Tag: air system management

Pneumatics What are they Good For?

Published on by Jordan T ShouseLeave a comment

Absolutely Nothing….. err ALOT!

I truly love the “What are they good for, Absolutely Nothing….. err ALOT!” Blog, It makes me laugh every time, like Compressed Air Dryers : What are they Good For? . And because of this I plan to make it a reoccurring title combo! Whether you like it or not!!!

But bringing it back to why are Pneumatics used? If there were no benefits costly compressed air systems would become obsolete, however the opposite is common in industry. Compressed air systems and pneumatics are a critical cost-effective tool when they are used efficiently.

Pneumatics is a branch of engineering that makes use of gas or compressed air. With most if not all industries utilizing compressed air products and processes, it’s a pretty important part of any facility’s infrastructure.

  1. There is an infinite supply of air on this planet to be compressed and used. I know this seems obvious but what other energy source has an infinite supply?

2. There are very low maintenance costs with pneumatic tools. Our products have minimal to no moving parts. There is no motor to repair, no oil to change, no bearings or fans.

Pressure Regulators “dial in” performance to get the job done without using more air than necessary.

3. Our products are engineered to be easily installed and can be adjusted for performance. Most of the time you simply mount the product and add air. A simple pressure regulator provides a huge bandwidth of adjustment to dial in the force and performance.

4. Air is very easy to transport. With your current compressor system, you can easily run pipe to the point of use and supply the products with their power source.

5. Compressed air is compact, and usually takes up less space to install a compressed air product.

6. Our products and tools are extremely reliable. Due to the precision engineering and production, our products produce a repeatable result every time they are turned on.

7. EXAIR products all comply with OSHA standards for sound 29 CFR-1910.95(a) as well as dead end pressure (29 CFR 1910-242 (b)).

8. Initial purchase as well as installation costs are typically considerably lower than non-pneumatic options. When you add in the upkeep and maintenance, EXAIR products are almost always less expensive than alternative products.

9. Using compressed air as your power supply typically facilitates a cleaner, dryer, safer work environment.

At EXAIR, you have a team of application engineers at your fingertips that will help you choose the best product for your specific application. Feel free to call or email at anytime.

Jordan Shouse
Application Engineer

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Compressed Air System Equipment

Published on by bdwagesLeave a comment

Compressed air is a valuable utility and understanding what makes up a solid system is very important. Most all manufacturing facilities have a demand for compressed air, so today we’ll discuss how when managed well, and with the proper equipment, how valuable this utility can be.

The equipment begins with the compressor. Specifying which compressor is best for you is genuinely specific to your needs, and many times even your geography. How many “users” of the air, the distance the air has to travel, how many and how sharp of turns need to be made are all specific to your building and setup. Drastic temperature changes, night and day, and many times summer to winter, can effect the compressor as well. Here is a list of things to consider when purchasing or upgrading the compressor itself:

  1. What is the actual air requirement? (SCFM) – as a rule of thumb – every 1 HP = 4 SCFM
  2. How many shifts, and do these shifts vary in air consumption?
  3. Average and Maximum Flow requirements
  4. What about leaks?
  5. What about the future?
  6. What is the highest pressure needed and why?
  7. How far away form the source are the users?
  8. Would a receiver tank/intermittent storage in the loop benefit your situation?

Compressor: Once you fully have a grasp of your demand, you can now move on to the compressor. There are 5 main types of compressors. One of the most common is the single-stage lubricant injected rotary screw compressor. This compressor is also offered in 2 stage. The other 3 types are a) 2-stage double acting reciprocating compressor b) Lubricant free screw compressor and c) Centrifugal 3-stage compressor. Each of these compressors have their own unique characteristics, benefits and faults. We highly recommend getting a local Air compressor company or professional involved to ensure the correct type and size.

Dirty Inlet Filter: Once the compressor is specified, you will need to ensure you have the best solution for dirty, ambient air being pulled into the compressor. The air coming out, begins with the air coming in, so this filter needs careful consideration based upon your individual ambient conditions. We’ve all heard the saying “garbage in – garbage out”… This filter should be checked, washed or changed often.

Receiver tank: The compressor(s) feed into a receiver tank. Many times this is call the Control Receiver, or the wet tank or cooling tank. Receiver tanks take in the air from the compressor and hold it under pressure for future use. These tanks reduce the cycles on the compressor, and prevents excessive loading and unloading in the system. These are not used on every system, but should be.

Dryer: Regardless of where you are in the world, all atmospheric air has some amount of vapor which will begin to condense into water when the air is cooled to the saturation point (This saturation point is better known as the dew point). The amount of moisture in the air depends on the temperature and relative humidity. As a rule of thumb, the moisture in the air will double for every 20°F increase in temperature. Your dryer should be able to dry the air to a dew point that is at least 18°F below the lowest temperature at the use point of the air. The size and amount of dryers is completely dependent on your companies needs.

Coalescent filter: Right after the dryer, it is recommended to put this type of filter to remove any other condensate, oils, or lubricants from the compressor. Unwanted oil in in the system can effect the machines and tools being used with the air.

Once your pipes have been laid to your point of use areas be it a machine or tools, you will want to have another filter at the point of use. Regardless of the age of your system, piping corrosion will happen leading to particulate in your air lines. You will want to filter this out prior to the final use of the air. The style and size of these filters should be determined at the point of use for the air. If your end use utilizes an EXAIR product – we recommend using our Automatic Filter Separators.

As the final step prior to use, it is recommended to have a pressure regulator and gauge on the line. Over time, every system will deplete air with small leaks, added users, or dirty filters. The most common cause of failure with EXAIR products, is actually lack of the appropriate air at the point of use.

Please keep in mind that this is a fairly simplistic explanation of a common Compressed Air System. Some systems have multiple receiving tanks, refrigerant coolers, dryers, and many different types of filters. The main goal is having enough clean, dry air to ensure that machines and tools function at peak performance.

Thank you for stopping by,

Brian Wages
Application Engineer
EXAIR Corporation
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Digital Flowmeter Improves Production Scheduling And Upgrade Budgeting

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

“You can’t manage what you can’t measure” might be the most popular axiom in any process improvement endeavor. And it’s true. We hear it almost every time we discuss a Digital Flowmeter application, and a conversation I just had with a customer was no exception.

Their business is growing, and they’re pushing the limits of their compressed air system. The use compressed air to run their CNC mills in their machine shop, for blow off/cleaning as they assemble products, as well as a variety of pneumatic tools throughout the shop. The CNC machines’ air load was pretty consistent…the rest of the shop; not so much. So they wanted to find out when their compressed air demand peaked, and what it peaked at, in order to make a more informed decision about upgrading their compressor.

From your Digital Flowmeter to your computer screen, the USB Data Logger tells you how much air you’re using…and when you’re using it!

So, they purchased a Model 9095-DAT Digital Flowmeter for 2″ SCH40 Pipe, with USB Data Logger. They installed it immediately, with the USB Data Logger set to record once a second…this told them their consumption at any given time over the course of the day. Every day at closing time, the shop manager pulls the USB Data Logger from the Digital Flowmeter and transfers the data to his computer. After just a few days, he knew exactly how much air they were using…and exactly when they were using it. He’s now using this data (in the short term) to plan certain operations around peak scheduling, and (in the long term) to know what they’re looking at for their next air compressor.

Do you know as much about your compressed air usage as you should? If you’d like to talk about how to measure…and manage…your air consumption, give me a call.

Russ Bowman
Application Engineer
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