Every now and then, an application comes across our desks that’s a little out of the ordinary. With Halloween around the corner, it felt like the right time to revisit one of the strangest (and certainly most memorable) uses of EXAIR products we’ve ever come across.
Several years ago, a research group reached out with an unusual request. They were involved in a project studying human anatomy through a process that required milling a cadaver and then photographing each layer to build a precise, three-dimensional representation of the body. Each pass removed only about 300 microns of material, meaning that hundreds of layers were milled and documented throughout the process.
For the imaging to be accurate, each freshly milled surface had to be completely clean and evenly prepared before a photo was taken. Any debris or uneven surface finish could distort the final image, and repeating a cut or photo sequence was time-consuming. That’s where EXAIR came in.
To remove dust and debris left behind from the milling process, they incorporated a Stainless Steel Super Air Knife (Model 110012SS). The knife delivers a clean, uniform curtain of air across the surface, removing any residue without physically touching or damaging the material. Immediately following the blowoff, an Atomizing Spray Nozzle (Model EB1020SS) applied a fine mist of isopropyl alcohol across the surface to improve imaging contrast and clarity.
A Stay Set Hose(Model 9212) allowed the nozzle to be positioned precisely where it needed to be and to stay there through long hours of operation. This combination replaced a previous setup that relied on a liquid-only spray, which often left uneven coverage and required rework. With the EXAIR system in place, the team achieved consistent, repeatable preparation of each layer and saved significant time by eliminating variability in their process.
While it’s not every day we see our products used in anatomical research, this one stuck with us. It’s a great example of how compressed air solutions can improve consistency and control in highly specialized applications.
So, in the spirit of the season, we thought it was worth dusting off this story as a reminder that EXAIR products show up in all kinds of places. Whether you’re cooling, cleaning, coating, or even preparing something for a close-up, there’s usually an efficient way to do it with compressed air.
Have an unusual application of your own? We’d love to hear about it. Reach out to an Application Engineer today.
Right on schedule with the change in temperature as summer turns to fall, I woke up with a scratchy throat, runny nose, and a bit of fatigue this morning. I weighed my options for relief in the medicine cabinet: pain reliever/fever reducers, over-the-counter cold & flu medication that add cough suppressants, expectorants, and decongestants to the mix, homeopathic remedies with zinc, echinacea, all natural immune boosters, and a jar of honey for my tea or bourbon, depending on the time of day…and my mood. If my symptoms worsen, I can get tested for the flu or COVID, and may be prescribed antiviral medication. In any case, rest and hydration will likely be important factors in my recovery.
Much like my medicine cabinet, the Air Knives section of the EXAIR catalog has a selection of remedies for problems that can be addressed by a curtain of air. If the curtain of air needed is 36″ or less, we can consider any of the three styles of Air Knife we make: Super, Standard, or Full Flow. If it has to be more than that, the Full Flow Air Knives are out (36″ is their max length) but Standard Air Knives come in lengths up to 48″. Super Air Knives give us the most range here; they come in lengths up to 108″, and can actually be coupled together to provide uninterrupted curtains of flow in whatever length is needed.
Super Air Knives (left) come in lengths up to 108″, Standard Air Knives (middle) up to 48″, and Full Flow Air Knives (right) up to 36″.
Standard and Full Flow Air Knives come in aluminum or 303SS. Aluminum is lightweight and suitable for general purpose applications where high heat and corrosive elements are not a factor. Aluminum Air Knives are rated to 180°F. Type 303 Stainless Steel is suitable for mildly corrosive environments, and is rated to 800°F ambient temperatures.
Super Air Knives are available in aluminum and 303SS, as well as 316SS and PVDF. Type 316 Stainless Steel is stronger and more corrosion resistant than Type 303, and offers superior resistance to certain pitting, which makes it the best choice for food, pharmaceutical, and surgical product manufacturers. PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) Super Air Knives have Hastelloy C276 hardware and PTFE Shims. They provide superior corrosion resistance in more aggressive situations than Stainless Steel can like, like in electroplating, solar cell and lithium ion battery manufacturing, strong acid & caustic chemical handling, etc.
The first Air Knife developed by EXAIR was the Standard Air Knife (formerly known as the EXAIR Knife) and are still quiet and efficient alternatives to drilled pipes, manifolds with open-ended blowing nozzles, and blower-powered air knives. They use a Coanda profile (more on that in a minute) which causes the airflow to turn 90° from where it exits the linear nozzle formed by the shim between the cap & body. This primary air stream entrains surrounding air from the environment, resulting in a total developed airflow that’s 30 time greater than the compressed air consumption of the Air Knife. This entrainment creates a low velocity boundary layer, which reduces the sound level, but there still is some wind shear produced along the Coanda profile.
Because of the end ports in the relatively small profile of the body, there’s 1/2″ on each end where there’s no flow. Since we identify them by the length of the air curtain they generate, Standard Air Knives are physically 1″ longer than their published length (a Model 2012 12″ Aluminum Standard Air Knife has an overall length of 13″, a Model 2018SS 18″ 303SS Standard Air Knife is actually 19″ long, etc.) Full Flow Air Knives use a Coanda profile as well, but they have rear ports, so there’s full flow (as advertised) from end to end. Here’s more on how the Standard and Full Flow Air Knives work:
Compressed air flows through the inlet (1) to the Full Flow (left) or Standard (right) Air Knife, into the internal plenum. It then discharges through a thin gap (2), adhering to the Coanda profile (3) which directs it down the face of the Air Knife. The precision engineered & finished surfaces optimize entrainment of air (4) from the surrounding environment.
The latest, and greatest generation of engineered Air Knife in EXAIR’s arsenal is the Super Air Knife. As detailed above, they offer the most choices in length & materials. They’re also the most efficient, and quietest. Because the airflow exits straight from the linear nozzle formed by the shim gap between the body & cap, with no wind shear, the low velocity boundary layer produced by the entrainment of surrounding air means the sound level (with an 80psig inlet pressure) is a remarkably low 69dBA at a distance of three feet. Any style (Standard, Full Flow, or Super) Air Knife will perform just fine in just about any application that requires a curtain of airflow. If noise level, and/or operating cost, are on your mind, though, the Super Air Knife is certainly worth considering. With just a few details about the application, we can calculate the difference in operating cost for all three models of a given length, and provide you with the ROI (return on investment) for the Super Air Knife. If you’d like 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
Compressed air is one of the most versatile utilities in industry. It’s used for everything from part drying and debris removal to cooling and conveying. But not all compressed air products are created equal. Too often, I come across shops and plants relying on drilled pipes, open tubes, or cheap plastic nozzles to get the job done. On the surface, these might seem like quick and inexpensive fixes. In reality, they end up costing much more in wasted energy, unnecessary noise, and lost productivity.
Let’s start with drilled pipes and open-ended blow offs, since they’re some of the most common culprits. At first glance, they look like an easy solution. Just drill a few holes, hook up compressed air, and let it blast away. The problem is they waste a tremendous amount of air. They’re also extremely loud, often well above OSHA’s permissible noise levels outlined in 1910.95(a). In many cases, the sound exposure can reach levels that require hearing protection just to operate nearby. Beyond that, drilled holes create a dead-end pressure condition that violates OSHA 1910.242(b), which states that compressed air used for cleaning must be regulated to 30 PSIG if dead-ended. This is a serious safety concern that’s often overlooked until an injury or compliance audit brings it to light (or even worse, an OSHA inspection).
These wasteful and loud modular plastic tube blow offs…
Cheap nozzles and modular coolant hoses being used for compressed air fall into the same trap. They’re not designed to handle the pressures and flows involved in compressed air applications. This means poor performance, higher operating costs, and, in many cases, premature failure. It’s not unusual to see these hoses break down or simply pop off, creating unsafe conditions on the floor. What seemed like a cost-saving shortcut turns into downtime, frustration, and more expense down the road. The high consumption of these devices also leads to pressure drops elsewhere in your compressed air system.
This is where engineered solutions from EXAIR make the difference. Every nozzle, air knife, and air gun is designed with efficiency and safety at the forefront. Engineered nozzles, for example, reduce compressed air consumption while maintaining or even amplifying force. They also dramatically reduce noise levels, often bringing them into full OSHA compliance. Products like the Super Air Knife provide uniform airflow across an entire length while using a fraction of the air compared to drilled pipes.
In a previous blog, we shared an example where a customer was using a ¾” drilled pipe for blowoff on their production line. By replacing it with a 12” Super Air Knife, they reduced their compressed air consumption by over 80 SCFM. At their energy rate, this translated into more than $5,000 in annual savings, with a payback period of just a few months. Not only did they cut their energy bill, but they also eliminated an OSHA noise hazard and brought their system into compliance with dead-end pressure regulations.
When you factor in the rising costs of energy, the difference is not small. Inefficient or inferior products consume more compressed air than necessary, which means compressors work harder, energy bills rise, and maintenance intervals shorten. On the other hand, using an engineered solution is an investment that pays itself back quickly, often in months (or days) rather than years.
With engineered EXAIR products, you’ll improve efficiency, cut costs, reduce noise, and create a safer workplace. The short-term convenience of “cheap and easy” rarely holds up against the long-term benefits of doing it right the first time.
EXAIR makes a wide variety of Intelligent Compressed Air Products that can be used for blowoff applications. The first step is to consider what size, and shape, the airflow pattern needs to be. If it’s a smooth, flat surface, our Air Knives are ideal for that. If a more directed, focused stream of air is required, we have Air Nozzles, Air Jets, and Air Amplifiers. And if it’s for statically charged debris, we can put Ionizers on Air Knives (Super Ion Air Knives), Air Nozzles (Intellistat Ion Air Nozzles), Air Jets (Gen4 Ion Air Jets) and Air Amplifiers (Gen4 Ion Air Cannons.)
If you navigate the EXAIR website to our Blowoff Kits, you’ll see that we can provide a number of our quiet, safe, and efficient Air Nozzles with Magnetic Bases and/or Stay Set Hoses for a quick & easy Blowoff System. In addition to the half dozen or so systems that are specifically called out, you can also put together your own setup that best suits your application. Here’s how:
Example: Model 1100-9412 is two Super Air Nozzles on a Dual Outlet Magnetic Base with 12″ Stay Set Hoses.
If you’d like to discuss a blowoff application – regardless of size or shape – give me a call.
Russ Bowman, CCASS
Application Engineer Visit us on the Web Follow me on Twitter Like us on Facebook
