A medical manufacturer is making endoscopes, very long and thin metal tubes used to enter the human body in any number of uncomfortable places, I’ll stop there.

The endoscopes are picked up by a robot and placed into an enclosure where they are blown off with steam to provide cleaning and sterilization. During this process a sensor is used to detect the presence of steam.

The sensor is mounted behind the grippers of the robot so it is positioned as far away from the steam as possible to prevent steam from getting on the sensor. Over time the steam does coat the sensor and keeps the sensor from providing accurate information, disrupting the process and slowing cycle times.

The medical manufacturer place an EXAIR model 2400, 1/2″ Super Air Wipe in between the robot grippers and the sensor to provide an air barrier. The Super Air Wipe is run at a low pressure to prevent it from disrupting any of the steaming process while still preventing any steam from getting on the sensor.

The sensor is able to continue to see into the process through the air wipe inside diameter and provide the feedback necessary to keep the production rates going at an acceptable pace without interruption.

Kirk Edwards
Application Engineer
kirkedwards@exair.com