If you work with CNC machines, lathes, or other equipment that uses coolant or cutting fluids, you already know the headache that comes with chip‑laden, contaminated liquid. Floating debris, sludge, and swarf don’t just affect coolant life—they cause machine downtime, poor finishes, pump damage, and unnecessary costs.
The EXAIR Chip Trapper™ and High Lift Chip Trapper™ are designed to eliminate these problems quickly, safely, and without the mess or maintenance headaches of traditional pump or electric vac systems. Here’s how this powerful solution helps you reclaim time, money, and consistency on your shop floor.
Clean Your Coolant—Fast and Without the Mess
The Chip Trapper uses EXAIR’s Reversible Drum Vac, a simple but powerful two‑way pump that quickly vacuums contaminated coolant into a standard 55‑gallon drum. As the liquid enters the drum, it’s forced through a durable, reusable filter bag that traps chips and debris before the clean liquid is pumped back out.
How this benefits you:
- Cuts coolant replacement costs by removing chips instead of throwing away usable fluid.
- Prevents pump failures caused by recirculating metal chips and fines.
- Reduces machine downtime—you can restore coolant clarity in minutes instead of hours.
- Improves machining performance by keeping cutting fluid clean and flowing as intended.
- You have options – You can pick what level of filtration that you want to achieve from 1 micron to 200 microns with additional, replacement filter bags. Systems come standard with 5-micron filtration.
Built for Real Shop Conditions
Your environment is demanding, so the equipment has to be too. The Chip Trapper is engineered for durability, reliability, and easy operation in any industrial setting.
Key features your team will appreciate:
- Runs on compressed air—no electric motor, no moving parts to fail.
- Works with your existing shop air up to 100 PSIG, with a maximum of 120 PSIG.
- Designed for years of maintenance‑free performance when used with clean, filtered air.
- Automatic safety shutoff prevents messy overfilling.
- Quick‑change filter bags make maintenance simple and efficient—no tools required.
Because the system has no electrically driven parts, it’s not only safer—it avoids the clogs, burnout, and unreliability of conventional electric pumps.
Easy Operation: Vacuum In, Pump Out
Using the Chip Trapper is refreshingly simple:
- Connect compressed air using the manual shutoff valve.
- Attach the vacuum hose and chip wand to pull liquid and debris from your sump.
- Set the directional valve to FILL to vacuum dirty liquid.
- Set the valve to EMPTY to pump back out filtered, clean coolant.
Most users love that the process is clean, fast, and nearly foolproof—no dealing with clogged pumps or slow draining.
Handles Even Tough Applications
The Chip Trapper isn’t just for coolant recycling—it’s an incredibly versatile cleanup tool.
Great for:
- CNC sump cleaning
- Removing chips from settling tanks
- Floor spill recovery (with optional Spill Recovery Kit Model 6901)
- Deep sumps or long fluid runs (High Lift Chip Trapper models offer increased suction for these situations)
Whether you’re cleaning up after heavy machining or maintaining multiple machines, the Chip Trapper keeps your shop safer, cleaner, and more productive.
Low Maintenance, High Reliability
Maintenance is minimal and quick:
- The safety shutoff float may occasionally need cleaning with mild solvent/detergent.
- The stainless‑steel pump can be disassembled for deeper cleaning if needed.
- Vacuum hose and attachments rinse clean after each use.
Because clean air is critical, EXAIR recommends a 10‑micron filter separator for the compressed air supply—when used properly, the unit will run for years without issue.
The Bottom Line: A Cleaner Shop and a Healthier Bottom Line
The Chip Trapper is more than a coolant-cleaning tool—it’s a reliability booster, money saver, and productivity enhancer.
Customers typically see:
- Significantly longer coolant life
- Better machine performance
- Reduced labor time for sump cleaning
- Lower maintenance costs
- A safer, cleaner work environment
If your machines are struggling with chip buildup, cloudy coolant, or recurring sump issues, the Chip Trapper is one of the simplest, most cost‑effective upgrades you can make for these processes.
Get yours today. EXAIR ships orders for Chip Trappers within 1 business day after receipt of order. They are available with a 30-day guarantee, so there is zero risk on your part. You can check out more about operational specifications here.
Do you have questions? Please contact one of our Application Engineers. They can help you determine if the Chip Trapper is right for your application.
Neal Raker, Application Engineering Manager
EXAIR