngokuzenzekelayo.

Izinzuzo ze-piston air compressor yisakhiwo esilula, impilo ende yokusebenza, futhi kulula ukubona amandla amakhulu kanye nokukhishwa kwengcindezi ephezulu. Okubi kungukudlidlizela okukhulu nomsindo, futhi ngoba i-exhaust iphakathi nendawo, kukhona okukhipha i-pulse, ngakho-ke kudingeka ithangi lokugcina umoya.