Tag: mfg

A Journey of Learning: Passing the CCASS Certification Test

Published on by Jordan T ShouseLeave a comment

Hey everyone! I’m beyond excited to share some big news with you—I recently passed the Certified Compressed Air System Specialist (CCASS) certification test! It’s been a wild ride getting here, and I want to take you through my journey, to show what this certificate means to me.

Why CCASS? Six and a half years ago, I started my fascination with compressed air products and systems—how they power so much of modern industry, from manufacturing to automation. But I’ll be honest: there’s a lot to learn, and I wanted a way to prove I really get it. That’s where the CCASS certification came in. Offered by CAGI, it’s a credential that shows you’ve mastered the ins and outs of compressed air systems—think system design, energy efficiency, and all the components that make it tick. For me, it was about more than just a title; it was a chance to level up my skills and help customers optimize their systems.

The CCASS exam isn’t a walk in the park—it’s 80 multiple-choice questions in just 1.5 hours, testing your applied knowledge, skills, and abilities. CAGI doesn’t hand you a study guide, but they do point you to some resources. Their “Body of Knowledge” list was my starting point, packed with references like the Compressed Air & Gas Handbook and standards like ASME EA-4 for energy assessments. I dove into those, soaking up everything from compressor basics to sustainability tips.

What does this mean? Well, I’m the 6th person on the application engineering team to become certified. Our team of Application Engineers are dedicated to continuous self-improvement and actively seek ways to assure our readers, clients, and prospective customers that we are the foremost authorities in engineered solutions for point-of-use compressed air. We prioritize ongoing education and share our expertise through various platforms. This includes informative blogs like this one, casual videos available on our YouTube Channel and website, articles in different publications, and our webinars.

The subjects we cover range from strategies to reduce waste associated with one of the most costly utilities to system designs that mitigate pressure drops and ensure adequate supply for point-of-use applications. We can provide both in-depth analysis and high-level overviews to cater to different levels of understanding.

If you wish to evaluate our expertise or learn more about how we can assist with your facility’s compressed air needs, please reach out to an Application Engineer today.

Jordan Shouse, CCASS

Application Engineer

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CAGI CCASS Certificate Awarded To Our Own John Ball!

Published on by Brian FarnoLeave a comment

I blogged in October 2023 about our 4th team member who had passed the Compressed Air And Gas Institute’s Certified Compressed Air System Specialist test. Once Neal Raker received his CCASS certification, it was only a matter of time before the next one of our International Application Engineers, John Ball, was going to take the plunge, so to say.

John has studied, written content revolving around, and demonstrated his knowledge in the compressed air field for many years before he came to EXAIR and has continued his education ever since, doing the necessary due diligence of studying for and obtaining his CCASS certification. As with Neal, Russ, and Tyler all obtaining this, what kind of value does that add for you our customers, and content consumers?

Certainly, it means you can rely on us to actually know what we are talking about when we make a recommendation to you on a phone call, chat or e-mail. It also means that the content of our informal videos, presentations, and blogs is well researched. We hold ourselves to a higher standard, and we must ensure we continue to improve our knowledge through continuing education or else we will not be able to maintain these types of certifications. Our goal is to help in such a way that you will want to come back for more! When we say our people are our most valuable resource, investing in continuing education is one way we walk the walk.

If you want to experience our help first hand, please contact one of our Application Engineers and give us a try. We would be happy to listen and verify your thought process for an application or perhaps walk you through a few scenarios based on multiple, possible solutions. Many times, there’s more than one right answer. We encourage you to bounce your ideas off of us. Contact an Application Engineer today.

Brian Farno
Application Engineer
BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF

200,000 “replacement workers” Needed for Ohio Manufacturing Jobs

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According to a 2010 Ohio Manufacturing Association report, manufacturing was the top private sector employer, comprising 14.11 percent of Ohio jobs in 2008, higher than health care and retail trade, second only to government. As older workers retire it is estimated 200,000 replacements will be needed.[1]

Further complicating matters is advancing technology, which requires new workers to have greater skills and problem-solving abilities. Today’s advanced manufacturing is not your father’s job. No longer is it a repetitive, mundane, minimal involvement job. Todays machinist are pretty much in control and responsible for his/her operation. Somewhat like a mini company within a company.

According to the bureau of labor statistics the annual mean wage for industries with the highest published employment, machinist wages are $40,000 which is comparable to computer operators, massage therapists, and social workers.[2]  The money is there, the jobs are going unfulfilled, and the future of these jobs is long-term. So why aren’t more folks gravitating to this industry…the negative stereotype of years past. Eric Burkland, president of the Ohio Manufacturing Association said  “We in manufacturing need to do a better job of communicating the opportunities that are available in manufacturing and we need our public partners to assist in that”[3]

Isothermal Community College (Spindale, North Carolina) is combating the metalworking industry’s skilled labor shortage by altering young people’s misperceptions about manufacturing and improve the industry’s view of community colleges. They have made a substantial investment in modern machine tools. Most community colleges are teaching with machines that have been donated to them. These are basically antiques which advanced machining techniques cannot be taught. Mike Saunders made the statement “To upgrade our workforce and get more people interested in manufacturing, it is going to take a financial commitment on the part of the colleges, support by the manufacturing community, and getting the word out to our high school students that manufacturing is a great career.

Ohio is not the only state with a skilled labor shortage. Throughout the United States there is an estimated 500,000 manufacturing jobs unfulfilled because of the lack of skilled labor. Despite the nay sayers, manufacturing is not dead in the U.S., it is a problem of staffing.

Joe Panfalone
Application Engineer

Phone (513) 671-3322
Fax   (513) 671-3363
Web: www.exair.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/exair_jp
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/exair

[1]Dayton Daily News Sunday, August 21, 2011

[2]Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates United States

[3]Dayton Daily News Sunday, August 21, 2011

Nickels and Dimes Add Up

Published on by Bryan PetersLeave a comment

It’s been a little while since I blogged.  I was trying to come up with a topic for this week when our Purchasing Manager told me about what he’s been seeing from vendors.  He went out of his way to say “make sure you mention this in your next blog”.  So here we go…

Some companies seem to have adopted the mindset that since manufacturing activity is improving, it’s now open season on costs.  By that, I mean that they keep inventing new ways to raise costs for their customers.  Apparently some companies think that it’s time to boost margins, and they don’t think their customers will complain because, after all, business is booming in some segments.  Since the beginning of the year, we’ve seen the (attempted) return of fuel surcharges and material surcharges.  We’ve had vendors attempt to bill us for inbound freight to their facilities.  We’ve also seen the (attempted) return of things like handling charges, even in cases where freight charges were not billed.  Those that are even more creative are adding “broken box quantity” charges.  And companies that previously did not have minimum order value have instituted them.

Remember when manufacturing was struggling and thought to be on its way out as a viable economic contributor?  Remember how companies trying to survive were so cooperative and accommodating with respect to prices and deliveries?  They didn’t dare include those sorts of silly add-on items on their invoices because they knew that their customers wouldn’t stand for it, and they were lucky to have any customers at all.  How easy those companies forget what customers value when things seem to be going well.  Those that forget the past are doomed to repeat it.

I’m happy to report that these kinds of practices haven’t spread to EXAIR.  We won’t include any mystery add-on charges on your invoice.  And we don’t have a minimum order quantity.

By now, I’m sure that you may have already seen some of this silliness in action.  If not, look out for it, because it will likely show up on some of your invoices soon.  Don’t accept these charges from vendors.  You’ll just be encouraging the behavior.  They should really know better.

And please enjoy this sendup of a Comcast cable bill by an unhappy former subscriber.

Bryan Peters
President
bryanpeters@exair.com