In case you weren’t aware, the answer to “How much force does it take?” is always going to be, ALL OF IT. At least that is what we generally think when trying to blow product off a conveyor belt or diverting parts into bin, etc. Speed and efficiency play a direct role in to what nozzle or blow off device you should use in order to get the job done and be able to repeat the process.
The question we are often asked by customers is, “How much force to I need to move this?” That is a question that we cannot often answer without asking more questions. The good part of this is, there is a formula to calculate just how much force you need to move an object. A good video explaining friction is shown below.
In order to answer the question of how much force do I need, we really need to know all of the following:
Weight of the object
Distance from target
Is it on an incline or level
Distance needed to move
Then, the usually unknown variable, the coefficient of friction between the target and what it is sitting on.
Often times it is the thought process of, my target weighs 5 pounds, I need 5 pounds of force in order to move it from the center of this conveyor belt to the edge, this is not the case. If you wanted to lift the object over a break between two conveyors then you would need slightly more than 5 pounds in order to ensure you are lifting the front edge of the unit high enough to meet the other conveyor.
Whether you know all of the variables or only a few, if you need to get an object moved and you want to try using compressed air to do so, give us a call and we will help you find the best engineered solution for your application. Then, we’ll back all stock products with a 30 day guarantee if you don’t like how the system performs – but rest assured, we get it right almost every time.
Brian Farno
Application Engineer Manager
BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF
