Tag: machining without coolant

A Cold Gun to help a Stamping Process

Published on by johnball2014Leave a comment

 

Movie Film

When it comes to die stamping, friction generates heat.  Heat can be a problematic cause for generating scrap, slowing production speeds, and decreasing tool life.  A manufacturer of film reels was seeing the effects during their process.  They had a stamping machine that was creating the sprocket holes in the outer edge of a 35mm film.  These holes are used for advancing the reel strip through printers, projectors, and processing machines.  They had to be particularly careful, as film materials warp easily with heat.  Some of us remember the film reels that would bubble and burn out when the film stopped in the projector too long.  So, speed was critical without creating any quality issues.

The film reel manufacturer was intrigued with the EXAIR Vortex Tubes as they can generate cold air by only using compressed air.  They do not use refrigerants or have any moving parts.  They are very compact and can fit into tight places.  The manufacturer thought that if they could reduce the temperature in the stamping process, they could speed up production.

EXAIR makes different accessories available to help with installation and function of Vortex Tubes for various applications.  For this customer, I recommended the model 5315 Cold Gun System.  This product generates 1000 BTU/hr of cooling power, and has a Dual Point Hose Kit to allow for targeting both sides of the film reel.  It includes an incorporated, magnetic base to securely position it on a ferromagnetic surface of the stamping machine. Finally, it includes two 1” flat nozzles to spread the cooling airflow out a bit.  These flat nozzles would help to direct the cold air in between the two stamping plates.   They were able to keep the film reel and the die stamp cool as they sped up their operation.  Even with the additional speed, they also noticed that the die stayed sharper 20% longer which allowed for a corresponding productivity increase . 

If heat is slowing down your process, EXAIR will most likely have a product to keep it cool.  As with the customer above, heat was a “reel” problem.  With the Cold Gun System, we were able to increase their productivity and decrease their downtime.  Please contact an Application Engineer to discuss your application if temperature is affecting your process. 

John Ball
Application Engineer

Email: johnball@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jb

Photo by: Film by JanBaby  Creative Commons CC0 Public Domain

EXAIR Cold Gun Promo Starts November 1st!

Published on by Jordan T ShouseLeave 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, 2023. 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 36 years! Take advantage of the current promotion today!

From left to right: EXAIR Mini Coolers, Cold Guns, and Adjustable Spot Coolers come with Magnetic Bases for instant installation.

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.

Single Point
Dual Point

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!

Jordan Shouse
Application Engineer

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Twitter: @EXAIR_JS

EXAIR’s Adjustable Spot Cooler: Versatile Cooling Replaces Messy Coolant Systems!

Published on by Tyler DanielLeave a comment

If you’re looking at replacing messy coolant mist systems, look no further than the Adjustable Spot Cooler. EXAIR’s Adjustable Spot Cooler incorporates Vortex Tube technology to produce temperatures ranging from -30°F – +70°F. A Vortex Tube works by imparting a rapid spinning motion to the supplied compressed air. This airflow makes its way to the end of the tube where it is forced to abruptly change directions. It is during this change of direction that energy is given off in the form of heat. The hot air then exits the tube from the hot end, while cold air exits the other end of the tube. As the valve is opened to allow more air to exhaust from the hot end, the temperature at the cold end will decrease. At a sound level of just 73 dBA when operated at 100 psig and stock generator installed, this compact cooler will keep your operation cool, clean and dry without causing unnecessarily high noise levels.

3725
Critical tolerances are maintained on plastic parts using the Adjustable Spot Cooler

When looking at a Vortex Tube based solution, the variety of options can sometimes be daunting. This is where the versatility of the Adjustable Spot Cooler shines. Through a simple turn of the control knob, you can easily adjust the temperature and cold fraction of the unit. Additionally, the kits come with (2) extra generators (15-H and 30-H) that can be swapped out for the stock generator for more/less cooling power and air consumption. The 15-H generator will deliver up to 1,000 Btu/hr of cooling capacity and the 30-H will provide up to 2,000 Btu/hr of cooling capacity. We have (2) different kits available, the Model 3825 Single Point and the Model 3925 Dual Point Kit. The 3825 is recommended for use in applications where you’re cooling a small surface such as solder joints, hot melts, or drilled plastics.

The 3925 system is better served when heat is generated over a larger surface area such as saw blade cooling. The kits use flexible Loc-Line hose to allow you to precisely position the cold airflow onto your target. The Adjustable Spot Cooler provides easy mounting with a swivel magnetic base, allowing you to mount the cooler directly at the most critical point that heat is being generated.

3825_3925 adj spot cooler

If you’re tired of cleaning up your coolant or have an application that requires dry machining, get one of the Adjustable Spot Cooler systems on order today. They’re in stock ready to ship!

Tyler Daniel, CCASS


Application Engineer
E-mail: TylerDaniel@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_TD

Mini Cooler, Spot Cooling for Small Parts and Processes

Published on by EricKuhnash@EXAIR.comLeave a comment

Over the years the basic vortex tube has been used in hundreds of industrial cooling applications. A few have become so popular as to warrant the development of an “applied product” designed to suit the specific application. These products include the Adjustable Spot Cooler, Mini Cooler, Cold Gun and Cabinet Coolers. All of these products can be found in our catalog and on our website.

The Mini Cooler™ is a proven way to reduce downtime and increase productivity on a variety of operations involving small parts where heat is a problem. It evolved out of the garment industry and is commonly used to cool needles and prevent breakage. EXAIR’s Mini Cooler produces a stream of 20°F (-7°C) cold air to prevent heat build-up. The Mini Cooler is particularly effective on high speed operations to prevent burning, melting and heat related breakage. Operation is quiet (76 dBA) and there are no moving parts to wear out.

The Mini Cooler incorporated a vortex tube to convert a small amount of compressed air into two low pressure streams, one moving within the other in opposite directions (see below). The two airstreams exchange heat, producing cold air from one end of the tube and hot air from the other. A flexible hose directs the cold airstream at the surface to be cooled.

The Mini Cooler produces instant cold air when compressed air is supplied to it. If less cold air is needed, the volume of cold air can be reduced by regulating the compressed air supply with the pressure regulator. Lower pressure give less cold flow and reduce compressed air consumption.

The Mini Cooler is an excellent spot cooler to prevent burning or breakage. If you have an application and have questions regarding which spot cooler is best for you please contact any of our Applications Engineers . EXAIR has the the expertise and products to provide solutions to your process problems.

Eric Kuhnash
Application Engineer
E-mail: EricKuhnash@exair.com
Twitter: Twitter: @EXAIR_EK