EXAIR makes a wide variety of Intelligent Compressed Air Products that can be used for blowoff applications. The first step is to consider what size, and shape, the airflow pattern needs to be. If it’s a smooth, flat surface, our Air Knives are ideal for that. If a more directed, focused stream of air is required, we have Air Nozzles, Air Jets, and Air Amplifiers. And if it’s for statically charged debris, we can put Ionizers on Air Knives (Super Ion Air Knives), Air Nozzles (Intellistat Ion Air Nozzles), Air Jets (Gen4 Ion Air Jets) and Air Amplifiers (Gen4 Ion Air Cannons.)
If you navigate the EXAIR website to our Blowoff Kits, you’ll see that we can provide a number of our quiet, safe, and efficient Air Nozzles with Magnetic Bases and/or Stay Set Hoses for a quick & easy Blowoff System. In addition to the half dozen or so systems that are specifically called out, you can also put together your own setup that best suits your application. Here’s how:
Example: Model 1100-9412 is two Super Air Nozzles on a Dual Outlet Magnetic Base with 12″ Stay Set Hoses.
If you’d like to discuss a blowoff application – regardless of size or shape – give me a call.
Russ Bowman, CCASS
Application Engineer Visit us on the Web Follow me on Twitter Like us on Facebook
At EXAIR we pride ourselves on helping our customers optimize their compressed air usage. Our intelligent compressed air products are engineered to be quiet and efficient, saving you on compressed air consumption. This is just one of the six steps that we recommend in order to optimize your compressed air system.
The first step we would recommend is to measure your air consumption. If you are going to attempt to reduce air consumption in your facility, it is necessary to know what is using it. If you know the consumption of your compressed air-operated products, you can make note of this. A more comprehensive solution would be to install some of our Digital Flowmeters in branch lines in your facility. The flow data provided by this will help you narrow down the high consumption areas and processes.
The second step we would suggest is to find and fix leaks. Our Ultrasonic Leak Detector is perfect for this. According to the Compressed Air and Gas Institute, leaks should not exceed 5-10% of your system’s air supply (we would obviously want 0%, but realistically this is unachievable). However, it is not uncommon to see leaks account for over 30% of many facilities’ compressed air supply being lost through leakage. That’s a potential for a 25% gain in compressed air supply!
The third step would be to upgrade your blowoff, cooling and drying operations using engineered compressed air products. All of EXAIR’s products, like our Super Air Knives, or Super Air Nozzles, are designed with efficiency in mind. Upgrading to an efficient EXAIR product is going to reduce your consumption, sometimes dramatically so!
The fourth step is to turn off your compressed air when not in use. This may sound obvious, but it is not uncommon for compressed air products to be left running continuously. We offer many solutions here, from a simple ball valve (found in many of our Drum Vac Kits), to a solenoid valve (found in our Cabinet Cooler Systems), to our Electronic Flow Controllers – combining a solenoid valve and photoelectric sensor.
The fifth step would be to use intermediate storage near the point of use. If you are controlling your compressed air usage through the use of valves and controls, then your consumption won’t be constant. This fluctuation in demand can be evened out with the use of secondary storage, like our Model 9500-60 Receiver Tank. This will ensure you have the volume and pressure when and where you need it.
Finally, our sixth step is to control the operating pressure. More specifically, to reduce the pressure to the minimum required to get the job done. Simply installing a pressure regulator at the point of use will lead to big savings.
If you would like to start optimizing your compressed air system, then give me a call!
I recently had the opportunity to help a customer facing some serious concerns about their compressed air usage. They had just completed a safety audit conducted by a third-party firm, and one of the main issues identified was the use of handheld blow guns throughout their production floor.
“Thumb guns” are especially popular for blowoff because of their compact size, ergonomic design. and low price.
Even though the tools in question were commercially available and marketed as having “safety tips,” the auditors recorded noise levels exceeding 90 dBA—well above the acceptable threshold. The audit team explained that to maintain a safe work environment, noise levels needed to stay below 84 dBA, and the simplest way to get there was to address the blow guns being used.
That’s when the customer turned to us for help.
We discussed the application in detail, and it quickly became clear that EXAIR’s Model 1100 Super Air Nozzle would be a great fit. Not only does it significantly reduce noise levels—down to 74 dBA—but it also meets OSHA’s 30 PSI dead-end pressure requirement, ensuring operator safety in the event of a blocked nozzle.
This customer wasn’t focused on maximizing air output or performance—they simply wanted to make their environment safer for their team. What made this installation even better was the unexpected benefit: while addressing the safety concerns, it also reduced compressed air consumption. A win-win.
It’s always rewarding when we can help customers meet compliance goals and improve safety, but it’s even better when we can go beyond their expectations and help them uncover savings they weren’t even looking for.
If you’re dealing with high noise levels or safety compliance issues around your compressed air applications, don’t hesitate to reach out. Our team is ready to help you find a solution that protects our people, meets regulations, and improves overall efficiency through the EXAIR Efficiency Lab.
We all know how crucial safety is in the workplace. Most companies conduct some type of annual safety training, and a key takeaway from these sessions is that safety isn’t just the job of a few individuals; it’s everyone’s responsibility. At EXAIR, we take safety very seriously. Many of our products are designed with safety as a priority, including our Safety Air Guns, which highlight our commitment to this principle. This focus is essential because using compressed air can pose health risks if not handled correctly.
In the U.S., OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) is the agency that enforces regulations to ensure safe and healthy work environments. They have the authority to impose hefty fines for any violations. When it comes to compressed air, two common violations involve air guns and blow-off devices, as outlined in 29CFR 1910.242(b) regarding dead-end pressure/chip shielding and 29CFR 1910.95(a) concerning maximum noise exposure limits.
The first regulation, 29CFR 1910.242(b), pertains to hand-held tools. It specifies that blow-off devices should not be used at pressures exceeding 30psig if the compressed air can become dead-ended. If there’s no escape route for the air, it can penetrate the skin and lead to an air embolism. A straightforward solution is to drill a hole to provide an alternate escape path, although this can introduce other safety concerns, which we’ll cover later. EXAIR’s air nozzles are designed with fins that allow air to escape safely, preventing blockage by your skin. This means you can confidently use the EXAIR Super Air Nozzles at pressures above 30psig.
The second regulation, 29CFR 1910.95(a), outlines the maximum sound levels that a person can safely be exposed to. Prolonged exposure to high sound levels can lead to permanent hearing damage. This is where the cross-drilled nozzle doesn’t quite meet the mark. While it’s safe for dead-end pressure, the noise from the turbulent airflow is quite loud. In contrast, EXAIR’s nozzles are designed to pull in surrounding air, creating a much quieter laminar flow. For instance, our Model 1210 Safety Air Gun, which features the Model 1100 Nozzle, operates at just 74dBA, well below the noise exposure limit for an 8-hour shift.
Model 1210 Soft Grip Safety Air is fitted with an EXAIR Super Air Nozzle. We can also supply it with a Rigid Extension and Chip Shield (right).
If you’re serious about compressed air safety, EXAIR’s range of safe, quiet, and efficient Safety Air Guns and Air Nozzles is an excellent option for your facility. Feel free to reach out if you want to chat about this or any other compressed air applications you might have!
