Tag: air nozzle cleaning

Advantages of EXAIR’s TurboBlast Safety Air Guns

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

It’s been almost three years since EXAIR introduced our latest innovation in handheld blowoff products: the TurboBlast Safety Air Gun. It came hot on the heels of the VariBlast Precision and Compact Safety Air Gun product lines, which both feature a variable pull trigger that affords the operator precise control over the flow & force produced. That proved to be a real game-changer for a lot of customers, letting them even more fully optimize their blowoff applications.

For that same kind of control, in a larger, more powerful Safety Air Gun, we incorporated a gate valve into the design of the TurboBlast. It’s operated by a rotating collar, directly downstream of the trigger:

A quarter turn of the gate valve collar changes the TurboBlast Safety Air Gun’s discharge from a breeze to a blast.

We make them without the gate valve too – if you’re buying a Safety Air Gun that’s capable of 23lbs of force, there’s a decent chance that you don’t need, or want, the ability to turn that down. With or without the gate valve, though, we’ve heard some great success stories from satisfied customers:

  • A company that refurbishes machinery for the pulp & paper industry uses Model 1925-3 TurboBlast Adjustable Safety Air Guns (with our Model 1114 1 NPT High Force Super Air Nozzle, 3ft Extension, and Gate Valve) for the initial cleaning of the machines, and at certain other steps in the breakdown & disassembly. The Extension gives them extra reach, and the ability to clean larger areas in a single blast, and the Gate Valve lets them reduce the output force for more delicate areas of the machine.
  • Workers in a foundry use a Model 1917 TurboBlast Safety Air Gun (with our Model 1118 1-1/4 NPT High Force Super Air Nozzle, no Extension or Gate Valve) to remove scales from metal products right out of the forge. This is a classic “don’t need, or want, the ability to turn that down” case.
  • A firefighting sprinkler system manufacturer quickly & easily removes debris from the inside of welded pipes with a Model 1915 TurboBlast Safety Air Gun (with our Model 1114 1 NPT High Force Super Air Nozzle, no Gate Valve or Extension.) Operators appreciate its ergonomic design for this repetitive work of blowing quick blasts of air through a bank of pipes.

Whether you need something that’ll deliver a pinpoint flow of air in a tight space, or one that’ll blow a wide pattern of air with high force, EXAIR has a Safety Air Gun for you. If you’d like to find out more, give me a call.

Russ Bowman, CCASS

Application Engineer
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EXAIR’s Super Air Nozzles

Published on by Jordan T ShouseLeave a comment

Have you ever walked into a manufacturing facility during lunch, and it sounds like you’ve walked onto a plane full of snakes…? That’s a common issue across every sector of manufacturing. Compressed air is used for blowing off, cooling and cleaning everywhere you look. Below are the six steps to optimize your compressed air system. But today, let’s jump to step number 3 and see how upgrading those blow-offs with an engineered Safety Air Nozzle can help add to your bottom line.

If you’ve been tasked with reducing operating costs in your plant, upgrading your blow offs to EXAIR’s Engineered Air Nozzles & Jets might be just the ticket. When replacing a homemade or inefficient solution, EXAIR’s Super Air Nozzles can save you as much as 80% of your compressed air usage.

An open copper pipe or tube, even if “flattened” as we’ll commonly see, wastes an excessive amount of compressed air. This wasted compressed air can create problems in the facility due to unnecessarily high energy costs and the pressure drop that can be experienced affecting other processes. In addition to simply using too much compressed air, an open pipe or tube will often produce sound levels in excess of 100 dBA. At these sound levels, according to OSHA, permanent hearing damage will occur in just 2 hours of exposure.

Crushed open pipe in the top right corner

By simply replacing the open tubes and pipe with an EXAIR Super Air Nozzle, you can quickly reduce air consumption AND reduce the sound level. Sound level isn’t the only thing an OSHA inspector is going to be concerned about regarding an open pipe blowoff. In addition, OSHA 1910.242(b) states that a compressed air nozzle used for blowoff or cleaning purposes cannot be dead-ended when used at pressures in excess of 30 psig. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to use an air gun with 30 psig fed to it, but the effectiveness of it is dramatically reduced. This is why there needs to be a device installed that’ll prevent it from being dead-ended so that you can operate at a higher pressure.

EXAIR’s Super Air Nozzles are designed with fins that serve two purposes. They help to entrain ambient air from the environment, allowing us to maximize the force and flow from the nozzle but keeping the compressed air consumption minimal. In addition, these fins are what prevent the nozzle openings from being completely blocked off. Using an OSHA-compliant compressed air nozzle for all points where a blow off operation is being performed should be a priority. Each individual infraction will result in a fine if you’re unfortunate enough to be the victim of an unannounced OSHA inspection.

If you think a few Engineered Safety air nozzles will help add to your bottom line, give us a call. We have a full team of application engineers ready and willing to get you a solution to make your facility safer and save money!

Jordan Shouse, CCASS

Application Engineer

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Reducing Sound Levels

Published on by jasonkirbyLeave a comment

When touring a manufacturing facility, one of the most striking observations is the high noise levels present. The various operational processes contribute to an overall sound intensity that can exceed safe limits for workers. According to OSHA Standard 29 CFR – 1910.95(a), there are specific maximum allowable noise exposure levels based on both duration and sound intensity. Prolonged exposure to excessive noise can lead to significant hearing damage or even complete hearing loss if appropriate hearing protection is not utilized.

Sound

To assess whether sound levels in your facility are excessively high, consider utilizing EXAIR’s Digital Sound Level Meter Model 9104. This device is specifically designed to measure sound pressure levels in the environment, providing readings in decibels (dB) on both the A and C scales, with options for fast or slow response times. By employing this meter, users can pinpoint areas where noise levels may necessitate personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent hearing loss. Additionally, it may help identify underlying issues that require repair, ultimately leading to a reduction in noise levels.

In contrast to the 98dBA sound level from this array of nozzles, the sound pressure level from an EXAIR Super Air Knife is only 69dBA.

Once measurements are taken, it becomes possible to pinpoint the specific applications that require attention, whether through repairs, mitigation strategies, or personal protective equipment (PPE) measures. Common culprits of excessive noise levels from compressed air include open pipe blow-offs, cross-drilled holes in safety air gun nozzles, liquid nozzles used for air blow-offs, and poorly designed air nozzles. By replacing these open tubes and cross-drilled nozzles with an engineered EXAIR Super Air Nozzle, you can significantly decrease both air consumption and noise levels.

EXAIR Super Air Nozzle entrainment

At EXAIR, we uphold the principle that safety is a collective obligation. Our commitment to producing high-quality engineered products emphasizes safety and efficiency. To ensure the well-being of your operators, we provide a variety of blow-off products specifically designed to reduce noise levels to safe standards.

 If you have any questions about reducing sound levels, or anything regarding EXAIR and our products, please do not hesitate to reach out. We would love to hear from you!

Jason Kirby
Application Engineer
Email: jasonkirby@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jk

EXAIR’s VariBlast Precision

Published on by Al WooffittLeave a comment

Air Guns are one of the most common and most trusted tools in manufacturing facilities that use compressed air. There are many options out there on the market, so what makes EXAIR’s VariBlast Precision Safety Air Gun a cut above the rest?

As with all of EXAIR‘s Safety Air Guns, the VariBlast Precision takes safety seriously. All models when used with an EXAIR Safety Air Nozzle are in compliance with OSHA standard 1910.242(b). This means that the airflow that exits the nozzle cannot be blocked, and the static pressure will never exceed 30psig, even when supplied with shop pressure.

The other key safety feature is the low noise level. OSHA noise exposure standard, 29 CFR 1910.95(a), states that protection is needed for continuous exposure to noise levels above 90dBA. Our VariBlast Precision options are all below 75dBA (some configurations are as low as 58dBA!). This is well below the minimum allowable level stipulated by OSHA.

Beyond safety, the VariBlast Precision has many other benefits. Not only is it lightweight and durable, being made of a high-impact, glass-reinforced nylon that is resistant to breakage. It is also easy to use with a comfortable, full-finger trigger and a convenient hanger loop built into it. This trigger also allows for variable flow, giving you a range of forces and flows at your fingertips.

The VariBlast Precision comes standard with a 6″ extension.  For greater reach, we also offer a 12″ or a 20″ option. All extensions are made of Type 316 stainless steel, and are compatible with our Atto, Pico, or Nano Super Air Nozzle. These nozzles come in both Type 316 stainless steel (for durability and corrosion resistance), or in PEEK plastic for non-marring applications. They can also be outfitted with an impact resistant polycarbonate Chip Shield.

If you would like to discuss your blowoff application, and see how EXAIR’s VariBlast Precision, or any of our other Safety Air Guns can help you out, give us a call!

Al Wooffitt
Application Engineer

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