To continue growth, EXAIR manufactures new products to either expand an existing line or to capture new markets. In this blog, I will cover the new Ultra Duty Line Vacs. When it comes to moving bulk materials with compressed air, EXAIR’s Heavy Duty Line Vac has long been the go-to choice for demanding applications. Its hardened alloy construction resists wear and delivers impressive conveying performance. But in some industries, the materials being moved are so abrasive that even the Heavy Duty version eventually shows signs of wear.
The Ultra Duty Line Vacs are designed to handle the conveyance of the most abrasive materials. The bodies are made from the same material as our Heavy Duty Line Vacs, but we added a ceramic insert. The ceramic material offers even more resistance to wear. The overall length is a bit longer to accommodate this insert, but the flow rate, distance, and conveyance rates are the same.
We currently offer them in 1 ¼”, 1 ½”, and 2” for hose connections individually or in kits. We can offer the vacuum end with a threaded connection if required by adding the letter “E” as a suffix. The kit versions will include a bracket for the Line Vac, a filter, a regulator, and a coupling kit for the filter and regulator.
Here are the model numbers and versions that are currently in stock:
Model: Description:
170125 1 ¼” Ultra Duty Line Vac only
170150 1 ½” Ultra Duty Line Vac only
170200 2” Ultra Duty Line Vac only
172125 1 ¼” Ultra Duty Line Vac Kit
172150 1 ½” Ultra Duty Line Vac Kit
172200 2” Ultra Duty Line Vac Kit
If you’re dealing with abrasive, difficult materials in your processes, look no further than the EXAIR Ultra Duty Line Vac. They’re available to ship same-day from stock and backed by our unconditional 30-day guarantee. Now through October 31st, you’ll receive a FREE 1122 2” Flat Super Air Nozzle as a promotion with the purchase of any EXAIR Line Vac with qualified orders. If you need help with your application or to determine which product would be the best solution, EXAIR has Application Engineers to help you out.Â
If you’re performing any type of manual transfer of raw material in your processes, it might be time to take a closer look at EXAIR Air Operated Conveyors, or Line Vacs. The Line Vacs are designed as an ideal solution for the transfer of bulk materials from one point to another. They have no moving parts to wear, are very compact and easy to install, remove safety concerns, and do not require maintenance.  I will cover the many selections that EXAIR currently offers.Â
Air Operated Conveyor
The Line Vac can move large volumes of material over long distances with just a small amount of compressed air. The compressed air is injected through directed holes that produce a vacuum on one end and high-volume output flows on the other. The Line Vacs are manufactured in several different materials and sizes, and with a few different options for connection style. Adjusting the flow of material is extremely simple and can be controlled by regulating the air pressure upstream of the Line Vac.
Lightweight and durable aluminum is the most popular choice, but we make them in stainless steel (Types 303 and 316) for heat and corrosion resistance. For extreme heat, the High Temperature option affords protection to 900F (482C) in either 303SS or 316SS.
Standard Line Vacs are offered with a smooth inlet/outlet designed to be used with any smooth-bore conveyance hose. These Line Vacs are offered in aluminum sizes from 3/8” (10 mm) up to 5” (127 mm), and in 303 and 316 stainless steel from 3/8” (10 mm) up to 3” (76 mm). Clear PVC conveyance hoses are available for 3/8” (10 mm) up to 3” (76 mm) I.D. from stock in 10’ (3 m) increments up to 50’ (15 m).
If you’d rather use rigid pipe, Threaded Line Vacs are also available directly from stock. With identical performance to the standard Line Vac, the Threaded Line Vacs are offered with NPT threads on both the inlet/outlet in sizes ranging from 3/8” NPT to 3” NPT in aluminum, 303, or 316 stainless steel.
For higher conveyance rates and abrasive materials, EXAIR offers Heavy Duty Line Vacs in the same manner as our standard or threaded units but are constructed from a hardened alloy steel. The Heavy Duty Line Vacs are offered with both smooth and threaded connection styles from ¾” (19 mm) up to 3” (76 mm). The Heavy Duty Line Vacs are ideal for media that is abrasive in nature or for applications requiring higher conveyance rates over longer distances.
The Ultra Duty Line Vacs are designed to handle the conveyance of extremely abrasive materials. The bodies are made from the same material as our Heavy Duty Line Vacs, but we added a ceramic insert. The overall length is a bit longer to accommodate this insert, but the flow rate, distance, and conveyance rates are exactly the same. This ceramic insert is placed where the conveying material hits the surface on the exhaust side, making it more durable and longer lasting. We currently offer them in 1 ¼”, 1 ½”, and 2” for hose connections.
For applications where you only need to convey small volumes over short distances or particularly lightweight materials, our Light Duty Line Vacs would be an ideal solution. The Light Duty Line Vac is available in sizes ranging from ¾” (19 mm) to 6” (152mm) and consumes a bit less compressed air than the standard and heavy-duty versions. This style of Line Vac is only offered in aluminum construction and for use with smooth-bore hose.
Last, but certainly not least, is the Sanitary Flange Line Vac. The Sanitary Flange Line Vac is the best method for conveying materials in systems that require frequent or mandatory cleaning.  Utilizing ISO 2852-compatible clamp-style sanitary flanges, they can be easily removed from the system for periodic sanitization. These are offered in sizes ranging from 1-1/2”(38mm) up to 3” (76mm) in 316SS construction from stock. They are ideal for applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
If none of these stock Line Vacs suit your process, we still have more options!! Custom units are available with varying styles of flange connections; Hybrid NPT threaded/smooth units can be done with stock components, we’ll even manufacture in special materials. At EXAIR, we take pride in offering custom solutions for customers that may require something just a little different from what is readily available on the shelf.
If there’s a process in your facility that could benefit from a product like the EXAIR Line Vac, act fast! Now through October 31st, you’ll receive a FREE 1122 2” Flat Super Air Nozzle as a promotion with the purchase of any EXAIR Line Vac with qualified orders. If you need help with your application, EXAIR has Application Engineers to help you out.Â
When it comes to moving bulk materials with compressed air, EXAIR’s Heavy Duty Line Vac has long been the go-to choice for demanding applications. Its hardened alloy construction resists wear and delivers impressive conveying performance. But in some industries, the materials being moved are so abrasive that even the Heavy Duty version eventually shows signs of wear.
By incorporating a ceramic insert and a modified generator design, the Ultra Duty Line Vac dramatically extends service life when conveying extremely abrasive materials. The performance matches our Heavy Duty Line Vac, but its wear resistance is considerably greater. This makes it THE ideal solution for the toughest conveying challenges.
Why Ceramic?
Ceramic is known for its exceptional hardness and abrasion resistance, far greater than even hardened metals. By placing a ceramic insert at the critical wear points inside the Line Vac, we’ve created a conveying solution that can stand up to continuous service in applications that would rapidly erode other materials.
The Ultra Duty Line Vac shines in situations where the conveyed material is harsh on equipment. Examples include:
Plastics manufacturing – Filled compounds containing glass fiber or mineral additives
In agriculture, conveying bulk solids can also mean dealing with abrasive materials. For example, certain soil samples, especially those with high quartz or sand content, can be unexpectedly harsh on equipment. The Ultra Duty Line Vac is an ideal solution for laboratories and field operations that need to move these samples quickly and reliably, without accelerated wear.
The Ultra Duty Line Vac is available in (3) sizes: Model 170125 (1-1/4”), Model 170150 (1-1/2”), and Model 170200 (2”). Each is also available in a kit configuration, which includes a mounting bracket, air filter, and pressure regulator for a complete, ready-to-install solution.
If you’re dealing with abrasive, difficult materials in your processes look no further than the EXAIR Ultra Duty Line Vac. They’re available to ship same-day from stock and backed by our unconditional 30-day guarantee.
In food manufacturing, process efficiency and cleanliness are absolutely critical. I recently worked with a customer in the food industry who processes and packages rice for large-scale distribution. Like many processors, they had an area of the facility dedicated to reclaiming excess or spilled product during transfer, but the method they were using was far from ideal.
For years, their team had been manually collecting the spilled rice from a transfer chute and returning it to a hopper using scoops and buckets. Not only was this time-consuming and labor-intensive, but it also posed potential contamination risks. Any time you’re dealing with open product and manual handling in a food facility, the door is open for quality issues.
The customer came to us looking for a more streamlined solution that could eliminate manual handling and improve process control. After evaluating the layout and requirements, we recommended our 2” Sanitary Flange Line Vac(Model 161200-316). Designed with Type 316 stainless steel sanitary flange connections, it was a perfect fit for their wash-down environment and met the necessary hygienic standards.
Once installed, the Line Vac was mounted to a short section of flexible tubing that connected directly to their recovery bin. It now continuously pulls excess rice from the catch tray beneath the transfer line and sends it directly back to the hopper.
The result? A safer, cleaner, and far more efficient process. What used to take one or two operators several hours throughout the shift is now handled automatically. It reduced labor costs, improved their ability to maintain a clean facility, and made the entire operation more consistent.
Whether you’re moving powders, granules, or in this case, rice, EXAIR’s Sanitary Flange Line Vac provides a reliable, easy-to-integrate conveying solution for food-grade applications. If you’re still using buckets and scoops to move product from Point A to Point B, it might be time to see what a little compressed air can do for your process.
EXAIR’s Sanitary Flange (and all other styles of Line Vac) are available to ship same-day from stock with an order received by 2:00 ET. They are backed by our unconditional 30-day guarantee. If your processes involve manual transfer of bulk materials, I would wholeheartedly encourage you to give one a try.
