The piston compressor is a positive-displacement compressor that uses pistons driven by a crankshaft to deliver gases at high pressure.

The intake gas enters the suction manifold, then flows into the compression cylinder where it gets compressed by a piston driven in a reciprocating motion via a crankshaft, and is then discharged. Applications include food production, oil refineries, gas pipelines, chemical plants, natural gas processing plants, air conditioning, and refrigeration plants. One specialty application is the blowing of plastic bottles made of PET.