Recap Of Mother’s Day Week 2013

May 17, 2013 — bdfarno

This has been a busy week; here at EXAIR and at home.  Between Mother’s Day on Sunday, EXAIR Softball Practice on Tuesday and Thursday, some new product releases and finally ending tonight with a night of me watching my daughters while my wife enjoys a night out with friends.

First, for Mother’s day I found a project to build a squirrel feeder out of a fence post and glass jar.   So I built the feeder and the present from our daughters is that they get to decorate it with their mom.  (The squirrels are lucky that we don’t own a bedazzler …yet).

20130512_204102

Second, as my blog last week mentioned, the Softball team is coming together.  A good number of us went to a local field and hit the ball around for a few hours Thursday. It was nice to leave all the titles behind and just be a group of friends playing ball.  I do have to mention that so far we have had no injuries, other than lots of soreness from unused muscles.

No drip

Third on the list is that EXAIR is offering a full line of No Drip Atomizing Liquid Spray Nozzles now,   if you have a precious liquid, or if you can’t have over spray or dripping of the liquid then our No Drip Nozzles are the solution to your problems. The new nozzles don’t require an extra valve or separate air line.  Simply install it just like any other Atomizing Spray Nozzle from our line and then when the air pressure reaches 30 psig the internal valve will open allowing liquid flow.  Simply turn off the compressed air to stop the flow and not a single drip of liquid will escape.

As for tonight, the plans will be determined by a three year old and I will simply be the chauffeur.

Brian Farno
Application Engineer
BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF

Posted in Compressed Air, Customer Service, Spray Nozzles. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

If It’s Not Broke…Or Even If It Is…How Bad Is It?

May 16, 2013 — rrbowman

I currently drive a 12-year-old minivan. I’ve been pretty good about keeping up with the preventive maintenance on it, and aside from a little rust on the fenders and stains in the carpet, it’s not too much worse for the wear. In fact, it’s going to have to get a whole lot worse to make me consider a monthly car payment again.

The only real repair issue I’m facing with it right now is a seal leak on the power steering rack & pinion. Although it’s a very slow leak, I’m well aware that it’s probably not going to fix itself. In fact, I know for sure that it’s going to get worse, and the day is coming when I’ll have to do something about it. The last time I changed the oil, I surveyed the situation, and it looks to be a fairly involved repair. For me, anyway…on a scale of 1-10, changing the oil is about an 8 for me. I estimate the seal job as a 13.

Again, though, it’s still a small leak: I’m going through a $3 bottle of power steering fluid every month or so, pouring a few ounces in the reservoir every time I stop to fill the gas tank. It’s another example of something that’s going to have to get a whole lot worse to make me consider the alternative.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with an engineer at a large power tool manufacturing company over the course of the last two years…he’s been replacing open-end blow offs (mostly made by crushing the ends of copper tubing) with 3” Aluminum Super Air Knives throughout their plant…and realizing significant savings in compressed air consumption. In a couple of situations, he’s saving even more air by using an EFC Electronic Flow Control, when they can get away with intermittent blow offs.

There are a couple of production lines, though, where he hasn’t been able to justify the use of the Super Air Knives…these are locations where only one crimped tube is run, and the parts are so small & lightweight that they can only use very low compressed air supply pressure. In those cases, we’ve both done the math, not only on the Super Air Knives, but Air Amplifiers and Super Air Nozzles, and the numbers just don’t bear out much benefit from replacement. And that’s OK: it’s just as important to know where our products aren’t going to work out as it is to know where they will.

I guess the bottom line is this: we don’t need to finagle our products into situations where they’re not needed.  We, and EXAIR Intelligent Compressed Air Product users everywhere, are doing just fine (better than that, even) by putting them in applications where they’re making a HUGE difference. Give me a call if you want to find out how much we can improve your compressed air applications. I’d love to find out myself!

Russ Bowman
Application Engineer
EXAIR Corporation
(513)671-3322 local
(800)923-9247 toll free
(513)671-3363 fax
Web: http://www.exair.com
Blog: http://blog.exair.com/
Twitter: twitter.com/exair_rb
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/exair

Posted in Air Amplifier, Air Knife, Compressed Air, Compressed Air Optimization, Customer Service, Super Air Nozzle, Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Heavy Duty HEPA Vac Used For Walnut Shell Blasting Media Recovery

May 14, 2013 — ndraker

walnut media

I was working recently with a customer who performs a variety of media blasting services. Their services involve cleaning delicate molds, armatures and electric motors prior to being re-wound. They also get into a variety of other applications that involve the need to clean coatings or other foreign matter from delicate surfaces such as jewelry, watches and similar items. They use walnut shell material as it works well without etching or otherwise damaging these surfaces.

The customer contacted EXAIR as they were looking for a reasonable way to clean up this very dusty material after they have used it. In fact, they re-use the material multiple times and needed a good way to collect it back into a central tank without creating huge dust clouds that would present a breathing hazard to their operators.

HD HEPA

Our customer contacted us after they saw we had the new Heavy Duty HEPA Vac as part of our Industrial Housekeeping Products offering now. They had a few initial questions regarding how well it actually traps the very fine materials that it vacuums. I had explained to them that we had conducted several tests on a variety of materials including everything from metal chips down to powder the consistency of baking flour. When tested with the very fine materials, we found there were no visible emissions through the filtering system and back into the atmosphere above the drum lid where the exhaust flow is located. That discussion was enough to convince this customer that the Heavy Duty HEPA Vac was the right product for them. Previously, they had been trying to use the typical electric shop vacuums that you get from the local hardware stores. While these work OK for a while, they get clogged up with the fine dust very quickly. Also, the fine dust makes its way into the electric motor causing over heating conditions and eventually failure. The Heavy Duty HEPA Vac has no moving parts to wear out. That was another advantage the customer saw as positive for their purposes.

Since buying model 6199 Heavy Duty HEPA Vac a month ago, our customer has reported back to me their success at using the unit for cleanup and recycling. Having the capability of a large, 55 gallon drum reservoir was another feature that made their job a lot easier.

If you have a rather dusty material that you need to vacuum up and make sure is contained in your operation, give some serious consideration to the EXAIR Heavy Duty HEPA Vac System. You will be glad you did.

Neal Raker, Application Engineer
nealraker@exair.com

Posted in Industrial Housekeeping, Sustainability. Tags: , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Vacuum Chips from Blind Holes

May 13, 2013 — japanfalone

An engine manufacturing plant had an issue with removing shavings from a blind hole to be threaded. The machining of the engine block is done on a transfer machine and is unmanned from station to station. Shavings in the drilled holes would interfere with the bottoming forming taps, causing them to break. When a tap breaks, sensors shut the entire line down.

Capture

The initial concept was to use an EXAIR Deep Hole Vac U Gun where compressed air is blown down into the hole with a small compressed air tube. The savings are captured by a soft vinyl tube under vacuum generated by the gun. This worked quite well but would require an operator positioned at that station. The customer wanted to keep the operation unmanned.

GM Romulus BO-Vacuum System HP Chip-VacThey added another station in the transfer line and installed an EXAIR 5 gallon Chip Vac with the end of its hose modified to replicate the Deep Hole Vac U Gun. They moved the modified hose end with a robot from hole to hole. This eliminated tap breakage, line shutdown, and increased uptime by 10%. 

There are a lot of innovative  ways that EXAIR products can be used.

Give our application engineers a call. 1-800-903-9247.  They would be happy to assist you.

Joe Panfalone
Application Engineer
Phone (513) 671-3322
Fax (513) 671-3363
Web: http://www.exair.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/exair_jp
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/exair

http://www.exair.com/28/dhvg.htm

Posted in Customer Service, Industrial Housekeeping, Line Vac, Vacuum. Tags: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

EXAIR Now Has A Softball Team…. Again

May 10, 2013 — bdfarno

It’s that time of the year, to play ball.   EXAIR now has a recreational softball team that is going to be playing on Thursday nights here in Cincinnati.  The team is going to be composed of guys from our production team, engineering department, marketing department, and even our President.

As of right now we are still gathering our equipment up and it seems like it is going to turn out to be a combination of The Sandlot, along with The Bad News Bears. (Not the Billy Bob Thorton version.)  The interesting part of the process so far is that we have already started to pull together and help each other out.  Even people who aren’t going to be playing have volunteered to watch us for comedic relief or donate some old equipment to the cause.

So other than being a group of guys that haven’t played sports in a handful of years we have one thing going for us and that is the support from EXAIR.   It really goes to show you what kind company EXAIR is.  We’ll not only help you find what you need, let you try the unit out for 30 days, then stand behind it for 5 years against manufacturer’s defect.  We will also be here to support troubleshooting and any other help you may need with the product by phone, e-mail, live chat or even fax.

If you have a question on any of our products, don’t hesitate to call.   Also, if you are in Cincinnati and want to watch some live entertainment, let us know and we’ll get you the team schedule.

Brian Farno
Application Engineer
BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF

Posted in Compressed Air, Compressed Air Optimization, Customer Service, Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

The Door Is Always Open

May 9, 2013 — leeevansexair

1299-cs

One of the avenues we offer for our customers to contact us, is by phone.  It almost seems old fashioned considering the number of emails and online IM conversations (chats) we have on a daily basis.  But, its tried and true.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of working with end users of our product in Texas.  They’ve purchased countless items from us over the years and due to an on-site accident needed a replacement item for one of our Safety Air Guns.  We have several styles with various models in each offering, so I felt some doubt we were at exactly the right place.

To erase the doubt and confirm the necessary part to the end user, I took a few photos of the spares and sent them over.  It turns out we were right on the money, but having visual confirmation gave the extra security needed to order without hesitation.  And, of course, we created another again-satisfied customer.

If you have an application or EXAIR related question, the door is always open.

Lee Evans

Application Engineer

LeeEvans@EXAIR.com

@EXAIR_LE

Posted in Safety Air Gun. Tags: , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Choices, Choices

May 8, 2013 — rrbowman

This past Sunday was my birthday. I had planned on teaching my 13-year-old son some basics of pitching…but it rained, so instead, he got a lesson in the basics of plumbing, since the toilet in his bathroom needed a new wax ring installed. It actually wasn’t too bad, since I learned something too: I’ve replaced a few toilet seals in my time, but I never knew how easy it was when help was available, especially from a strapping, athletic teenager who’s capable of lifting his half of that awkward, ceramic hulk. When we go to tile that bathroom floor (don’t tell him yet; it’s a surprise…maybe for HIS birthday), this is one task I don’t dread all that much anymore.

You’re probably thinking of a thousand better ways to spend a birthday, and, a thousand times, you would be right. It wasn’t all bad, though: right before we got into the plumbing project, we had lunch with some of our best friends. Since it was my birthday, I got to choose where we went. After making several fast-food suggestions that I KNEW would be unacceptable to my wife, I picked one of her favorite steak joints, and all was well. Medium well, actually…

Speaking of smart decisions, I had the pleasure of helping a new customer with product selection for a cooling application yesterday. There are many, many situations where an EXAIR product can be used for cooling, but it all comes down to two considerations. Is it better to use:

*A small-to-moderate flow of very cold air (like a Vortex Tube), or
*A high volume flow of ambient temperature air?

In this case, they needed to keep a sensitive component in a vision inspection system relatively cool in a very high temperature environment. For that kind of mass heat removal, the obvious answer was an Air Amplifier:  although a Vortex Tube can produce very cold temperatures, when the temperature of the machinery is more than a few hundred degrees, the relative “cool” of room temperature air will do just fine, especially if you can provide a LOT of it.  What (I hope) sells the customer on it is a video we recently became aware of, showing our Adjustable Air Amplifiers being used to cool the exhaust during the testing of the 2014 Corvette’s 450HP V8 engine:

If you have an application requiring a cooling flow of air and aren’t sure which way to go, give me a call. If the Corvette engine video doesn’t convince you, we can even resort to quantitative analysis of your heat load, which is almost as fun. Almost…

Russ Bowman
Application Engineer
EXAIR Corporation
(513)671-3322 local
(800)923-9247 toll free
(513)671-3363 fax
Web: http://www.exair.com
Blog: http://blog.exair.com/
Twitter: twitter.com/exair_rb
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/exair

Posted in Air Amplifier, Compressed Air, Compressed Air Optimization, Customer Service, Uncategorized, Vortex Tubes. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »
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