Tag: special

Have It Your Way: Custom Super Air Knives

Published on by jasonkirbyLeave a comment

EXAIR’s Super Air Knife harnesses compressed air to produce a streamlined sheet of high-velocity air, effectively enhancing various industrial processes. This compressed air interacts with surrounding ambient air, resulting in a significant entrainment ratio of 40:1, which greatly amplifies its efficiency in applications such as drying, cleaning, and cooling. The Super Air Knife is available in lengths from 3 inches to 108 inches and is offered in a range of materials, ensuring that there is a suitable option for nearly any operational requirement. It is particularly advantageous for use in scenarios where products on a conveyor system require cleaning, drying, or cooling, making the Super Air Knife an optimal solution for enhancing productivity and maintaining product quality in diverse manufacturing environments.

EXAIR’s Air Knives are an efficient and highly effective tool for blowoff, cooling, cleaning and drying in a myriad of manufacturing processes. To accommodate the wide variety of unique problems manufacturers face, EXAIR has the ability to customize and tailor Air Knives to different specifications. These Air Knife customizations can range from size, to shape, to material, custom mounting holes and dimensions. They are created to solve distinct manufacturing problems not already solved by the industry’s largest selection of Air Knives. For customers with space limitations, smaller lengths or skinnier profiles can be created. In situations where the knife may need to be installed in a very defined spot, special mounting brackets, or additional/custom sized air inlets can be provided to fit a current system. For applications where stock aluminum, stainless steel or PVDF won’t work, other material options such as CPVC or glass-filled PEEK thermoplastic have been used. Special marking requirements for tying knives to specific machines or critical processes can be accommodated. Unique shapes and profiles, such as double-sided or curved Air Knives, can also be the solution to certain specialized processes. Air Knives are available in Super, Standard and Full-Flow styles, and all versions are customizable to a customer’s specific needs. For help solving any specific blowoff problems, please contact an Application Engineer. All Air Knives are CE compliant, and prices start at $141.

The Super Air Knife is offered in a variety of materials, including aluminum, Type 303 and Type 316 stainless steel, as well as PVDF featuring Hastelloy bolts, making it suitable for highly corrosive environments. While there is a wide selection of off-the-shelf options that can be shipped the same day, not every application can be adequately addressed with standard products. EXAIR, which manages the entire manufacturing process at its facility in Cincinnati, Ohio, maintains significant oversight and flexibility in production. For applications that require more than what is available in stock, we are continuously crafting specialized, customized air knives designed to meet a diverse range of specifications and needs.

Our knives can be custom-manufactured to specific lengths if the standard sizes do not meet your application requirements. We will maintain the same design and size profile while tailoring the knife to the exact length you need, ensuring a perfect fit for your machinery. Additionally, if the dimensional profile of an existing knife is not appropriate for your needs, we have the ability to modify it accordingly. For instance, the Super Air Knife illustrated below features an exceptionally slim design that has been thoroughly optimized to achieve the smallest overall profile possible, demonstrating our commitment to precision and adaptability in our products.

All Super Air Knives are equipped with standard ¼ NPT air inlets and feature ¼-20 tapped holes along the bottom for mounting purposes. However, we recognize that this configuration may not be suitable for every specific application. To address this, we offer customized options that include tailored air inlets and additional mounting holes, allowing for seamless integration with any bespoke bracket. The accompanying image illustrates a modified stainless steel Super Air Knife, showcasing the extra mounting holes that have been precisely machined onto both ends, demonstrating our commitment to meeting diverse customer needs.

We provide a diverse range of knives not only in various shapes and sizes as part of our special offerings but also in stock lengths crafted from a variety of materials. Featured below are two unique knives made from materials that are not typically available on our shelves. On the left, you will find a knife constructed from PVDF, while on the right is a knife made from glass-filled PEEK, complemented by brass hardware and a PTFE shim. This particular application arose when a customer experienced ground interference attributed to the aluminum knife design. In response to their specifications, we successfully machined a knife tailored specifically to meet the requirements of their application, showcasing our commitment to customization and material innovation.

 If you have any questions about the Super Air Knife, or anything regarding EXAIR and our products, please do not hesitate to reach out. We would love to hear from you!

Jason Kirby
Application Engineer
Email: jasonkirby@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jk

Create a Custom Blowoff Solution With EXAIR’s Industry-Leading Super Air Knives

Published on by Tyler DanielLeave a comment

EXAIR’s Super Air Knife utilizes a source of compressed air to create a laminar sheet of high velocity air. This supplied compressed air mixes with ambient air that is entrained into the primary airstream. The Super Air Knife entrains ambient air at a rate of 40:1, making it VERY effective in a variety of drying, cleaning, and cooling applications. Available in lengths ranging from 3”-108” and in a variety of different materials of construction, there’s a Super Air Knife available for just about any application. Any time you have product moving along a conveyor that needs to be cleaned, dried, or cooled off, a Super Air Knife is the ideal fit.

The Super Air Knife is available in aluminum, Type 303 & Type 316 stainless steel, as well as in PVDF with Hastelloy bolts for extremely corrosive applications.  While there are numerous options available off the shelf ready to ship same day, not all applications can be served by a stock option. Since EXAIR handles all the manufacturing of these products in our facility in Cincinnati, Ohio, we have a great deal of control over the manufacturing process. If your application cannot accept something right off the shelf, we’re constantly producing special customized knives to fit most requirements.

Our knives can be manufactured in a special length if a stock length won’t fit in your application. We’ll use the same design and size profile and can build it to the precise length you require in order to fit perfectly onto your machine. If the dimensional profile of an existing knife isn’t suitable, we can change that too! The Super Air Knife shown below utilizes a very thin design and has been completely modified to achieve the smallest overall profile possible.

All Super Air Knives come stock with ¼ NPT air inlets and ¼-20 tapped holes along the bottom that can be used for mounting. Unfortunately, that isn’t always going to work for every application, so we also manufacture specials with custom air inlets as well as additional mounting holes to fit right onto any custom bracket. The photo below shows a modified stainless steel Super Air Knife with additional mounting holes machined onto either end.

We don’t just offer them in different shapes and sizes as a special, but we’ve also manufactured stock length knives out of entirely different materials. Shown below are two knives of different materials that aren’t already on the shelf. On the left-hand side is a knife manufactured from PVDF and on the right a glass filled PEEK material with brass hardware and a PTFE shim. In this application, the customer was noticing ground interference due to the aluminum knife construction. They specified this particular material, and we were able to machine a knife completely customized for this application.

Every year a new request comes across that is something we haven’t done before. Just because you don’t see it in the catalog doesn’t mean it isn’t possible when you deal with EXAIR. We’re here to make sure you get the most out of our products, and sometimes that isn’t possible right off the shelf. Contact an Application Engineer today if you’d like to discuss your application and begin the process of identifying your next custom solution!

Tyler Daniel, CCASS

Application Engineer

E-mail: TylerDaniel@EXAIR.com

Twitter: @EXAIR_TD

Custom Pneumatic Conveyors for Unique Applications

Published on by John BallLeave a comment

EXAIR’s Air Operated Conveyors, or Line Vacs™, provide an efficient method of converting ordinary pipe, hose, or tubes into powerful in-line conveyors.  To accommodate the wide variety of unique problems, EXAIR has the ability to customize and tailor-make Line Vacs with different specifications.  Certain processes may require customizations like unique sizes, shapes, and materials in order for the product to be a perfect fit for their system.  EXAIR will work in collaboration with our customer to fabricate the best possible Line Vac solution for easy and efficient conveyance.

I worked with a customer to design a special Line Vac.  They needed 3” ANSI 150# flanges on a 3” PVDF Line Vac.  So, we had a special material with special ends to fit their specific needs.  The PVDF with Hastelloy hardware was for chemical resistance, and the flanges would mount into their piping system.  As with many of our Line Vacs, we can turn a normal piping system into a conveyance system for waste, parts, evacuation, or bulk materials.  For this customer, they needed a backup system for a fume hood.  With electrical vacuums and blowers, loss of power or motor failures can cause a momentary lapse in fume removal.  Since the chemical material that was used in the hood was dangerous, they needed a reliable source to extract the fumes.  The Line Vac does not have any moving parts or require electricity.  Line Vacs only use compressed air or gas to make them operate.  For this customer, they attached nitrogen to the special Line Vac to operate when there was a power failure to protect the workers in the area. 

With the EXAIR design, we can alternate connection types.  For example, we can add a threaded end to connect to pipes on one side while having a slip-on end for hose connection.  In situations where the Line Vac requires a specific flange mounting option, EXAIR can accommodate.  EXAIR stocks 316SS Sanitary Flange Line Vacs, but we have done ANSI or DIN flanges as well.  For applications where stock aluminum, 303, or 316 stainless steel won’t work, alternate materials like PVDF, PVC, or PTFE can be utilized.  Even in extreme environments, EXAIR can produce both heavy duty and high-temperature iterations to handle even the toughest materials or conditions.  Other details, like particular hose sizes or pipe threading, can be specified to us.

Stock Line Vac models include standard, heavy duty, light duty, and sanitary flange.  All versions can be customized to meet customers specific needs.  All Line Vacs are CE-compliant and OSHA-safe.  For help solving any specific conveyance problems that you may have, please contact an Application Engineer at EXAIR.  We look forward to your challenge.    

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

Customized for Your Process: Special Pneumatic Conveyors

Published on by codybiehleLeave a comment

For many, material conveyance is a necessary factor in their manufacturing and processing procedures. Much of the time our large array of different Line Vacs (air operated conveyors) can suit a large array of different conveying applications; but sometimes the stock item is just not the right fit for a specific application. Fortunately, since we manufacture everything here in Cincinnati, OH we have the flexibility to provide custom products throughout all of our 16 product lines. The Line Vac product line, even as large as it is, is a pretty common product for us to customize and manufacture. The following are a few examples of special Line Vacs that we have made in the past.

Liner Vacs connect to a hose, tube or pipe to create a powerful inline conveyor, powered by compressed air.

The Special Mini Line Vac:

This special was designed with barbed fittings for easier installation for a manufacturer of integrated circuit chips. It was used to remove microscopic debris. The small body and high vacuum flow made it a perfect fit for the confined working space.

Special Mini Line Vac

The PVDF Line Vac:

This 1 ½” flanged Line Vac was designed using PVDF to provide a superior chemical resistance. In this case the unit was going to be exposed to a chloride wash which will corrode all versions of steel including stainless steel. The QF Flanges were also added to provide easy disassembly when the Line Vac was scheduled for cleaning.

Special Flanged PVDF Line Vac

The Special Flanged Line Vac:

This next special Line Vac was used to convey a measured granulated material into a pouch. The funnel side was loaded with the pre-measured material and pushed into a mesh pouch when the air was activated.

Special Flanged Line Vac

Special Flanged Refumigation Line Vac:

This flanged Line Vac was used to retrofit existing machinery to remove acidic vapors resulting from surface etching of a silicon wafer. Where this would typically be a nice fit for a Stainless Steel Air Amplifier, the existing exhaust piping was lengthy with many bends that would have caused back pressure on any Air Amplifiers. In this case, they needed the additional force from the Line Vac to overcome this downstream resistance.

Special Flanged Line Vac

As you can see there isn’t much that we can’t do for you. The sky is the limit when it comes to thinking up of a custom-made solution for your application. Our Application Engineers are just the right folks to work with when considering a custom solution for your process. They have seen and heard many requests and past success stories, which can aid with any future solutions you may need. Whether it is for a blow off application using air knives, cooling application using vortex tubes, or of course conveyance application using a Line Vac.

If you have questions about our custom made Line Vac solutions or any of our engineered Intelligent Compressed Air® Products, feel free to contact EXAIR or any Application Engineer.

Cody Biehle
Application Engineer
EXAIR Corporation
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