Month: December 2014

Super Ion Air Knife Solves Vinyl Printing Static Issue

Published on by exaircorpLeave a comment

I recently worked with a customer who was starting to get rejects in their vinyl printing press process. As the sheet enters the machine, the vacuum turns on to hold it in place as the printer head passes over. Due to static buildup, the sheet was getting wrinkles resulting in an unusable finished product so they called EXAIR looking for a solution.

I recommended using our 60” Super Ion Air Knife and mounting the unit on the side of the press, blowing the ionized air across the vacuum table. The Super Ion Air Knife provides a laminar sheet of ionized air across the entire length of the knife. By using a pressure regulator to adjust the supply pressure, the force and flow can be controlled to meet the demands of a specific application.

ionAirKnife
Available in one-piece lengths from 3″ to 108″.

This time of year, static electricity becomes a major issue with many industrial applications. We have recently written blogs entitled Hello Static and Winter Cold = Static Issues (just to name a few),  outlining some common causes and negative results.

If you are beginning to experience static issues in your plant, please contact us at 1-800-903-9247 to see how we can help.

 

Justin Nicholl
Application Engineer
justinnicholl@exair.com
@EXAIR_JN

Model 1109-PEEK Solves Customer Dilemma

Published on by Lee EvansLeave a comment
1109-PEEK
1109-PEEK Nozzle used in non-marring blowoff application

In a recent application for a new installation, an end user of EXAIR products needed a way to remove defective material from a production line.  At times, the defective items would fall along a conveyor, and the end user wanted to install an effective, efficient blowoff system to address multiple points along the conveyor.  Further to the complexity of the application, the end user needed a product that would not damage the product any further, as they reworked those items to reduce total scrap rates.

Initially, we considered a series of PVDF Super Air Knives, one of which could be triggered “ON” when material was detected.  But, the material size is relatively small, leading to the installation of many, many small Super Air Knives.  This solution was viable from a performance perspective, but further review found a more economic solution.

We then considered Super Air Nozzles.  Perhaps a series of small, efficient nozzles, controlled in groups of (5) or (10), could provide the desired blowoff force.  But, what about the need to not damage the product if in contact with the blowoff device?

This is where the PEEK plastic, model 1109-PEEK, became a perfect fit.  A series of 1109-PEEK nozzles provided the necessary blow off force, consumed minimal compressed air, and provided a non-damaging, non-marring solution.  When controlled in clustered groups, the specific section of the conveyor could be cleared of the defective material, blown into bins for reworking.

These attributes of the 1109-PEEK nozzle, along with high chemical resistivity, and a high temperature range (up to 160°C / 320°F) make it a viable choice for a variety of applications.  Maybe that’s why it is currently nominated for a Plant Engineering Product of the Year Award in the Compressed Air category – Please VOTE for the Precision Air Nozzle here.

EXAIR Application Engineers are well versed in the parameters of our products and a wide range of industrial applications.  If you have a need for engineering support in your application, contact an EXAIR Application Engineer.

Lee Evans
Application Engineer
LeeEvans@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_LE

EXAIR.com offers Numerous Engineering Tools

Published on by Dave WoernerLeave a comment

Today, I want to take the opportunity to highlight some features on EXAIR’s website. EXAIR provides a website for technical information on products, point of sale and research on compressed air topics in general. For instance, if you would like to know, How a Vortex Tube Works, the Droplet Size of our Atomizing Spray Nozzles, or a Blow Off Comparison between a compressed air powered air knife and blower system, follow the links above and navigate to the topic that interests you on our website.

 

Our Air Savings Calculator will show you total dollars saved and payback time.
Our Air Savings Calculator will show you total dollars saved and payback time.

Our knowledge base features the CAD Library, Case Study Library, and Application Database. The Air Data Library is invaluable to any engineer specifying a compressed air piping system. It also features a great article for calculating air consumption at various inlet pressure. One of my favorite features though is the Air Savings Calculator.

The Air Savings Calculator allows you to calculate the cost of compressed air for various devices.  The cost of compressed air for high usage device like open blow offs, drilled pipes and uncontrolled compressed air devices can add up quickly. With the air savings calculator, you can quickly find out how much those (8) 1/16″ inner diameter 18″ long open pipes are costing you per year ($2,016 if you are operating at 80 PSIG).

Some of the material that we make available to our visitors we request that you register on the site. The registration is a simple process to complete. Why would you want to take the time to give us you information? First, registering on EXAIR’s site gives access to our library of product applications for the last thirty years EXAIR has tracked how our products have been used to help our customers solve their industrial needs. Second, EXAIR members are granted access to CAD models in 2D and 3D of our products. The 3D models can easily import into AutoCAD Inventor®, Solidworks®, or PRO Engineer®. These models will allow you to easily import EXAIR products into your design to verify the fit and mounting in complex systems. Third, EXAIR Case Study library offers detailed analysis of economics, safety, and utility savings of using EXAIR products.

Dave Woerner
Application Engineer
@EXAIR_DW
DaveWoerner@EXAIR.com

 

What is the USB Data Logger for Digital Flow Meters? How Can It Help Me?

Published on by Neal RakerLeave a comment
USB Data Logger
The USB data logger works with all of EXAIR’s Digital Flow Meters and provides valuable feedback for optimizing your compressed air system.

EXAIR’s Model 9147 USB Data Logger has become one of the most valuable tools that we sell to help customers get a “view” of their compressed air usage over time. One of the important tenets we promote at EXAIR is energy savings by prudent use of compressed air through our engineered solutions (Air Knife, Air Nozzles, Air Amplifier, etc.). But how does a person in charge of such systems really “know” whether they are helping or hurting their compressed air system?

The first step is to have an appropriate flow meter which can give an indication of how much air volume is being used. EXAIR’s line of Digital Flow Meters are perfect for getting to that point with instant and direct readings that don’t need to be calculated any further. What you see on the meter is the flow in either SCFM or m3/hr calibrations.

The second step is to attach the USB Data Logger to the Digital Flow Meter so that readings can be kept over time. It is like setting up a security camera for your compressed air system. Nothing gets by without being recorded.

The USB Data Logger can be connected to just about any type of monitoring system that has a 4 – 20 mA output to which the 2-wire harness can be installed. A quick and easy initialization to choose the unit of measure, to select the frequency of measurement and some optional alarms is all that is necessary. The software package is included with the USB Data Logger and is convenient to run on a typical desktop or laptop computer. You simply, set it and forget it (at least until you want to do some reporting).

The reporting is how the USB Data Logger can help you as the person concerned with monitoring the compressed air use in your facility. Once the defined monitoring period of time has passed, the USB Data Logger can be removed from its socket, stopped from recording and the data is then downloaded into a suitable format that can be imported into EXCEL or other spreadsheet program for creating charts to analyze what is happening, when it is happening and how much compressed air is being used. In the analysis, you can compare the flow data and times with certain problems in a production line that might cause low pressure condition which shuts machinery down. You might also be able to determine where additional, point of use compressed air storage might be needed close to certain processes.

Ultimately, the USB Data Logger allows you to “see” your compressed air system in a way that allows you to sleuth out problems seen that might have no other explanation. It can also help you to justify your air savings when you apply the other air saving compressed air products that EXAIR produces by monitoring a base line for “before” performance and “after” performance. After all, it if is important to your organization, it should be measured. And compressed air is certainly a utility that should be measured.

Neal Raker, Application Engineer
 nealraker@exair.com
@exair_nr