AODD pump.
An Air Operated Double Diaphragm (AODD) pump is widely used across industries for transferring abrasive, corrosive, viscous, and hazardous fluids. While most users only see the finished product installed at their facility, every pump undergoes a carefully controlled manufacturing process before it reaches the customer.
A specification sheet can tell you the pump's flow rate, pressure rating, and port size, but it doesn't reveal the precision machining, quality inspections, or performance testing that determine how reliably the pump will perform in real-world conditions. At Antlia Engineering Works, every stage of manufacturing is designed to ensure consistency, durability, and long service life.
Founded in 2017, Antlia Engineering Works operates an ISO-certified manufacturing facility and exports AODD pumps to more than 20 countries. The company manufactures pumps using materials including aluminium, stainless steel, polypropylene, and PVDF for applications across chemical processing, pharmaceuticals, wastewater treatment, food processing, mining, ceramics, and other industrial sectors.
What Is an AODD Pump?
An Air Operated Double Diaphragm (AODD) pump is a positive displacement pump powered by compressed air. Two diaphragms move alternately to draw fluid into one chamber while simultaneously discharging fluid from the other. Because these pumps have no rotating shaft seals and can run dry without damage, they are ideal for demanding industrial environments handling aggressive or high-viscosity fluids.
Stage 1: Moulding
Manufacturing begins with moulding, where raw material is transformed into the basic shape of major components such as the pump body, manifolds, and covers. Although these castings are unfinished, their quality directly affects every subsequent manufacturing stage.
Proper moulding minimizes machining time, improves dimensional consistency, and reduces defects such as porosity, shrinkage, and surface imperfections. Each casting is inspected before proceeding to machining to ensure structural integrity and reliable sealing performance.
Stage 2: CNC Machining
After moulding, critical components undergo CNC machining to achieve precise dimensions. CNC technology enables identical components to be manufactured repeatedly with extremely tight tolerances, ensuring interchangeability and consistent performance.
Key components such as the main shaft and pilot shaft are CNC machined so that replacement parts continue to fit accurately even years after installation. This precision is essential for maintaining pump efficiency and long-term serviceability.
Stage 3: Lathe Machining
Lathe machining further refines cast components by producing accurate internal diameters, flat sealing surfaces, threaded ports, and air valve housings.
Even slight dimensional variations can affect diaphragm alignment, sealing efficiency, and pressure handling. Antlia operates multiple lathe machines to ensure every pump body, manifold, and fitting meets stringent industrial tolerances before moving to the next stage.
Stage 4: Grinding
Grinding removes microscopic machining marks and creates smooth sealing surfaces. Although often overlooked, this process is essential because rough surfaces can lead to fluid leakage, accelerated wear, and reduced pump life.
Critical sealing faces, bore interiors, and mating surfaces are ground to precise finishes, ensuring gaskets and diaphragms perform reliably throughout the pump's operating life.
Stage 5: Drilling
Every pump body requires accurately positioned bolt holes, air passages, mounting points, and manifold connections. Precision drilling ensures all components align perfectly during assembly.
Incorrect hole positioning can create uneven diaphragm loading, leading to premature wear or leakage. Dedicated drilling machines help maintain consistent alignment across every production batch, simplifying assembly and improving long-term reliability.
Stage 6: Store Department
The store department plays a critical role in manufacturing by managing inventory, traceability, and material availability.
Components including diaphragms, air valves, shafts, O-rings, balls, seats, and castings are organized according to production batches and material lots. This traceability allows manufacturers to quickly identify affected components if any material issue arises while ensuring uninterrupted production.
Antlia manufactures pumps using multiple material options including polypropylene (PP), stainless steel (SS-316), aluminium (AL), and PVDF, with diaphragm options such as PTFE, rubber, and Santoprene to suit different industrial applications.
Stage 7: Quality Inspection
Quality assurance begins long before the final pump is assembled. Every critical component undergoes detailed inspection to verify material quality, dimensional accuracy, and compliance with engineering specifications. Stainless steel components can also be supported by Material Test Certificates (MTCs) from government-approved laboratories whenever customer certification is required.
By identifying defects before assembly, manufacturers reduce the risk of failures in the field while ensuring every pump meets consistent performance standards.
Stage 8: Pump Assembly
Once every component passes inspection, technicians assemble the pump following a standardized process. The pump body, manifolds, diaphragms, air valve, check balls, seats, and fasteners are installed in a defined sequence to ensure proper alignment and sealing.
Correct assembly is essential because even the tightening sequence and torque values influence diaphragm seating, leak prevention, and long-term reliability. Standardized assembly procedures help every pump deliver consistent performance under demanding operating conditions.
Stage 9: Performance Testing
Testing is one of the most important stages of AODD pump manufacturing. Before dispatch, every assembled pump undergoes multiple performance tests to confirm it meets industrial operating standards.
The testing process includes:
Only pumps that successfully pass all tests proceed to packaging, ensuring customers receive equipment ready for immediate industrial use.
Stage 10: Packing
Proper packaging protects the pump throughout transportation, particularly for international shipments.
Industrial export packing includes securing moving components, using moisture-resistant packaging materials, and applying labels that comply with destination-country requirements. Effective packaging minimizes the risk of transit damage and helps ensure the pump arrives in the same condition it left the factory.
Stage 11: Shipping and Industrial Applications
Once packed, the pump is ready for dispatch to customers worldwide. By this stage, it has completed an extensive manufacturing journey involving precision machining, quality inspections, assembly, testing, and packaging.
AODD pumps are widely used across industries because they can safely handle abrasive, corrosive, viscous, and hazardous fluids. Common applications include:
In these demanding environments, reliability is critical. Consistent manufacturing practices ensure the pump delivers dependable performance while minimizing maintenance and downtime.
Precision Manufacturing Drives Long-Term Reliability
An AODD pump is much more than a collection of machined parts. Its long-term performance depends on every manufacturing stage-from high-quality moulding and precision machining to rigorous inspection, testing, and packaging.
Antlia Engineering Works employs around 40 skilled professionals and supplies pumps to leading organizations including the Ministry of Defence, BPCL, NTPC, Asian Paints, IOCL, Coca-Cola, and Godrej. The company has also completed large international orders, reflecting its capability to manufacture reliable industrial pumping solutions for customers across the globe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an AODD pump used for?
AODD pumps transfer corrosive, abrasive, viscous, and hazardous fluids in industries such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, wastewater treatment, mining, food processing, and ceramics.
How does an AODD pump work?
It uses compressed air to alternately flex two diaphragms, creating suction and discharge while check valves maintain one-way fluid flow.
Why choose an AODD pump over a centrifugal pump?
AODD pumps can run dry, handle abrasive and viscous fluids, and eliminate mechanical shaft seals, reducing maintenance requirements.
What materials are used to manufacture AODD pumps?
Pump bodies are commonly manufactured from aluminium, stainless steel, polypropylene, or PVDF, while diaphragms are typically made from PTFE, Santoprene, or rubber depending on the application.
How are AODD pumps tested before shipment?
Each pump undergoes hydro pressure testing, dry testing, and wet performance testing to verify structural integrity, leak-free operation, and overall performance before dispatch.
