Tag: extrusion

Super Air Wipes Cleaning Rubber Cables

Published on by johnball2014Leave a comment

A rubber cable manufacturer was looking for a better way to clean water from the surface of their product.  Their process entailed extruding a rubber cable from the machine through a cooling water bath to harden the material.  This machine was able to make eight lines at a time.  After the water bath, the cables would pass through homemade blow-off devices to remove the liquid water from the outside surface.  From here, the cables would move through an inkjet printing machine.  They were having issues with the inkjet markings as they were not able to remove enough water.  They decided to contact EXAIR to see if we could help. 

The extruded rubber cables were close to ½” (13mm) in diameter.  So, I recommended the model 2401 1” (25mm) Super Air Wipe.  This would give enough clearance to remove the water in a non-contact way.  I challenged them to compare their home-made devices with our engineered design.  With our 30-day unconditional guarantee for U.S. and Canadian customers, they took me up on that challenge.  They ran a test and videoed the results. 

Super Air Wipe cleaning the rubber cable

The test was a bit crude as the Super Air Wipe was not aligned correctly.  But, with a short trial run, they were quite impressed.  In the photo below, you can see the dryness of the conveyor belt after the Super Air Wipe as compared to the home-made devices.  They were fascinated on how effective the Super Air Wipe was able to remove the water.  They replaced all eight units and noticed an improvement right away in reducing their visual defects in the printing process. 

Besides reducing defects, they noticed a few more things.  The production process ran smoother; even at faster line speeds.  They also observed that the Super Air Wipes were much quieter.  With a decibel rating of 80 dBA at 80 PSIG (5.5 Bar), the nearby operators were very happy with this choice during operations.  The biggest thing that they saw after a few weeks was the reduction in compressed air use as compared to their home-made devices.  Because the design utilizes the Coanda effect, “free” ambient air is drawn into the air stream, reducing the compressed air requirement.  They were using 30% less compressed air, which saved them a lot of money on their electric bill and operational costs. 

EXAIR offers a line of Super Air Wipes available to ship the same day from stock. The Super Air Wipe is available in aluminum construction in sizes ranging from 3/8” to 11” (10 to 279mm) in inner diameters.  All Super Air Wipes come with stainless steel hardware and stainless steel shims.  Sizes up to 4” (102mm) include a cross-over stainless wire braided hose to supply the other half of the Super Air Wipe.  In addition to the aluminum construction, the Super Air Wipe is also available in 303 stainless steel for corrosive or high temperature applications. The Stainless Steel Super Air Wipe can withstand temperatures up to 800°F and is available in sizes from ½”-4” (13mm – 102mm) from stock.

If you’re processing any type of hose, pipe, wire, or extruded shapes, the Super Air Wipe could benefit you in your process.  The customer above was able to reduce defects, decrease the noise level, and save compressed air with a simple replacement.  And if you wish to challenge your blow-off devices with an engineered EXAIR product, you can contact an Application Engineer for additional information.

John Ball
Application Engineer
Email: johnball@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jb

360° Air Wipe Comparison for Extrusion, Hose, Cable, Pipe and Wire Blowoff or Cooling

Published on by Brian FarnoLeave a comment

When it comes to blowing off extrusions, cables, pipe, tubing, hose, or wire, the EXAIR Super Air Wipe is an ideal product that often stands alone in this field. From time to time I will receive a call asking about a block style blowoff for wire or cabling, maybe even small extrusion, and the Super Air Wipe is always there to provide a true 360° blowoff compared to what the customer is used to.

See, the block style blowoffs are similar to the SAW in they both offer a clamshell design that will open and close into place around the product to prevent the user from having to “thread the needle”.  Also, they both operate off compressed air. The means by which they deliver the air is where the stark contrast in performance begins.

First, let us take a look at how these block style blowoffs deliver the air to the product being blown off. Generally, inside of these, there are a couple holes on each half of the block that are drilled at an angle to deliver the air onto the surface of the product. These block style products have to be kept fairly close in diameter to the product so that the air contacts the surfaces and they are for the most part offered in smaller sizes only.

Now, how does the Super Air Wipe deliver the air to the product being blown off?  The air enters (1) into an internal chamber that fills (2) and then dispurses through a continuous gap (3) on each half of the wipe that is set by a shim. The shim can be interchanged with different thicknesses to give a course adjustment to the volumetric flow of air. The air then follows the Coanda profile (4) of the Super Air Wipe to maximize entrained air (5) and exits at a 60° included angle (6) to impact the surface of the part at a full 360°.

Stock Super Air Wipe Product OfferingBlock Style air wipes also have a tendency to operate very loudly, often exceeding 90 dBA and more. This will affects personnel directly and can also affect their communication when attending to a processing line.  Super Air Wipes operate at 82 dBA with 5″ and smaller diameters. Up to 89 dBA for diameterss from 6″-11″.

The Super Air Wipe is available in eleven sizes from stock in aluminum (up to 11″ dia.) while the stainless steel configurations are available in five sizes from stock (up to 4″ dia.).  If aluminum or stainless steel don’t fit the requirements of an application, custom sizes and materials are always available with short lead times.

Tight-fitting locations are ideal for a Super Air Wipe install.

If you notice that the block style air blowoff is leaving streaks or maybe the physical space requirements of the block are too much to fit into your production line, please contact an Application Engineer and let us help you determine which Super Air Wipe is going to be right for your needs.

Brian Farno
Application Engineer
BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF

 

 

Super Air Wipe at Sea

Published on by Jordan T ShouseLeave a comment

I recently worked with a Chief Engineer on a large shipping boat who was having issues with water being brought in by the mooring cables. That salt water was getting into the maintenance room where the mooring cables were wound around a large spool. He wanted to remove the water from the cable before it went below deck so the extra water could just run off the deck back into the ocean.

After talking a bit we decided on a 4″ Super Air Wipe constructed of 303 stainless steel. This way the extra water would be removed and any debris the cable pulled in with it.

Mooring Cable going thru a EXAIR Super AirWipe

The Super Air Wipes provide a full 360° conical airflow that is used to blow-off, cool, clean and dry products. A Coanda profile is designed into the body of the unit to maximize entrainment of ambient air as well as give the precision angle for the air to exit from. This gives the air stream impacting the target zone a 30° angle to the surface in order to provide a substantial shear force for debris removal. This also ensures the large volume of ambient air entrained will all travel the correct direction and not become turbulent before impinging on the surface.

To meet all the tasks at hand, the Super Air Wipes are offered in two main materials of construction. Aluminum body with brass air fittings, connected with stainless steel hardware, shim and connecting hose for up to 4” (102mm). As well as 303 stainless steel body with stainless steel bolts, shim, the connecting hose for up to 4” (102mm) and fittings. The stainless-steel components give the units better corrosion resistance, higher temperature ratings, and more durability in harsh industrial environments.

The aluminum Super Air Wipe is available in 11 sizes; the stainless steel Super Air Wipe comes in 5 sizes…all from stock.

EXAIR stocks the aluminum Super Air Wipes with inner diameters from 3/8” (10 mm) for wire and cables up to 11” (279mm) for large pipes and hoses. The aluminum models have a temperature rating up to 400oF (204oC). We also stock the stainless-steel models from ½” (13mm) to 4” (102mm) inner diameters, and they have a temperature range up to 800oF (427oC). If you require different diameters or materials, we can do that as well easily.

With the creation of the Super Air Wipe, uniform cleaning, cooling, and blowing around the outside of parts is a simple task. You don’t have to worry about a variety of nozzles to target the circumference or a fabricated blow-off device that will waste air and take much time out of your day. A simple purchase of the Super Air Wipe Kit will solve the problem and keep production going. If you need help in selecting the proper size or want to know what material we would recommend for your application, contact us.

Jordan Shouse
Application Engineer

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Product Discovery: Super Air Wipes

Published on by Brian FarnoLeave a comment

Airflow through the Super Air Wipe

The Super Air Wipes provide a full 360° conical airflow that is used to blow-off, cool, clean and dry products. A Coanda profile is designed into the body of the unit to maximize entrainment of ambient air as well as give the precision angle for the air to exit from. This gives the air stream impacting the target zone a 30° angle to the surface in order to provide a substantial shear force for debris removal. This also ensures the large volume of ambient air entrained will all travel the correct direction and not become turbulent before impinging on the surface.

Easy clam-shell installation

To provide ease of installation, a unique clam-shell design was engineered to provide clamp over installation rather than traditional threading methods. This also permits quick changes in size when needed in the rapid product change environments.

Super Air Wipe Family Photo

To meet all the tasks at hand, the Super Air Wipes are offered in two main materials of construction. Aluminum body with brass air fittings, connected with stainless steel hardware, shim and connecting hose for up to 4” (102mm). As well as 303 stainless steel body with stainless steel bolts, shim, the connecting hose for up to 4” (102mm) and fittings. The stainless-steel components give the units better corrosion resistance, higher temperature ratings, and more durability in harsh industrial environments.

EXAIR stocks the aluminum Super Air Wipes with inner diameters from 3/8” (10 mm) for wire and cables up to 11” (279mm) for large pipes and hoses. The aluminum models have a temperature rating up to 400oF (204oC). We also stock the stainless-steel models from ½” (13mm) to 4” (102mm) inner diameters, and they have a temperature range up to 800oF (427oC). If you require different diameters or materials, we can do that as well easily.

Super Air Wipe Kit

The Super Air Wipe kits to help get the most out of the air wipes. A kit will include the Super Air Wipe, a filter, regulator and shim set. The filter will remove bulk liquids and debris from the compressed air to keep the performance optimal. The regulator is used to fine-tune the force provided by the Super Air Wipe. This helps to not over-use the amount of compressed air required for the job.

With a regulator, you can make fine adjustments to get the proper amount of air. For coarse adjustments, you can add shims to increase the airflow and force. They are easy to install on the Super Air Wipes to allow for applications to have more cooling, faster drying, and better removal for tough debris. For cleanliness and control, the Super Air Wipe Kits would be recommended for your application.

Robotic Welder fitted with EXAIR Super Air Wipe

With the creation of the Super Air Wipe, uniform cleaning, cooling, and blowing around the outside of parts is a simple task. You don’t have to worry about a variety of nozzles to target the circumference or a fabricated blow-off device that will waste air and take much time out of your day. A simple purchase of the Super Air Wipe Kit will solve the problem and keep production going. If you need help in selecting the proper size or want to know what material we would recommend for your application, contact us.

Brian Farno
Application Engineer
BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF