When a piece of equipment goes down, the cost isn’t limited to the replacement part. Production stops. Employees wait. Maintenance gets pulled away from other projects. Orders can fall behind. Scrap and quality issues can… More
Eliminating Heat Creep and Sagging in Industrial 3D Printing
When dealing with industrial additive manufacturing, precision is everything. Engineers routinely push the boundaries of 3D printing by utilizing high-performance, flexible polymers like TPU or specialized thin-walled blends. However, these advanced materials come with a strict environmental cost: they require rapid, precise cooling the moment they leave the heated nozzle to instantly lock their geometric shape.
If your facility struggles with summer temperature spikes, relying on standard equipment fans can lead to costly print failures. Here is how one facility eliminated the headache of ambient heat creep using simple, compressed-air technology.
The Challenge: The Summer Meltdown in Advanced Prototyping
An engineering team was tasked with printing a batch of intricate components using a heat-sensitive, flexible polymer. The project required tight tolerances and flawless execution on complex overhangs.
The challenge arose during the peak of summer. The main facility floor was averaging 88°F (31°C), and the ambient temperature inside the unconditioned additive manufacturing lab hovered right around 85°F.
The Point of Failure
The 3D printer’s stock, built-in plastic cooling fans were running at maximum capacity. However, because these fans rely entirely on drawing in the hot, humid ambient room air, they simply could not lower the polymer’s temperature fast enough.
During an extended 14-hour print cycle, disaster struck. On the fine overhangs and delicate “bridge” segments of the prototype, the hot plastic began to droop and sag before it could solidify. The next morning, operators found a pile of warped, unusable plastic “spaghetti”—resulting in wasted specialty filament and a missed production deadline.
The Flawed Traditional Fixes
The engineering team considered several traditional fixes, but each introduced new operational bottlenecks:
- Lowering the extrusion temperature: This caused poor layer adhesion, weakened the structural integrity of the part, and threatened to clog the printer nozzle.
- Adding larger electric fans: This simply circulated more warm, humid air and created turbulent drafts that caused the base layers to warp and lift from the print bed.
- Installing a dedicated HVAC unit: This was dismissed as too costly, power-hungry, and time-consuming for a single prototyping workstation.
The Solution: EXAIR Adjustable Spot Cooler
The team decided to pivot and repurpose an EXAIR Adjustable Spot Cooler from the shop floor.
Using the unit’s heavy-duty swivel magnetic base, they snapped the cooler directly onto the metal frame of the 3D printer enclosure. They routed the flexible cold air hose through a side access panel and directed it precisely at the print area just below the moving nozzle.
Instead of blowing ambient 85°F room air onto the build, the operators were able to dial in a crisp, dry stream of 20°F (-7°C) air to perfectly freeze the plastic layer by layer.
What Makes the Spot Cooler Truly “Adjustable”?
While standard industrial vortex tubes require a screwdriver to manually adjust the internal “cold fraction” valve, the EXAIR Adjustable Spot Cooler is specifically designed for rapid, on-the-fly customization via two mechanical layers of adjustability:
- The Temperature Control Knob: Operators don’t need tools to alter performance. By turning the built-in external knob, you adjust the internal temperature control valve. This regulates exactly how much hot exhaust is bled off, allowing you to fine-tune precise temperature settings ranging from room temperature all the way down to -30°F (-34°C).
- Interchangeable Generators: Different polymers require different air velocities. To change the overall cooling power, the system includes three interchangeable internal generators rated at flows of 15, 25, and 30 SCFM. Swapping these out allows operators to scale the volume of cold airflow up or down without losing the sub-freezing temperatures needed for rapid material setting.
The Result
By fine-tuning the knob to a steady 20°F, the sub-freezing air instantly solidified the heat-sensitive polymer layers the millisecond they were extruded. This completely eliminated the drooping on complex overhangs and bridges.
Because the Spot Cooler utilizes EXAIR Vortex Tube technology, it features no moving parts, uses no electricity, and requires no chemical refrigerants. It ran continuously and reliably for the remainder of the 14-hour print cycle. The resulting parts were geometrically perfect and structurally sound, prompting the facility to permanently outfit their advanced printing workstations with dedicated Spot Coolers.
Why Vortex Tubes Outperform Electric Fans in Additive Manufacturing
To understand why this solution works so well, it helps to look at the physics of how heat is transferred during the print process:
A standard electric fan can only cool an object down to the temperature of the room it is in. When the room is hot, the fan is just moving hot air.
Conversely, an EXAIR Spot Cooler converts a standard supply of compressed air into two streams — one hot and one cold. The cold stream is dropped dramatically below ambient levels and focused through a flexible hose. This extreme temperature differential causes rapid heat transfer, freezing the plastic in place before gravity can warp it. Furthermore, because the air is completely dry, it introduces zero moisture or condensation onto the print bed, protecting the material integrity of hygroscopic polymers.
Take Control of Your Production Environment
Don’t let seasonal facility temperatures dictate the quality of your manufacturing output. Whether you are cooling molded plastics, machining metals, or perfecting high-tolerance 3D prints, EXAIR has a zero-maintenance spot cooling solution tailored to your layout.
If you are ready to eliminate warping, heat creep, and downtime in your facility, contact an EXAIR Application Engineer today to find the perfect system for your application.
Neal Raker, Application Engineering Manager
Compressed Air Safety Fundamentals
Safety in the workplace is of paramount importance, and it is widely recognized that annual safety training is a common practice among organizations. A fundamental message from these training sessions is that safety is a collective responsibility, not limited to a select few. At EXAIR, we prioritize safety in all aspects of our operations. Our product line, particularly our Safety Air Guns, exemplifies this commitment, as they are engineered with safety considerations at the forefront. This emphasis on safety is critical, especially given the potential health hazards associated with the improper use of compressed air.
In the United States, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is responsible for enforcing regulations that promote safe and healthy working conditions. This agency possesses the power to levy significant fines for any infractions. Among the frequent violations related to compressed air are those concerning air guns and blow-off devices, specifically detailed in 29CFR 1910.242(b), which addresses dead-end pressure and chip shielding, as well as 29CFR 1910.95(a), which pertains to permissible noise exposure levels.
The regulation 29CFR 1910.242(b) addresses the use of hand-held tools, particularly emphasizing that blow-off devices must not operate at pressures exceeding 30 PSIG when there is a risk of compressed air becoming dead-ended. In situations where there is no escape route for the air, it poses a serious risk of penetrating the skin and causing an air embolism. A potential remedy is to drill a hole to create an alternative escape route. However, this solution may introduce additional safety hazards, which will be discussed later. EXAIR’s air nozzles are engineered with fins that facilitate safe air escape, thereby preventing skin blockage. Consequently, users can operate the EXAIR Super Air Nozzles at pressures exceeding 30 PSIG with confidence.
The regulation 29CFR 1910.95(a) specifies the permissible sound levels for safe human exposure, emphasizing that extended exposure to elevated noise can result in irreversible hearing loss. However, the cross-drilled nozzle falls short in this regard, as it generates significant noise due to turbulent airflow, despite being suitable for dead-end pressure applications. In contrast, EXAIR’s nozzles are engineered to incorporate ambient air, resulting in a significantly quieter laminar flow. For example, the Model 1210 Safety Air Gun, equipped with the Model 1100 Nozzle, operates at a sound level of only 74dBA, which is comfortably below the noise exposure threshold for an eight-hour work shift.
If you have any inquiries about compressed air safety, or any EXAIR products, please feel free to contact us.
Jason Kirby
Application Engineer
Email: jasonkirby@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jk
Remove Manual Labor with Air Operated Conveyors
If you’re performing any type of manual transfer of raw material in your processes, it might be time to take a closer look at EXAIR Air Operated Conveyors, or Line Vacs. The Line Vacs are designed as an ideal solution for the transfer of bulk materials from one point to another. They have no moving parts to wear; they are very compact and easy to install; and they remove safety concerns. I will cover the many selections that EXAIR currently offers.
The Line Vac can move large volumes of material over long distances with just a small amount of compressed air. The compressed air is injected through directed holes that produce a vacuum on one end and high-volume output flows on the other. The Line Vacs are manufactured in several different materials, sizes, and with a few different options for connection style. Adjusting the flow of material is extremely simple and can be controlled by regulating the air pressure upstream of the Line Vac.
Standard Line Vacs are offered with a smooth inlet/outlet designed to be used with any smooth-bore conveyance hose. These Line Vacs are offered in aluminum sizes from 3/8” (10 mm) up to 5” (127 mm), and in 303 and 316 stainless steel from 3/8” (10 mm) up to 3” (76 mm). Clear PVC conveyance hoses are available for 3/8” (10 mm) up to 3” (76 mm) I.D. from stock in 10’ (3 m) increments up to 50’ (15 m) in length.
If you’d rather use rigid pipe, Threaded Line Vacs are also available directly from stock. With identical performance to the standard Line Vac, the Threaded Line Vacs are offered with NPT threads on both the inlet/outlet in sizes ranging from 3/8” NPT to 3” NPT in aluminum, 303, or 316 stainless steel.
For higher conveyance rates and abrasive materials, EXAIR offers Heavy Duty Line Vacs that are constructed from a hardened alloy steel. The Heavy Duty Line Vacs are offered with both smooth and threaded connection styles from ¾” (19 mm) up to 3” (76 mm). The Heavy Duty Line Vacs are ideal for media that is abrasive in nature or for applications requiring higher conveyance rates over longer distances.
The Ultra Duty Line Vacs are designed to handle the conveyance of extremely abrasive materials. The bodies are made from the same material as our Heavy Duty Line Vacs, but we added a ceramic insert. The overall length is a bit longer to accommodate this insert, but the flow rate, distance, and conveyance rates are the same. This ceramic insert is placed where the conveying material hits the surface on the exhaust side, making it more durable and longer lasting. We currently offer them in 1 ¼”, 1 ½”, and 2” for hose connections.
For applications where you only need to convey small volumes over short distances or particularly lightweight materials, our Light Duty Line Vacs would be an ideal solution. The Light Duty Line Vac is available in sizes ranging from ¾” (19 mm) to 6” (152mm) and consumes less compressed air than the standard and heavy-duty versions. This style of Line Vac is only offered in aluminum construction and for use with a smooth-bore hose.
Last, but certainly not least, are the Sanitary Flange Line Vacs. The Sanitary Flange Line Vacs are the best method for conveying materials in systems that require frequent or mandatory cleaning. Utilizing ISO 2852 compatible clamp-style sanitary flanges, they can be easily removed from the system for periodic sanitization. These are offered in sizes ranging from 1-1/2” (38mm) up to 3” (76mm) in 316SS construction from stock. They are ideal for applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
If none of these stock Line Vacs suit your process, we may still have an option!! Custom units are available. We can vary the styles of flanges, mix the inlet and outlet connections, and we’ll even manufacture the Line Vacs in special materials. At EXAIR, we take pride in offering custom solutions for customers that may require something just a little different from what is readily available on the shelf.
If there’s a process in your facility that could benefit from a product like the EXAIR Line Vac, act fast! Now through October 31st, you’ll receive a FREE 1104 Super Air Nozzle, a $95.00 value, as a promotion with a purchase of any EXAIR Line Vacs only for qualified orders. If you need help with your application, EXAIR has Application Engineers to help you out.
John Ball
Application Engineer
Email: johnball@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jb
NEMA 4X Panel Cooling Challenges
Electronic components don’t like heat, which is kind of ironic, considering they generate so much heat by themselves. Heat causes them to malfunction, and prolonged exposure can shorten their lifespan, or even cause them to fail RIGHT NOW. In any case, it’s important to keep them cool.
The computer that sits on my desk has a little fan in the back. This circulates fairly clean air from our climate-controlled office through the inside, keeping everything working just like it should.
It’d be great if ALL electrical & electronic component enclosures were situated in such ideal environments. Many, though, are subject to HARSH conditions: dust, oil vapor, high humidity, water spray for sanitation, high temperatures, corrosive elements – just to name a few. And EXAIR has panel cooling solutions for ALL of them.
Today, dear reader, we’re going to look at that last one: corrosive elements in the environment. Some of the more popular places where we encounter these are:
- Paper mills use chemicals that create harsh vapors. If you’ve ever been around a paper mill, you likely know the smell of methyl mercaptan. Whether you know the name or not, it’s the source of that trademark odor that permeates the air for MILES around paper mills, and it’s a byproduct of pulp processing that’s corrosive in wet or humid environments . . .like paper mills.
- Wastewater treatment plants use highly corrosive chemicals to make clean water out of — let’s just say, not-so-clean water. And, the process releases hydrogen sulfide gas, which is HIGHLY corrosive.
- Chemical plants: they make corrosive stuff ON PURPOSE. To be fair, those harsh chemicals are used in the production of just about everything in the modern world.
- Electroplating facilities use some of the strongest acids and bases in their plating solutions, which release harsh & corrosive vapors.
- Food processing facilities have to wash down entire rooms within their buildings, and some of the sanitizing agents they use create corrosive conditions.
You obviously can’t use fans (like my desktop computer in our clean office environment) for cooling control panels in these environments. Panel air conditioners have filters that can get dirty in a hurry, cooling coils that get fouled and corroded, and electric motors that burn out quicker in harsh environments. These environments are where Cabinet Cooler Systems make the most sense. With no moving parts to wear or electrical components to burn out, they’ll run darn near indefinitely, maintenance free, as long as they’re supplied with clean compressed air. And since 100% of the cold air they make comes from the compressed air supply, when they’re properly installed on a sealed panel, the only thing the components inside are ever exposed to is clean, cold, moisture-free air.
EXAIR NEMA 12 (oil tight, dust tight, indoor duty) and NEMA 4 (splash resistant, indoor/outdoor duty) Cabinet Coolers are made of lightweight and fairly corrosion-resistant aluminum. When harsh corrosive elements are present, though, our NEMA 4X (corrosion resistant, indoor/outdoor duty) Cabinet Coolers are made of type 303 Stainless Steel. When PARTICULARLY corrosive elements are present, we also offer them in type 316 Stainless Steel as well.
If you’ve got electric panels in a harsh environment, EXAIR has reliable, durable cooling solutions. If you’d like to find out more, give me a call.
Russ Bowman, CCASS
Application Engineer
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