Tag: debris

Oil Removal Filters: Never First, Sometimes Last

Published on by Brian FarnoLeave a comment

If you have been around compressed air systems, our blogs, or even optimized installations of point of use compressed air products, you will see point of use filtration in place. These filters come in a plethora of sizes, shapes, and specifications. Here at EXAIR we recommend to always keep a point of use filtration solution in place. This would include an auto-drain filter separator, as well as an oil removal filter.

Oil Removal Filters

So why do we have two instead of one? Could you use just the oil removal filter rather than two? Well, the answer lies in an optimized installation that will also carry with it a lower total cost of ownership. The auto-drain filter separators from EXAIR have a filter element which takes the air to a 5 micron level of filtration. (Except for the model 9004 which filters down to 20 micron.) The Oil Removal Filters have a coalescing filter element which filters to a 0.3 micron level for the finest debris/mists that may be contained within the compressed air stream. One reason for the separation is when a system is oil-free, the finer filtration level may not be needed. Also, by catching the bulk of material with the standard auto-drain filter and then leaving the finer filter to catch the residual amounts liquid that had been finely atomized within the stream of compressed air. This finer filter costs more so using it to catch larger particulate and risking it becoming clogged quicker will increase the total cost of ownership of the point of use compressed air product it is hooked to, hence never first and sometimes last. After the point of use filtration then placing the point of use pressure regulator and solenoid valves are next. This is all a better way to reduce risk of these being damaged from dirt and contaminants in the air lines. Total cost of ownership reductions all point to a better sustainability of any product.

To better showcase the importance of filtration, here’s a brief video I did a while back that visualizes just what one can see out of a compressed air line with minimal moisture introduced.

https://videopress.com/v/5M19DaLg?preloadContent=metadata

As you can see, keeping the point of use air filtered protects your process and decreases the total cost of ownership for your compressed air point of use product. If you would like to discuss other ways we can improve efficiency within your facility and help ensure you are getting the longest life out of your products, please contact us.

Brian Farno
Application Engineer
BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF

Deep Hole Vac-u-Gun – Blow Chips Loose and Vacuum Them Away in One Step!

Published on by Leave a comment

Last week, we looked at the Vac-u-Gun, and you can take a look at that blog here.

This week I wanted to present the Deep Hole Vac-u-Gun, a special iteration of the Vac-u-Gun, designed to provide a solution to the troublesome process of cleaning cavities and drilled holes.

The Deep Hole Vac-u-Gun is a low cost solution to quickly remove chips and debris from grooves and drilled holes where blow gun could create potentially hazardous flying debris. The Deep Hole Vac-u-Gun is simply positioned over the hole, and the trigger squeezed and then a small blow tube delivers a a stream of air to dislodge and lift the chips while the large suction tube vacuum them away. The operator is protected form flying debris since all chips and debris is contained within the clear suction tube. The device is capable of cleaning holes up to 1-1/4″ (32mm) diameter and 18″ (457mm) deep!

How does the Deep Hole Vac-u-Gun work?

dhvghowani
How the Deep Hole Vac-u-Gun Works

 

Compressed air, normally 80-100 PSIG (5.5 – 6.9 bar), flows through the inlet (1) into an annular plenum chamber (2) when the trigger is pressed. A small amount of air is injected into the blow tube (3) to provide agitation and lift to the chips or debris. The larger airflow is injected into the the throat of the gun through directed nozzles (4). The jets of air create the vacuum at the intake (5) which draws the material in and accelerates it through the unit. The chips, debris or other particulates can then be exhausted into a filter bag or hose attached to the Deep Hole Vac-u-Gun System.

 

We have found many applications where the Deep Hole Vac-u-Gun is beneficial- including removing chips and debris in:

Holes in fixtures, drilled plastics, T-slots’groove cleaning , coolant evacuation from parts, woodworking, tapped holes, cavity evacuation, and many more!

There are many advantages to the Deep Hole Vac-u-Gun, and some are:

Low cost, no moving parts/maintenance free, durable die cast construction, eliminates shock hazard – no electricity, meets OSHA pressure requirements, safe operation – no flying chips, lightweight and portable, and quiet.

The Deep Hole Vac-u-Gun uses less compressed air than ordinary blow guns, and the amplified output flow is 12 times the air consumption rate.

Deep Hole Vac-u-Gun Specifications

Note that the Deep Hole Vac-u-Gun should not be operated without a filter bag or vacuum hose attached to the exhaust.

There are three (3) Deep Hole Vac-u-Gun System options-

Deep Hole Vac-u-Gun Systems

The Model 6094 is the Deep Hole Vac-u-Gun only.

The Model 6194 comes with a reusable bag and clamp for debris collection.

The Model 6394 comes with the reusable bag and a 10′ (3m) section of vacuum hose for transferring the debris to a collection point.

If you have questions about the Deep Hole Vac-u-Gun or any of the 16 different EXAIR Intelligent Compressed Air® Product lines, feel free to contact EXAIR and myself or any of our Application Engineers can help you determine the best solution.

Brian Bergmann
Application Engineer

Send me an email
Find us on the Web 
Like us on Facebook
Twitter: @EXAIR_BB

 

 

EXAIR Safety Air Guns Quickly Remove Years Of Debris From Large Building’s Ceiling

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

The air gun is a quintessential tool found in a variety of settings. Machinists will use them to blow chips, debris, and coolant from parts as they’re being finished. They’re commonly used for final cleanup before an item is packaged…nobody wants to open up a brand new product and find dust, dirt, or dried-up coolant spots on it. They can make a quick job of cleaning off a work bench…if you intend to sweep the floor afterwards, that is. In fact, larger air guns can even be used to “sweep” the floor.

I recently had the pleasure of assisting a user who was going completely the other way…from the floor, that is. His company had been contracted by the new owners of a rather large show facility to “rehab” the building. Before they could do anything, though, he needed to clean years and years (and years, he said) of dust, sediment, cobwebs, and other various debris, from the open rafters overhead. All 42,000 square feet of overhead. And, because of their schedule for getting the facility ready for upcoming shows, it needed to be done quickly.

After discussing the application and comparing the capabilities of our various Safety Air Gun offerings to the available compressed air supply, I recommended, and they purchased, two Model 1360-48 Heavy Duty Safety Air Guns, fitted with Model 1106 High Force Super Air Nozzles. These made short work of a big part of the job, allowing them to move quickly on to the rest of the building restoration.

If you’ve got a cleanup job…big or small…perhaps an EXAIR Safety Air Gun is the solution. We’ve got them ranging from the Model 1408SS Precision Safety Air Gun, fitted with our 1108SS Atto Super Air Nozzle (2.5 SCFM; 2.0 ounces of force,) to the Model 1218-6 Super Blast Safety Air Gun, which uses our largest High Force Super Air Nozzle, the 1120 (460 SCFM, 23 pounds of force,) and 29 models in between. We can provide them with accessories such as Chip Shields, Stay Set Hoses, Rigid Pipe Extensions, and Compressed Air Hoses, as needed. Give me a call to find out which one is right for you.

Here are just 2 of our 53 distinct models of Safety Air Guns. I bet we've got the one you're looking for.
Here are just 2 of our 53 distinct models of Safety Air Guns. I bet we’ve got the one you’re looking for.

Russ Bowman
Application Engineer
Find us on the Web
Follow me on Twitter
Like us on Facebook

Why 5 PSIG Matters

Published on by Brian FarnoLeave a comment

Last week I pointed out the important locations for measuring your compressed air system pressure throughout your compressed air system.   One of the critical points to measure system pressure was before and after each filter.  This leads into another question that I receive every once in a while, “How do I tell when the filter needs to be changed?”  The answer to this is easy, when you see more than a 5 PSIG pressure drop across the filter.  This means that the element within the filter has become clogged with sediment or debris and is restricting the volume available to your downstream products.

Filter
EXAIR 5 micron Auto Drain Filter Separator

 

This can lead to decreased performance, downtime, and even the possibility of passing contaminants through the filter to downstream point of use components.  In order to maintain an optimal performance when using EXAIR filter separators and oil removal filters, monitoring the compressed air pressure before and after the unit is ideal.

Replacement filter elements are readily available from stock, as well as complete rebuild kits for the filter units. Changing the filters out can be done fairly easily and we even offer a video of how to do it.

The life expectancy of a filter element on the compressed air is directly related to the quality of air and the frequency of use, meaning it can vary greatly.  If you tie a new filter onto the end of a compressed air drop that has not been used in years, you may get a surprise by the filter clogging rather quickly.   However, if you maintain your compressor and your piping system properly then the filters should last a long time. Generally we recommend checking your filters every 6 months.

If you have questions about where and why to filter your compressed air contact us.

Brian Farno
Application Engineer
BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF