I was recently contacted by an automobile manufacturer that was looking for a quote for a system of Super Air Knives for a current process they were replicating at a new facility. The customer had an existing application where they’re using the Super Air Knife to dry the body of the car after a washing operation and before it enters into an oven. Any large water droplets remaining when the body enters the oven cause water spots that must then be cleaned off, adding an additional step in their process.
The solution was working well to dry the bodies, they just needed a quote so that they could implement the very same process in the new plant. As this was an installation that had been in place for many years, they had an older style of Long Super Air Knife that consisted of two shorter knives coupled together. In 2014, EXAIR began manufacturing our Long Super Air Knives in one single piece (available from stock up to 108”!!).
So, now, rather than having two individually coupled knives they could order (1) single 84” knife with a consistent flow all the way across and no dead spots. They ordered one for the top, one for each side and replicated the already successful application.
EXAIR’s industry leading Super Air Knife dramatically reduces compressed air usage and noise when compared to other blowoff methods. The Super Air Knife is available in lengths ranging from 3”-108” and in Aluminum, 303 Stainless Steel, 316 Stainless Steel, and PVDF for corrosive applications. Even at high pressures of 80 psig, the Super Air Knife is able to maintain a sound level of just 69 dBA for most applications! Air is entrained from the ambient environment at a rate of 40:1, maximizing the force and flow from the Super Air Knife. In addition, these knives meet or exceed OSHA maximum dead-end pressure and noise requirements.
Adjustability of both the force and flow from the Super Air Knife is infinitely adjustable. Right out of the box from the factory the Super Air Knife comes stock with a .002” thick shim installed. This sets the gap between the body and cap of the knife and determines how much compressed air can flow through the precise, slotted orifice.
An accessory that EXAIR has available for the Super Air Knife is the shim set. For the aluminum knives, a .001”, .003”, and .004” plastic shims come in the shim set. To reduce the flow and force, a .001” can be used. If more force is required, a thicker shim can be installed. For the stainless steel and PVDF knives, (3) .002” shims are included in the set. Stainless steel shims for the stainless knives and a PTFE shim for the PVDF. These, as well as the plastic shims, can be stacked on top of one another to create an even larger gap. One thing that is important to keep in mind however, the larger the air gap the greater the air consumption. Installing a .004” shim in a Super Air Knife will double the force, flow, and consumption of the knife when compared to the stock .002” shim.
If you have a new application (or need to replicate an existing one) for the Super Air Knife, don’t hesitate to reach out to an EXAIR Application Engineer for assistance. With a highly-trained team coming from multiple different industry backgrounds, we’re ready to help.
Tyler Daniel
Application Engineer
E-mail: TylerDaniel@EXAIR.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_TD