Month: February 2012

An Ounce of Prevention Now = a Pound of Relief Later.

Published on by Neal RakerLeave a comment

The first day of spring in 2012 is still a good 7 weeks away (March 20, 2012 at 1:14 a.m. EDT), and for those of you currently experiencing a harsh winter I apologize. Our winter in Cincinnati and the surrounding region has been one of the mildest winters ever. It has been so mild that the bulb plants have begun to emerge from the ground, which is not a good sign because with mid-Western weather we can have mid 50’s one day and below zero the next. And sure enough, Murphy’s Law being what it is, those daylilies and tulips will no sooner be fully extended out of the ground just in time for a freezing cold snap that will bring us back to reality of just what time of year it really is around here.

With all this warm weather and daffodils peeking out from the ground I begin to wonder when we will be out of the woods with the cold weather. I can’t help but plan when to get the boat out of storage and think of other warm weather activities.  As holds true for mid-Western weather, we sometimes skip the usual mild temperatures associated with “spring time” and jump right into the heat and humidity of “summer time”.

So, what’s the point of all this rambling?  It will be HOT before you know it. And last year; did you have trouble with your electric / electronic panels over-heating?  Back then, do you remember thinking to yourself that in 2012 you were going to do something about it?  I am here to tell you that NOW is the time to act to prevent yourself from having a repeat of the unfortunate events of panels over-heating and shutting down processes, causing circuit drift or frying of that $3,000.00 motor controller for which you have no back-up. If it is this warm now (excluding Denver, Colorado of course), imagine what it will be like in June, July and August this year.

I’m just saying, an ounce of prevention will be worth a pound of relief when you need it this summer. How can EXAIR help?  Well, we have just the thing. It is called Cabinet Cooler and we have a huge variety of systems which can apply to NEMA 12, 4 and 4X applications. They’re UL listed and they’re available with and without thermostat control depending on the need. Cabinet Coolers are inexpensive, low to zero maintenance, durable, simple and quick to install.

It isn’t un-bearably hot yet, but it will be, and we are standing by to help you size up your application. You can complete our on-line Cabinet Cooler sizing guide and click the ‘submit’ button or download the handy PDF file and e-mail for fax it to us at your convenience. We will get back to you in a timely fashion to share with you our results based on your information. With that, we can advise you the best course of action and provide you with all the details to make an informed decision and possibly, the purchase of a new Cabinet Cooler System to suit the need. Even if you are only slightly interested, give us a call. We’ll be glad to answer any questions. There is never any obligation. We are happy to educate our customers as best we can. We understand if you are anything like we are, you’ll want to know every little detail before taking any action.

Let us know how we can help you!

Neal Raker
Application Engineer
nealraker@exair.com

Do you know Where Your Compressor Lives?

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To most folks, compressed air is like any other utility. They have no idea where it comes from just that they expect it to be there when they need it. A good exercise is to pay a visit to your compressor room. Breathe in that hot, humid, grimy air. Then think about breathing that day in and day out. That is exactly what your compressor does. And where does all that ingested air go? Throughout your entire compressed air system and into your air tools.

I got a call from a customer complaining that his Air Knife kept plugging up. From the photo to the right you can see that he had horribly bad quality compressed air. The solution was the simple installation of an in-line compressed air filter. EXAIR filters separators remove water, dirt, and rust from the compressed air and prevents contaminants from plugging or damaging compressed air components.

With screw compressors, a thin-film of oil between the rotary vanes provide a seal. Under intense pressure the oil vaporizes. Being in a vapor state, an oil coalescing filter is required in addition to the dirt and water separator. A noteworthy point about compressor oil. It is aggressive and attacks polycarbonate and other materials. Consult your MSDS sheets for compatibility to materials of construction of your air tools.

If you would like assistance from one of our engineers feel welcomed to call 1-800-903-9247

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

How Fast Can I Get That Information?

Published on by Brian FarnoLeave a comment

I feel like I blog about this frequently, but this time it’s different I promise.  With technology and information moving faster and faster every day it is very easy to request information be sent to you and expect it to reach you immediately.  Some of us, including myself, prefer to have a good old fashion print catalog.  A picture of my EXAIR Catalog 24 is below.

I know I use my catalog every day with almost every single customer I talk to.   I’m one of those people that have all our information at the click of the mouse but when it comes to looking something up I rely on the print catalog.  I know where the new products have been placed in the PDF files and so in my mind they are there.

If you are one of those people then you probably do just like I do.  If I am looking for something on the internet I request a catalog from whatever site I’m on that offers it.  What surprises me is how long it takes to get some of the catalogs.  I requested a catalog from a well known wood working supply house over three weeks ago and still have yet to see the catalog.

Here at EXAIR if you request a print catalog we will ship it out same day.  Not only will we send it out same day, we will send it out Priority Mail that day.  This goes hand in hand with all of our stock product;   if you place an order by 3:30 pm EST and we are shipping within the states, then we will ship your order that same day.  If you want a catalog we can even throw that in there too!

If you aren’t like me and you like to have the most up to date electronic version of a catalog then hop on our website and download the PDF files for free.  We even have an entire section optimized for E-Readers and iPads.  We do ask you to register for the downloads, but it is a one time thing which gets you access to our application database, CAD Library, and catalog files.

Brian Farno
Application Engineer
BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF

The Right Tool For The Job

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

My eldest went camping with his Boy Scout Troop this past weekend. Every year, the US Grant District has a January campout, because, well, that’s what Boy Scouts do. Last year’s was called “Fire and Ice” and this year, it was the “Klondike Derby,” as they had planned on having a sled race. This was precluded by the unfortunate “heat wave” that made it just barely too warm for it to snow. So it rained instead.

In preparation for this outing, I took my son shopping for some quality cold gear. We found that you can spend a few bucks on standard cotton “long johns” if you want…that’s OK if you’re going to shovel the driveway or walk the dog. Some of the big-name sportswear folks will hit you up for a little more money, for gear that they make out of synthetic materials that wick away moisture and are very lightweight…which is great if you’re out for a jog, or a pick-up basketball game over at the schoolyard.

But if you’re looking at spending 72 hours worth of January, outdoors, in the Midwest, you go with tried and true outdoor performance gear. Last year, when my son was still a Cub Scout, we visited the troop he was soon to join at the “Fire and Ice” campout, and we took note of what they were wearing then, and that’s what we went with. They design, engineer, and manufacture their products with this exact application in mind, and it works. Some might say this is proof of the saying that “you get what you pay for.” I would say it validates the saying about “the right tool for the job.”

We get calls every day from people who are looking to similarly upgrade the performance of their current equipment. Some want to replace those inexpensive air guns from the discount tool store that are too loud, use too much air, and don’t meet the safety guidelines anyway. EXAIR’s Safety Air Guns are the perfect solution. Others may be moving bulk materials, and are looking for a way to replace their “bucket and ladder” approach. Look no further than the Line Vac. What about electrical enclosures with sensitive internal components that overheat when the refrigerant-type cooling systems fail due to clogged filters, fouled tubes, or a locked-up compressor? EXAIR’s Cabinet Cooler Systems are maintenance free, and more cost-effective as their conventional counterparts (we did the math.)
If there’s something you wish your current method of compressed air use would do, but isn’t, give us a call. Whether it’s cooling, drying, blow off, static elimination, vacuum generation, liquid spraying, or industrial housekeeping, EXAIR designs, engineers, and manufactures products with these exact applications in mind…and they work.

By the way, my son not only survived, but had a blast at the Klondike Derby. In fact, he’s actually a little let down that the next campout isn’t until March.

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