EXAIR has introduced the Model 5930 Air Holster, which offers a practical solution for securely storing Safety Air Guns at various workstations within a facility. This innovative product ensures that operators have a designated spot for their airguns when not in use, thereby reducing the likelihood of misplaced tools and promoting a more organized and efficient work environment. Its thoughtful design makes it particularly suitable for manufacturing, assembly, maintenance, and other industrial settings where Safety Air Guns are commonly utilized.
The Air Holster is designed to firmly attach to any robust magnetic surface, enabling users to swiftly access their tools during the workday. With its full-length front opening, it allows for the easy retrieval and replacement of longer tools and air guns after use. This holster offers reliable storage solutions for demanding industrial settings, presenting an effective method to enhance organization and efficiency in proximity to machinery such as mills, lathes, and cutoff saws.
EXAIR has expanded its range of accessories with the introduction of the Air Holster, enhancing the versatility and convenience of its Safety Air Guns. This new accessory complements existing offerings such as extension pipes for accessing hard-to-reach areas, Chip Shields that safeguard operators from debris, and flexible Stay Set Hoses designed for applications needing frequent adjustments. Additionally, EXAIR provides service kits and replacement parts to ensure the optimal performance of Safety Air Guns. The Air Holster is available for $38.
If you have any inquiries aboutthe Air Holster, or any other EXAIR products, please feel free to contact us.
Compressed air is often called the “fourth utility” because it’s essential to modern manufacturing. Yet despite decades of innovation, many misconceptions about compressed air systems continue to circulate on plant floors.
These myths can lead to higher operating costs, unnecessary equipment failures, excessive compressed air consumption, and reduced productivity.
Let’s separate fact from fiction.
Myth #1: More Pressure Means Better Performance
This is one of the most expensive misconceptions in manufacturing.
When an application doesn’t perform as expected, many people simply increase the regulator pressure. While this may temporarily solve the problem, it often creates new issues:
Increased compressed air consumption
Higher energy costs
Excessive wear on components
More system leaks
Instead of increasing pressure, engineers should determine whether the application is using the correct air nozzle, air knife, or vacuum generator for the job. Properly engineered products maximize force while minimizing air consumption.
Myth #2: Open Pipes Are Just as Effective as Engineered Air Nozzles
An open copper tube or drilled pipe may seem like a simple, low-cost solution, but it’s one of the least efficient ways to use compressed air.
Engineered air nozzles are specifically designed to:
Entrain surrounding ambient air
Amplify airflow
Reduce compressed air consumption
Lower noise levels
Meet OSHA safety standards
Many facilities discover significant energy savings simply by replacing open pipes with “bolting on” engineered air nozzles.
Myth #3: Air Leaks Aren’t Worth Fixing
A small leak may not seem important. Especially one you can’t even hear.
Multiply that leak across hundreds of fittings, quick disconnects, hoses, and valves, however, and the losses become substantial.
Many facilities unknowingly lose 20–30% of their compressed air production through leaks alone.
Routine leak audits and preventive maintenance can dramatically reduce compressor runtime and utility costs.
Myth #4: Compressed Air Doesn’t Need Preventive Maintenance
Many facilities focus maintenance efforts on compressors while overlooking downstream equipment.
Dirty filters, damaged regulators, nozzles clogged with rust and other contamination, as well as worn fittings reduce performance and waste energy.
Preventive inspections should include:
Filters
Regulators
Hoses
Air knives
Nozzles
Vacuum generators
Cabinet cooling systems
Small maintenance tasks prevent much larger production issues.
Myth #5: Noise Is Just Part of Using Compressed Air
It doesn’t have to be.
High noise levels often indicate inefficient airflow and turbulence.
Engineered compressed air products reduce turbulence while entraining surrounding air, producing quieter operation without sacrificing performance.
Lower noise benefits both employee safety and OSHA compliance.
Compressed air systems continue to evolve, but many outdated assumptions remain.
Questioning these common myths can uncover hidden opportunities to reduce operating costs, improve reliability, and increase overall plant efficiency.
Whether you’re troubleshooting a blow-off application, cooling an electrical enclosure, conveying materials, or eliminating static electricity, choosing engineered compressed air solutions can make a measurable difference.
Instead of relying on trial and error, work with application specialists who can evaluate your process and recommend the most efficient solution for your specific application. Small changes in compressed air usage often lead to significant long-term savings.
Jordan Shouse Application Engineer E: JordanShouse@exair.com O: (513) 671‑3322 F: (513) 671‑3363 A: 11510 Goldcoast Dr Cincinnati OH 45249 www.exair.com
A few years back, I had the pleasure of working with a machine shop manager who wanted to reduce the compressed air consumption in their facility. They had ten lathes, machining high-tech plastic products, and used crimped copper tubing to blow off chips and shavings as the parts were turned. They ran continuously — as did the air compressor — which occasionally caused header pressure to drop below the level required for operation of the pneumatic chucks & tool changers.
These cheap and easy blow offs were making things expensive and difficult for the company.
After some discussion and an Efficiency Lab test of one of their crimped tubes, I recommended our Model 1100 1/4 NPT Zinc Aluminum Super Air Nozzles. They’re our most popular engineered Air Nozzle for typical industrial blow-off applications. They generate a forceful, focused blast of air that’s ideal for chip removal on machine tools, and they’re ideally suited for a number of other uses as well. They bought ten (one for each machine) and installed them one afternoon, right before close of business, by cutting the crimps off the copper tubes and fitting them with simple compression fittings. The whole operation took about five minutes. When the machine shop manager arrived the next morning, he was at first alarmed because there was so little noise coming from the shop (he thought something was wrong with the machines) and then impressed when he found all the lathes were running, and the Super Air Nozzles were so much quieter than the crimped tubes.
The copper tube used to have a crimped end that was aimed at the part in the chuck. They simply cut it off and used a compression fitting to install the Super Air Nozzle.
While our Model 1100 Super Air Nozzle is our most popular one, EXAIR makes a wide range of engineered Air Nozzles to meet the needs of almost any blow-off application. If you’re replacing something else, we can test your current device(s) in our Efficiency Lab (like we did the crimped copper tubing here) and determine the Air Nozzle that most closely matches the performance required for your application.
If it’s a new application, we have tools at our disposal for proper product selection too:
The Catalog: Our Air Nozzles & Jets catalog section lists them all, from smallest to largest, with performance data, dimensions, and airflow patterns. I actually like to start with the airflow pattern: once we know the size & shape of the needed/desired flow, we can narrow down our selection.
Application Database: At last count, we had over 200 blow-off applications written up. Now, that includes Air Nozzles as well as Air Knives, Air Amplifiers, and Safety Air Guns (which have Air Nozzles on them), but keep in mind what I said about picking the size & shape of the airflow.
Engineering Assistance: If you’re short on time, find yourself completely stumped, or just want a 2nd opinion on the best product for your application, we’re here from 7am to 4pm Eastern Time to help you over the phone, in a Live Chat, or at an Engineering Consultation web meeting. You can also email techelp@exair.com, 24/7, with details about what you’re after.
At EXAIR, we want to help you get the most out of your compressed air use. If you want to find out more, give me a call.
Russ Bowman, CCASS
Application Engineer Visit us on the Web Follow me on Twitter Like us on Facebook
On a busy production floor, it’s easy to look at an agency certification—like OSHA, UL, or CE—as just another piece of administrative paperwork. But at EXAIR, we see them differently. We see them as a promise made to the people who power your business every day.
For your operators, these certifications aren’t just labels; they represent certainty. Here is how our commitment to these standards changes the daily lives of your team.
Preserving the Sound of Life
Constant, high-pitched air noise isn’t just an annoyance; it’s a health hazard. Excessive noise leads to permanent hearing loss, chronic stress, and fatigue that can cause workplace accidents. By engineering our products to meet OSHA 1910.95(a) standards, we ensure your team can communicate clearly and go home without ringing in their ears. It’s about protecting their long-term health, not just hitting a decibel target.
Removing the Risk of “Dead-Ending”
The risk of an air embolism—where high-pressure air enters the bloodstream—is a terrifying reality in industrial environments. Our compliance with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.242(b) means we’ve engineered that danger out of the equation. Our nozzles feature safety relief paths that can never be blocked by a person’s skin while still operating the nozzles at a pressure level that can still deliver forceful blowing results. We believe that a simple cleaning task should never lead to a medical emergency.
Peace of Mind Through Global Compliance
Whether it’s ensuring our electrical products are UL Listed to protect your equipment or maintaining CE and RoHS compliance for our global partners, we handle the technical heavy lifting. This allows you to focus on your production goals, knowing your tools are ethically sourced, environmentally safe, and meet the highest global quality benchmarks.
Success Story Spotlight: Silencing the Shop Floor
One of our favorite examples of these standards in action involves a customer who was struggling with deafening noise levels.
The Human Challenge: The facility was using open-ended blow-off guns that produced a staggering 104 dBA. For the operators, this meant constant discomfort, heavy ear protection, and high stress. Though the guns were “functional,” the environment they created was unsustainable.
The EXAIR Solution: The facility replaced their old equipment with 355 EXAIR Soft Grip Safety Air Guns
The Transformation:
The Sound of Silence: Noise levels dropped to 82 dB – a perceived reduction of over 150% for the human ear.
Full Compliance: The shop floor immediately met OSHA allowable noise exposure standards, creating a vastly more comfortable environment.
A Financial Win: Along with the safety boost, the facility saved over $28,500 annually in compressed air costs.
The Outcome: The operators finally had a workspace where they could focus and stay safe. It’s a perfect example of how choosing the right certified tool doesn’t just improve the bottom line – it improves the work lives of the people who matter most. And that’s what we are all about, solving technical problems with a set of solutions that keep operator safety, health and operational efficiency at the forefront of the process.
