Tag: engineered air nozzles

EXAIR Products in the Semiconductor Industry

Published on by Jordan T ShouseLeave a comment

Manufacturers in semiconductor assembly and PCB production face strict cleanliness, throughput, and thermal-control requirements. EXAIRs compressed-air products, specifically our Air Knives and Vortex Tubes, and air amplifiers are proven, compact, and energy-efficient tools for precise blow-off, controlled cooling and heating for spot thermal conditioning and fume extraction. This Blog explains how EXAIR Super Air Knives and Vortex Tubes and Air Amplifiers address three common production needs: 

  1. Drying and particulate removal during lead frame processing with air knives. 
  1. Localized cooling/heating for functional PCB testing using Vortex Tubes. 
  1. Fume extraction during etching, cleaning and plating processes

I’ll cover technical fit, typical performance characteristics, and measurement/ROI considerations so engineers and plant managers can evaluate and implement these solutions. 

Intellistat Ion Air Nozzle in clean room, cleaning microchip parts before installation.

Super Air Knife and Success in the semiconductor lead frame manufacturing process.  

Typical use cases 

  • Removing rinse water or flux residues after cleaning 
  • Blowing off foreign matter, over spray, or machining debris prior to plating or die bonding. 
  • Drying prior to molding or coating operations. 
  • Static-assisted blow-off when combined with static eliminating product for electrostatically attracted particles. 

Why Super Air Knives? 

  • Uniform Laminar Sheet of air: delivers consistent, even blow-off across the width of a lead frame, reducing localized hot spots or mechanical damage. 
  • Adjustable force and flow: adjusting air pressure and shim size allow you to control force and volume so fragile wires or plated surfaces aren’t damaged. 
  • Entrainment & Efficiency: The knives are engineered so they entrain ambient air, increasing total developed flow and reducing compressed-air consumption compared to open pipes. 

Vortex Tubes for functional PCB testing / burn-in and thermal cycling

During in-line or bench functional testing, specific components or integrated circuits may overheat or require temperature conditioning to verify performance at the full range of the rated temperature specifications. Vortex Tubes give fast, localized cooling (or heating) without coolant loops, chillers, or plumbing intricacy. Subjecting devices to burn-in and thermal cycling stress helps products enter the field with confidence there will not be any preventable failures. Normally, environmental chambers are used for burn-in processes, but vortex tubes can help facilitate localized thermal ramps, corner stressing, or temporary additional cooling/heating when size, cost or availability of a full environmental chamber isn’t feasible.  

Why Vortex Tubes fit testing 

  • Instant cold/hot air from regular compressed air: no refrigeration system or refrigeration cycle; instantaneous on/off.  
  • No moving parts: high reliability and low maintenance for test fixtures. 
  • Local spot conditioning: focus cooling on integrated circuits or other small areas without cooling the entire board or fixture. 
  • Adjustable cold fraction: Vortex tubes can be tuned via the control valve to trade flow vs. temperature drop to meet testing conditions. 
Cooling or Heating with the Vortex Tube

Air Amplifiers for fume extraction and partial heat control during etching, cleaning and plating processes.

In semiconductor lead frame manufacturing, maintaining clean, particle-free environments is essential to ensure consistent product quality and process reliability. Processes such as flux cleaning, plating, molding, and soldering generate vapors, fumes, and fine particulates that can contaminate delicate components or compromise yields. EXAIR’s Super Air Amplifier provides an efficient, quiet, and maintenance-free solution for capturing and removing fumes, vapors, and airborne contaminants from sensitive production areas.

Why the Super Air Amplifier?
High-Volume Airflow Through Amplification

  • It uses a small amount of compressed air to entrain large volumes of ambient air multiplying total flow by up to 25 times.
  • Creates a strong, consistent vacuum draw ideal for capturing fumes and fine particulates at their source.

Energy Efficiency

  • Dramatically reduces compressed-air consumption compared to traditional vacuum or exhaust systems.
  • No electricity, motors, or moving parts, maintenance-free operation and long service life.

Compact and Versatile

  • Easy to integrate above process lines, in tool enclosures, or at conveyor transfer points.
  • Available in aluminum, stainless steel, and high-temperature materials for compatibility with cleanroom or chemical environments.
Model 120024 4″ Super Air Amplifiers are commonly used to exhaust smoke and fumes.

ROI and how to show value quantitatively  

  • Baseline metrics: scrap/rework rate, cycle time, compressed-air consumption, downtime for cleaning, and throughput. 
  • Pilot run: instrument a section of line with flow/force and temperature sensors for a 30 day trial. 
  • Key calculations: 
  • Reduced rework % × cost per part = direct savings. 
  • Throughput increase (parts/hr) × margin = additional revenue. 
  • Compressed-air energy reduction (compared to previous blow-offs) = kW savings (U.S. Department of Energy offers a benchmark of $0.25 per 1,000 SCF). 
  • Tangible benefits: throughput improvement, energy savings, reduced capital cost (vs. chillers/chambers), lower maintenance and smaller footprint. 

Conclusion  

EXAIR Super Air Knives, Vortex Tubes and air amplifiers are compact, reliable, and flexible products that can improve cleanliness, thermal testing, and throughput in semiconductor processes.  

  1. Select a process you think could be helped with an air knife, Vortex Tube or an air amplifier and take advantage of our 30-day money-back guarantee.  
  1. Validate throughput and quality improvements and calculate ROI. 
  1. Rollout with appropriate controls, filtration, and operator training.  

If you think any of our products can help you in your process, please reach out. We have a team of application engineers here M-F to answer your questions!

Jordan Shouse, CCASS

Application Engineer

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What Is a Centrifugal Air Compressor? How It Works and Why It’s Used in Industry

Published on by Tyler DanielLeave a comment

One thing that’s found in nearly every industrial environment is an air compressor. Compressed air is used to power tools, operate packaging and automation systems, run conveyors, control valves, and more. Pneumatic tools remain popular because they’re smaller and lighter than their electric counterparts, offer infinitely variable speed and torque, and can often be safer than electrical devices in harsh or wet environments.

To power these systems, compressed air must first be generated, and that starts with the air compressor. There are two main categories of air compressors: positive displacement and dynamic. Positive displacement compressors trap a given quantity of air in a chamber, then mechanically reduce the volume to increase the pressure. Dynamic compressors raise air pressure by accelerating continuously flowing air with a high-speed impeller. The velocity energy of the air is then converted into pressure energy.

One of the most common dynamic types used in industrial applications is the centrifugal air compressor. In a centrifugal compressor, air enters the center of a high-speed rotating impeller, which can spin at more than 50,000 RPM. The impeller’s blades fling the air outward by centrifugal force, increasing its velocity and pressure. The kinetic energy of the moving air is then converted into additional pressure as it slows down in a diffuser. Centrifugal compressors are generally used where large volumes of air are required. They can handle flows from a few hundred CFM up to 100,000 CFM or more, with most plant installations falling in the 1,000–5,000 CFM range.

According to the Compressed Air Challenge, some of the key benefits of centrifugal air compressors include their ability to deliver oil-free, contaminant-free air, and the fact that they are often supplied as complete packaged systems up to 1,000 HP. They scale well, as the cost per CFM improves as size increases, do not require special foundation requirements, and are ideal for high-volume air delivery.

Of course, there are trade-offs to consider. Centrifugal compressors have limited capacity control options, reduced efficiency at partial load, and their high rotational speeds require precision bearings and specialized maintenance. They also tend to have a higher initial purchase cost compared to smaller positive-displacement units. Despite these considerations, centrifugal air compressors remain a reliable choice for facilities that require large, continuous volumes of clean, oil-free air.

Once your facility’s air is generated, the next step is making sure it’s used efficiently. Compressed air is one of the most expensive utilities in a plant, and any wasted air means wasted energy. That’s where EXAIR’s line of engineered Air Nozzles, Safety Air Guns, Super Air Knives, and Optimization products come into play, helping you get the most from every SCFM your compressor produces. If you’re looking to improve your system’s efficiency or solve a specific application issue, contact one of our Application Engineers. We’ll help you get the most out of your compressed air system from the compressor room to the point of use.

Tyler Daniel

Application Engineer

E-mail: TylerDaniel@EXAIR.com

X: @EXAIR_TD

Image courtesy of the Compressed Air Challenge

Week 3 Back to Basics – Replace Inefficient Blowoffs

Published on by Brian FarnoLeave a comment

In the last post of this series, we talked about finding and fixing leaks in your compressed air system. Many readers found that step especially valuable—leak detection alone can uncover major savings opportunities. Now, it’s time to move on to step three in the Six Steps to Optimizing Your Compressed Air System: implementing engineered solutions.

Engineered solutions (like EXAIR Intelligent Compressed Air Products) are the efficient, quiet, and safe choice.

This is where our Application Engineers can really help. Whether your application calls for Air Knives, Super Air Nozzles, or another one of our engineered products, we can guide you to the right solution. If you already know the consumption rates of your existing setup, we can even help you calculate the savings you’ll see by switching.

Step three is often where customers begin to notice the biggest impact. Replacing an open pipe or a non-engineered blowoff with an engineered solution can drastically reduce compressed air usage. The difference becomes obvious when your compressor cycles less frequently—or in some cases, when you’re able to shut down a secondary compressor altogether.

In the next post of this series, we’ll cover step four: an even simpler way to extend your savings by turning air off when it isn’t needed. Until then, keep working toward a more efficient compressed air system.

Brian Farno, MBA – CCASS Application Engineer

BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF

Customize Your Safety Air Gun to Best Meet Your Needs

Published on by Al WooffittLeave a comment

EXAIR has an extensive line of Safety Air Guns that will meet a variety of applications. Our VariBlast Precision, Compact, Soft Grip, Heavy Duty and Super Blast Safety Air Guns, and TurboBlast will give you a wide range of options to choose from. These options can be expanded on even further through the addition of our Air Gun Accessories. In this blog I want to cover a few of the ways you can customize and personalize your Safety Air Gun to make sure you are getting the most out of our products.

Features & benefits of the new TurboBlast Safety Air Gun

Once you have selected your particular Air Gun, you will want to make sure that you have the right nozzle. Every Air Gun has multiple nozzle options with different force and flow specifications. If your main concern is low sound levels, then the Mini Super Air Nozzle may be the best option. If you need more force, then the 2″ High Power Flat Super Air Nozzle would be preferred. We also have Back Blow Nozzles that are great for blind holes.

In addition to this, there are several different material choices. Zinc-aluminum for general purposes, Type 303 stainless steel for corrosion resistance, Type 316 stainless steel for superior corrosion resistance and mechanical wear, and finally PEEK thermoplastic for non-marring and chemical resistance.

Model 1210 Soft Grip Safety Air is fitted with an EXAIR Super Air Nozzle. We can also supply it with a Rigid Extension and Chip Shield (right).

After you have determined the right nozzle, do you need to add a Chip Shield? If you have the potential for flying debris, and you want to protect your operator, then our Safety Air Guns can be equipped with a durable polycarbonate shield. They are also useful for preventing coolant from splashing back, helping you to avoid a mess. You can see a Chip Shield in action in the video below:

We also have various length extensions for when you need more reach for your blowoff operation. Depending on the Air Gun, we have lengths ranging from six inches to six feet. These are great when used in conjunction with our Chip Shields. If you need something more flexible than a straight extension, our Soft Grip Safety Air Gun can also be used with our Stay Set Hoses. These hose have a ‘memory’ to allow for precise positioning without creeping or bending.

Specifically with our Soft Grip Safety Air Gun, we have a special extension and scraper combination, covered in detail in this blog. The Soft Grip Super Air Scraper is highly effective at removing stubborn debris from various surfaces.

Coiled Hose

Finally, we stock a 12‘ coiled air hose. These are available with 1/8NPT, 1/4NPT and 3/8NPT male end swivel connections. This will help you avoid messy and tangled air lines.

Al Wooffitt
Application Engineer

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