Month: April 2011

T-minus 8 Days and Counting…..Until Putnam

Published on by Brian FarnoLeave a comment

To the first track day of the year.   It’s been an extremely busy start to the year here at EXAIR and an even busier one at home for me.   With my daughter learning how to walk and figuring out just how much baby proofing our house lacks I’ve been quite busy.   On top of all that my friends and I are preparing for yet another year at the track on our motorcycles.  You know me, I never pass up a chance to blog about bikes.

While my two good friends and I have been preparing our new-to-us trailer for the long excursions to the track, our other friends have been seeing how much we love riding and started getting into it themselves.   Just this week I had to help a friend go and pick up his first bike.   While it wasn’t in my eyes a great bike, I could see the way he had it planned out in his.  We snagged a pic before he was able to throw his leg over it just in case the unthinkable happened and he wrecked during the riding lessons.

The bike is a 2000 Ninja ZX6R .  The previous owner was clearly a “stunter” who loved to do burnouts according to the back tire.  Not to mention lots of hard set down wheelies according to the geyser of fork oil coming out of the left fork.    It also has a truly “custom” paint job and no plastics or proper headlight.   It does have a few key features though.   It starts, runs good, and has two wheels (One is bent).  After we loaded the bike onto my trailer and left the sellers house I start getting bombarded with questions.

You see our friend that bought the bike has ridden dirt bikes when he was younger but never a street bike.   So, I started going through what he needs to immediately fix and also the proper gear he is going to need.   We got the bike to our garage and immediately he wanted to take it for a ride.  I test rode it for him to ensure nothing catastrophic was going to happen and then went over the basics with him.   Since he has a background with dirt bikes he did know the essentials, gas and brakes.  I tried to find some protective gear in my car but since I had not planned on anyone riding I came up with nothing.  So in true squid fashion he threw one leg over and started down the alley.

First walking the bike without the clutch all the way out.  Then eventually, even shifting up into second.   The entire time he was looking everything over and learning to ride, I could see in his face how eager he was to get this bike, and himself ready for the street.

Before we loaded it up again and took it home for him we did what all friends would do.   We started taking stuff apart and fixing the parts that had been completely installed wrong, and of course making fun of little things.  His bike is going to have to wait a little while though because I have to prepare my bike yet again for another track day.  Which in case you forgot looks something like this.

The first track day of the year is at Putnam Park of course.

My Zazen: A streaming landscape and tilted horizon.

Brian Farno
Application Engineer
BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_BF

Introducing EXAIR Mobile

Published on by Bryan PetersLeave a comment

Kirk Edwards wrote a great blog yesterday about using all tools available, both new and old.  It makes a great point about adding new tools to the established ones already in your arsenal.

As usual, we’ve been hard at work here at EXAIR pushing the envelope once again.

Last week we introduced the latest generation of EXAIR literature files optimized for the iPad.

EXAIR iPad Library

Today, we are introducing our mobile site for iOS and Android smartphones. Simply visit m.exair.com using the browser on your phone.  From there, you can create a bookmark or even install the web app to your device’s home screen.  This new web app offers the latest from EXAIR, including our blog, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube posts.  It also includes all the contact information for our Application Engineers and even a map to our location.  It’s never been easier to get help when and where you need it, whether you are on the road or on the plant floor.

EXAIR Mobile

For even quicker access, simply scan this 2-D bar code with your mobile device.  If you don’t already have the app, we recommend Neoreader.  You’ll be seeing more of these from us in the near future.

EXAIR Mobile

New innovations aren’t radical and unknown for EXAIR.  They are an extension of the same philosophy that we have followed for many years.  We want to be available via whatever method our customers choose.  Some prefer the tried and true telephone and fax machine.  Some prefer e-mail (did you know we were first in our industry to offer e-mail support?).  Some prefer our website (first again).  Others like our Live Chat feature (yep – first again).  Some customers find us on Twitter (you already guessed – first again).  Now we are offering mobile options for the iPad and iOS and Android smartphones.  And we are once again the first to do it.

Just more ways that EXAIR is different from everyone else.

We are here to help, wherever and whenever you need us.

Claims are easy, proof is hard.

Bryan Peters
President

Old Tools, New Tools – Use ’em All

Published on by Kirk EdwardsLeave a comment

My wife, who works with special needs kids in schools, had a unique experience with one of the students on her caseload. This elementary school student is non-verbal and is not social with any other children, he is sometimes social with adults. Generally he does not interact with his environment, does not play with other kids and wanders around the class much of the time. Her mission was try to find something he responded to so she could begin to evaluate and teach him.

So she broke out her typical tools to begin her process. She tried blocks, crayons, pull toys, books, puzzles an balls. None of those things could get his attention, no visual interest. He did enjoy a swing, so much so that the excitement caused him to let go of the ropes – not a good thing. And any of the other methods she tried failed to get this students interest or attention. But he did spy something which sparked interest and peaked attention…

It was her iPhone, and once he saw it he smiled and paid direct attention to it, he grabbed for it. So she let him hold it and proceeded to watch him use it. He knew how to turn it on and slide the button to open it up. Once opened, he scanned the phone to look for other icons to touch. There were a number of suitable apps for him to choose from and come to find out this kid showed very good fine motor skills and determination when given the right media to learn from.

He was able to produce good results from a number of apps on the phone. And when he had it taken away from him he showed impatience and engaged another adult to get it back. Once he got it back, he remembered exactly what to do, found the app he wanted and proceeded to open it up and use it. What a success story and what a place to start providing some results for this kid.

People everywhere can be similar to this experience. We all have preferences and tools we are inclined to use over others. We see this sometimes with our website, some folks love the amount of information we have on it, others are overwhelmed by the amount of information (we err on the side of more info is better). Some people like to read information, some prefer to watch videos and listen. There are others who prefer formal information and others prefer informal. You may want to look at the information on your PC or place into your new iPad. In any of these cases, EXAIR has the right outlet for you and we are constantly updating information and developing new tools to help you get results. Results of solving problems, increasing personnel safety and reducing energy consumption. Most of this information can be found at our Knowledge Base, but take a look around the whole website, you may just find the right tool to provide results.

Kirk Edwards
Application Engineer
kirkedwards@exair.com
@EXAIR_ke

Theory To Practice And Back Again

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

It wasn’t the exact focus of the article, but it caught my attention:

“Today, most engineering graduates lack practical knowledge about hardware. Their education focuses on theory because it explains a wide range of processes, frequently at the cost of a poor understanding of machinery.” (Brain Drains Can Be Fatal to Manufacturers, www.sustainableplant.com, April 2011)

For some reason, my mind raced immediately to what I consider to be the late Rodney Dangerfield’s best film work, “Back To School,” and the scene where his character (a successful but uneducated businessman, going to college to inspire his son) has a hilarious classroom confrontation with a professor (with whom he’s competing for Sally Kellerman, the love interest in the film):

As I read the rest of the article, I returned abruptly from “Fantasyland” to “The Real World” when the author got to his point: The misunderstanding that can come from reliance on theory over practice can have tragic results.  It’s especially tragic when theory is misapplied in the pursuit of greater productivity – despite best intentions, that can make the pursuit look just plain greedy.

We’ve all heard of, or maybe even experienced, situations where the best-laid plans just didn’t work in the real world.  Some are humorous, a la Mr. Dangerfield, but it’s just not funny at all when people can get hurt.  That’s why we strive to understand your operation when you call an Application Engineer at EXAIR, and not just from an efficiency standpoint.  Of course, our product lines’ focus is on optimization of your compressed air use, but safety is just as big a concern.  Our Air Operated Conveyors, Industrial Housekeeping Products, and Static Eliminators can present a real danger if used in the presence of certain (mostly explosive or flammable) materials.

And so, we ask.  We ask about your application; your product; your operating environment.  We may ask for pictures, drawings, MSDS sheets, etc.  I hope it’s readily apparent that we’re just as interested in your operation as you are – both in making it more efficient and profitable, and keeping it safe for you and yours.

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