In the last post of this series, we talked about finding and fixing leaks in your compressed air system. Many readers found that step especially valuable—leak detection alone can uncover major savings opportunities. Now, it’s time to move on to step three in the Six Steps to Optimizing Your Compressed Air System: implementing engineered solutions.
Engineered solutions (like EXAIR Intelligent Compressed Air Products) are the efficient, quiet, and safe choice.
This is where our Application Engineers can really help. Whether your application calls forAir Knives, Super Air Nozzles, or another one of our engineered products, we can guide you to the right solution. If you already know the consumption rates of your existing setup, we can even help you calculate the savings you’ll see by switching.
Step three is often where customers begin to notice the biggest impact. Replacing an open pipe or a non-engineered blowoff with an engineered solution can drastically reduce compressed air usage. The difference becomes obvious when your compressor cycles less frequently—or in some cases, when you’re able to shut down a secondary compressor altogether.
In the next post of this series, we’ll cover step four: an even simpler way to extend your savings by turning air off when it isn’t needed. Until then, keep working toward a more efficient compressed air system.
Brian Farno, MBA – CCASS National Business Development Manager
EXAIR has an extensive line of Safety Air Guns that will meet a variety of applications. Our VariBlast Precision, Compact, Soft Grip, Heavy Duty and Super Blast Safety Air Guns, and TurboBlast will give you a wide range of options to choose from. These options can be expanded on even further through the addition of our Air Gun Accessories. In this blog I want to cover a few of the ways you can customize and personalize your Safety Air Gun to make sure you are getting the most out of our products.
Features & benefits of the new TurboBlast Safety Air Gun
Once you have selected your particular Air Gun, you will want to make sure that you have the right nozzle. Every Air Gun has multiple nozzle options with different force and flow specifications. If your main concern is low sound levels, then the Mini Super Air Nozzle may be the best option. If you need more force, then the 2″ High Power Flat Super Air Nozzle would be preferred. We also have Back Blow Nozzles that are great for blind holes.
In addition to this, there are several different material choices. Zinc-aluminum for general purposes, Type 303 stainless steel for corrosion resistance, Type 316 stainless steel for superior corrosion resistance and mechanical wear, and finally PEEK thermoplastic for non-marring and chemical resistance.
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).
After you have determined the right nozzle, do you need to add a Chip Shield? If you have the potential for flying debris, and you want to protect your operator, then our Safety Air Guns can be equipped with a durable polycarbonate shield. They are also useful for preventing coolant from splashing back, helping you to avoid a mess. You can see a Chip Shield in action in the video below:
We also have various length extensions for when you need more reach for your blowoff operation. Depending on the Air Gun, we have lengths ranging from six inches to six feet. These are great when used in conjunction with our Chip Shields. If you need something more flexible than a straight extension, our Soft Grip Safety Air Gun can also be used with our Stay Set Hoses. These hose have a ‘memory’ to allow for precise positioning without creeping or bending.
Specifically with our Soft Grip Safety Air Gun, we have a special extension and scraper combination, covered in detail in this blog. The Soft Grip Super Air Scraper is highly effective at removing stubborn debris from various surfaces.
Coiled Hose
Finally, we stock a 12‘ coiled air hose. These are available with 1/8NPT, 1/4NPT and 3/8NPT male end swivel connections. This will help you avoid messy and tangled air lines.
Flat Super Air Nozzles have replaceable shims to vary performance.
A panel manufacturer was having some issues with black contamination affecting the powder coat paint. They were using an overhead chain conveyor that would move the panels from the paint booth to the oven for curing. At the end, the panel would be offloaded to a conveyor belt to move into storage for later assembly. They were having quality issues with black specs that showed up on the gray paint. They found out it was coming from the links from the overhead chain conveyor. They contacted EXAIR to see if we had a solution for them.
We reviewed the specifics of what was occurring in their application so I could understand better the nature of the problem. After evaluating a couple of options, I recommended two pieces of our model 1122, 2” Flat Super Air Nozzles. This nozzle blows a 2” wide airstream with a powerful force to cover the width and depth of the chain links. They were able to cut the flashing for the guard around the chain conveyor to blow the air. One was located on the side of the conveyor, and the other was placed at the top of the conveyor. The 2” Flat Super Air Nozzles were installed and oriented at a point along the travel, where there weren’t any panels on the hook supports. This ensured that the debris was removed before the painting process began. The issue was that debris mixed with the powder paint during application and then baked into the finish. The panels then had to be reworked or scrapped. Once they installed the EXAIR Flat Nozzles, the quality improved immensely as they were able to remove the loose debris before raw panels were added to the conveyor.
To expand more on the EXAIR Flat Super Air Nozzles, they have a wide range of uses. Their unique design utilizes a patented shim for improved efficiency, safety, and force range. EXAIR has an easy way to change the shim to better suit different applications. You can increase or decrease the force of the nozzle by just removing two screws and changing the thickness of the shim inside. EXAIR offers a Shim Set to allow for adjustment to a range of forces to meet your needs and without overusing the compressed air. Many times our Flat Nozzles are compared to plastic flat nozzles. Those nozzles do not have this capacity. They also tend to break when installed within harsh, abrasive or otherwise rough, industrial processes.
If you have a “dirty” process, and you wish to blow it away in a safe and effective manner, EXAIR will have a nozzle for you. We offer a variety of sizes, materials, and designs to best fit your application. You can speak with an Application Engineer if you need more details. The company above was glad that they did.
Safety in the workplace is of paramount importance, and most organizations recognize this by implementing annual safety training programs. A fundamental message from these sessions is that safety is a collective responsibility, not just the duty of a select few. At EXAIR, we prioritize safety in all aspects of our operations. Our commitment is evident in the design of many of our products, such as the Flat Super Air Nozzle, which emphasizes our dedication to safe practices. This focus is particularly vital, as improper handling of compressed air can lead to significant health risks.
Meets or Exceeds OSHA Requirements
In the United States, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is responsible for enforcing regulations that promote safe and healthy working conditions. This agency has the power to levy significant fines for any infractions. Among the frequent violations related to compressed air are those concerning air guns and blow-off devices, specifically addressed in 29CFR 1910.242(b), which pertains to dead-end pressure and chip shielding, as well as 29CFR 1910.95(a), which sets forth the maximum permissible noise exposure levels.
The regulation 29CFR 1910.242(b) addresses the use of hand-held tools, specifically highlighting that blow-off devices must not operate at pressures exceeding 30 psig if there is a risk of compressed air becoming dead-ended. In situations where air has no escape route, it poses a serious risk of penetrating the skin and causing an air embolism. EXAIR’sair nozzles are engineered with fins that facilitate safe air release, thereby preventing skin blockage. Consequently, users can operate the EXAIR Super Air Nozzles confidently at pressures above 30 psig.
2″ Flat Super Air Nozzle
EXAIR’s Flat Super Air Nozzles distinguish themselves from other Super Air Nozzles by utilizing a design akin to an Air Knife, featuring a shim that determines the air gap instead of traditional fins for safe air release. The nozzle’s engineered lip at the outlet effectively prevents dead-ending, ensuring continuous airflow. In the event that the nozzle’s end becomes obstructed, air can still escape from the sides, maintaining safety and compliance with OSHA standards.
If you have any questions regarding the OSHA directives mentioned above, or anything regarding EXAIR and our products, please do not hesitate to reach out. We would love to hear from you!
