Tag: @EXAIR_BF

Getting Back To It – One-Step At A Time

Published on by Brian FarnoLeave a comment

I’ve blogged in the past about how one of my favorite things to do is to get out of my comfort zone and over the past year, that has been a struggle for me physically. I’ve slacked off on my rucking and event participation and continued to grow my knowledge level. That’s started to weigh on me over the past few months, so I began to change it. In all honesty, I was okay with being meh. That’s not okay, and I started changing it, how you might ask? It all started with my friends and my daughters.

Not a shabby pace for 35-pound ruck and second ruck back at it.

Rather than trying to do a 180 and completely disrupt my relaxed style, I took the approach of 5mm changes over time. That’s right, I am in the US and I just used the metric system as my primary measurement. So what does this look like, well first it started with less sitting and more standing. Even when at work, I try to stand most of the day at my desk, I’m grateful I have the means to do so through a standing desk. Then, rather than just hanging out while my kids are at their practices, I’ve taken that time to start rucking or at the very least walking/volunteering and working. These are different movements that I didn’t have over the past several months, and it’s honestly been 5mm changes and I can already feel the improvements in my sleep, and my energy throughout the day. The best part is, I can really relate this to being a great approach to an industrial compressed air system as well.

Over time a system can age, efficiencies lower, leaks start to form, equipment wears down or gets built up on it and starts to require more maintenance. Just like my personal journey, we can easily get these back on track by making small 5mm changes in our daily operations. We don’t have to completely gut and revamp a compressed air system or just throw more compressors at the system to fix it. We can follow the Six Steps to Compressed Air Optimization and work towards a renewed system.

Processes lead to continuous improvement.

The first point is to get a baseline, find out where you are, and then go from there. This is easily done with Digital Flowmeters w/ Wireless Capabilities. Then, rather than trying to change an entire facility, focus on one spot, one line, or even one machine. Then start to evaluate that specific point for leaks, and open blowoffs. Fixing just this one machine by reducing leaks, and replacing open blowoffs can begin to shift the efficiency within the system and drive the desire to do more. This return will also generally give the system the ability to handle expansion to other new lines as well.

Keep in mind, it doesn’t have to be a drastic change or complete teardown and rebuild. It should start with a baseline and then perform small changes from there, so the data can be collected and return can be measured to justify the means. We outline this process and do everything we can to offer items needed for each step of the process to ensure you have one single contact along the process, an EXAIR Application Engineer.

If you want to discuss further how we can help you keep ticking away at these 5mm changes within your system, please contact us.

Brian Farno
Application Engineer
BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF

November’s Promo Features Cool Products

Published on by Brian FarnoLeave a comment

That’s right, with the start of November this year we also start our Cold Gun promotion. This promotion runs from the start of November until December 31, 2022. The best part is that Cold Guns have a long history of providing spot cooling solutions for industry. Cold Guns have been cooling product and processes for over 35 years! Take advantage of the current promotion today!

The EXAIR Cold Gun promo is a great way to receive an additional tool to extend the use of the Cold Gun. With the purchase of a promotional Cold Gun System w/ Single Point Hose Kit or promotional High Power Cold Gun System w/ Single Point Hose Kit you will receive a Dual Point Hose Kit for free. This is a $48.00 USD value. The Cold Gun will drop your compressed air temperature by 54°F when operating at 100 psig inlet pressure. Choose the standard point tip or the 1″ fan tip to blow the cold air. The total length of the flexible discharge hose is around 11″. If more coverage is needed, the promotional Dual Point Hose Kit gives around 5-6″ of straight hose before splitting into two smaller lines that offer both point or fan tip nozzles as well. This dual point can be used to reach both sides of larger diameter cutters and components that need a blast of cool air.

The Cold Gun is easily setup in any machine that has a ferrous metal surface thanks to its integrated magnetic base that will hold the unit in place even when the machine is moving or vibrating. If you do not have ferrous metal available for the magnetic base, using rigid piping or even something like u-bolts to hold the unit into place is a common practice of customers who need the cooling and know the Cold Gun will perform.

Lastly, if you aren’t certain whether the Cold Gun is the solution, we have an entire team of Application Engineers here to discuss the application, and it is also backed by our 30-day guarantee so our US and Canadian based customers can order one, test it in their facility for 30 days. If they are not pleased with the performance for any reason, the item can be returned to EXAIR. If you want to discuss your application, contact us today!

Brian Farno
Application Engineer
BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF

Engineered, Intelligent Compressed Air® Products: Save Air AND Get a Rebate!

Published on by Brian FarnoLeave a comment

This rebate example results in FREE air nozzles – read on to learn more!

Here at EXAIR we are continuously trying to share the basic facts that engineered air nozzles save compressed air. We then connect that with the amount of money that it saves, this is generally backed with formulas, this isn’t a new concept, we blog, tweet and even have easily accessed calculators for it. The final part that we like to share is that, on top of saving throughout the life of the nozzle, there are also many energy providers and municipalities that extend a rebate program as well! That means this lowers the ROI on implementing engineered nozzles into your system.

https://www.hollandbpw.com/en/customer-service/business/business-rebates#air   
https://www.hollandbpw.com/en/customer-service/business/business-rebates#air   

For instance, if your facility is located in Holland, Michigan, the Holland Board of Public Works wants to offer a rather simple rebate that requires the engineered nozzle and application be installed and submitted by December 31, 2022. The program is offering up to $100 per engineered nozzle installed on an open pipe or tube. (The incentive cannot exceed 100% of customer cost.) Not sure if you have open pipes in your facility? I’m sure you will hear them if you walk near the production lines where air is used. Or, better yet, get in touch with your production maintenance team and have them go throughout the facility and perform an open tube/pipe tagging event. Then report back and contact an Application Engineer here at EXAIR. We will all be able to help you with selecting the appropriately sized engineered nozzle to convert that open pipe/tube blowoff to an efficient and safe blowoff.

The Holland program is focused on open pipe/tube blowoffs while there are countless other programs out there which focus on replacing any blowoff with an engineered nozzle that also fits certain flow criteria for select pipe sizes. These programs can be searched by using the site Dsireusa.org This is a site that is maintained by NC State University and NC Clean Energy Technology. You can easily navigate to your state and scan the list for a rebate program which will then even take you to the application and stipulations for the selected incentive.

https://www.dsireusa.org/

No matter where you are located in the world, you don’t have to use a rebate to save money by installing engineered nozzles. The savings and ROI all starts as soon as they are installed. The rebates available in various parts of the US are just ways to expedite the ROI. If you want to discuss any engineered nozzle application, contact an Application Engineer today.

Brian Farno
Application Engineer
BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF

Take It All In – Just Filter It

Published on by Brian FarnoLeave a comment
The Nose – Only the Nose Knows

Take a nice deep breath as you read this. In through the nose. If you are like me right now, due to Fall allergies you’ll have a little bit of a restriction, hold it for just a second and then breathe out through the mouth. The body is an amazing thing, when we breathe in through our nose the body has some natural filtration built in that is also known as nose hair. While not the most attractive thing to most, it is important. The hairs in the nose help to filter out allergens and catch foreign debris.

An Improperly maintained Cabin Air Filter on a car makes a great bed for mice

Other items you interact with daily have similar air intake filtration. A car often has both an intake air filter and even an in-cabin air filter, these both protect various parts. The engine air filter is vital to prevent dust, debris and even excessive water from entering into the precision machined and assembled motor. The HVAC system in every business or home generally has an intake air filter in order to protect the coils and heater box.

There’s another system in most manufacturing facilities that should always have a filter on it, and that is the compressed air system. Properly maintaining and filtering the incoming ambient air feed before it is compressed starts the process of on the right foot to optimize performance and insure efficiency is maintained from the start of the entire process. These filters are like many others and can be part of a preventative maintenance program. The air compressor manufacturer will have a recommendation on frequency for the various types.

Old Piston driven air compressor intake air filter.

If these filters are left unchanged then the compressor begins to have restricted flow on the intake which then results in less air being pulled in or maybe the filter is removed and then the debris all gets pulled in and sent through to become foreign debris inside the compressor. Both of these will cause the compressor to wear or overheat and work harder to compress the air and send it into the storage tank. This results in premature maintenance needed on the compressors and or point of use devices.

Thus, always filter your incoming air. Whether for your air compressor, car engine, or house, start with a fresh intake and then keep it optimized from there. The payback will be longer lasting equipment that operates at a higher efficiency. And remember, breathe in through your nose.

If you would like to discuss your filtration setups, feel free to reach out to an Application Engineer.

Brian Farno
Application Engineer
BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF