Tag: static eliminators

Application Spotlight- Keeping a Measurement Lens Clean!

Published on by Jordan T ShouseLeave a comment

In the newest edition of the application spotlight we are going to talk about cleaning the lens of a measurement system. The customer had a rotary bowl feeder where the last stage passed the part over a crystal lens, so the camera underneath could look for rejects.

Over a short time of parts running, the lens started to get covered with a large volume of dust, causing the camera to reject good parts and cause a shut-down. They tried to use a simple open tube to keep the dust off. However, as we know open tubes are not OSHA safe, they use a ton of compressed air, and they are incredibly loud. But even worse, it wasn’t working either as there was a charge holding that dust on the lens!

So we went with the 8494-9362, Gen4® Stay Set Ion Air Jet™ Kit!

The stay set hose will let them adjust the nozzle into the best position to clean the lens but not blow the product around, creating a mess of parts.

The Gen4 Ion Air Jets are a modification to the EXAIR Air Jets.  The Air Jets create a high velocity air stream along an engineered Coanda profile.  The profile creates a low pressure at the entrance of the Air Jet to draw in ambient air.  This makes the Air Jet very efficient as the output flow is more ambient air than compressed air. Also, with the engineered design, we are able to create a laminar air stream to carry the ions to the target up to 15 feet (4.5 meters) away.

The ions are generated at the exit of the Air Jet by an ionizing point.  This ionizer can create a large number of positive and negative ions.  This allows for two things to occur.  We are able to eliminate any type of static charge, and we can establish a fast decay rate.  The emitter point inside the Gen4 Ion Air Jet is replaceable in order to keep the point clean and sharp.  What operates the Gen4 Ion Air Jet is the Gen4 Power Supply.  It is the “engine” behind the ion generation.  EXAIR offers two types.  The model 7960 has two output ports and the model 7961 has four output ports to operate multiple units.  They have a selectable input voltage to use 115Vac or 230Vac.  The high voltage cable between the power supply and the Gen4 Ion Air Jet is an armored cable to resist cuts and wear.  It has an integrated ground and is electromagnetically shielded.  Together, you get a compact, powerful unit that can remove static quickly for spot blowing and cleaning.

Overall, the operation of the Gen4 Ion Air Jet is similar to the Gen4 Ion Air Gun, but with the Ion Air Jet, it is mainly used for “hands-free” operations.  With a small amount of compressed air, the unit can “shoot” the ions onto small surfaces and areas.  They are very quiet, and they meet the OSHA requirements for dead-end pressure and noise allowance.  They are very easy to control with a regulator to adjust the flow from a breeze to a blast.  The design of the ionizing point is shockless and does not use any radioactive materials.  This compact, low-cost unit can be utilized for neutralizing static and cleaning three-dimensional parts, screen printing, glass lenses, shrink bands and much more.

Static creates process problems, reduces productivity, and costs you money.  EXAIR manufactures a large line of Static Eliminators that can help you.  If you need a compact, low-cost ionizer to blow off and clean small parts, then the Gen4 Ion Air Jet would be a great option.  You can contact an Application Engineer at EXAIR to see which package would work best for you to remove that static nuisance.

Jordan Shouse
Application Engineer

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Glass Photo courtesy of Daniel Parks via creative commons

Why Do We Guarantee?

Published on by Al WooffittLeave a comment

We hear about all kinds of applications when working with customers. For many of them, there is an obvious solution. Your electrical panel is overheating – an EXAIR Cabinet Cooler is what you are looking for. If you’re experiencing static on an assembly line – a Gen4 static elimination product is what you need. If you’re trying to blowoff excess water from an extruded pipe, then a Super Air Wipe is the right solution.

There are many applications however, where the solution isn’t as obvious. We know that our products can help, but with the sheer number of variables there isn’t a way to plug everything into a formula and say that this will be the outcome. The end result needs to be found through testing. This is where EXAIR’s 30-day unconditional guarantee comes in. All of our stock, catalog products come with this guarantee. After purchasing one of these products, you have a month to put it through its paces; adjust the angle, adjust the operating pressure, swap out shims. If you are able to find the right conditions to solve your problem, then great! If not, we’ll take it back and issue full credit! You’re only responsible for the shipping to get it back to us.

Line Vac test

A popular application where testing is essential is with our Line Vacs. There are multiple variables at play: the bulk density of the material, the size of the material, is it abrasive?, the rate of conveyance desired, the distance needed to convey – both vertical and horizontal. We’re pretty good at getting you in the ballpark of which model will work best using the data we’ve found from our controlled in-house testing. But ultimately, to know exactly how our Line Vac will perform with your material, it needs to be hooked up. When you purchase from us, you have 30 days to do that risk-free.

At EXAIR, we want to ensure you are getting the best possible solution. Our 30-day unconditional guarantee is one way that we make that a reality. If you would like to discuss how our products can help with your application, give us a call!

Al Wooffitt
Application Engineer

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Gen4® Super Ion Air Wipes™

Published on by John BallLeave a comment

As the weather gets colder, and the air gets dryer, static electricity can become a real nuisance in a production plant.  Machines will start jamming, alignments will be difficult, debris will collect on surfaces, and hazardous sparks can shock staff.  EXAIR manufactures a large line of Gen4 Static Eliminators to remove this static nuisance.  From now until March 31st, 2024, EXAIR will be giving away a free AC Sensor, a $76.00 value, as a promotion with a qualified purchase of the Gen4 Static Eliminators.  In this blog, I will cover the Gen4 Super Ion Air Wipes. 

This product will blow ionized air around a 360-degree pattern in a conical shape.  It works well to remove static and debris from the outside of hoses, tubes, rods, and other profiles.  With any type of non-conductive materials, we are able to neutralize the static around objects.  Like the Super Air Wipe, we use a small amount of compressed air to draw in ambient air to make this product effect and efficient.  By adding ion points, we can then carry the ions to the surface of the product.  Once the surface is neutralized, it is easy to clean and remove debris. 

EXAIR manufactures two different sizes; model 8162 is the Gen4 2” Super Ion Air Wipe and model 8164 is the Gen4 4” Super Ion Air Wipe.  The different diameters help to expand the sizes of products that can be treated.  EXAIR offers different packages to make it easy to order and to install.  The models 8162 and 8164 are the Gen4 Super Ion Air Wipe only.  To make it operational, a Gen4 power supply is required.  So, we created a model 8262 which will include the model 7960 Power Supply with the 2” Super Ion Air Wipe and model 8264 which will include the model 7961 Power Supply with the 4” Super Ion Air Wipe. 

8462 Super Ion Air Wipe Kit

The model 8462 and model 8464 are the Gen4 Super Ion Air Wipe Kits, which will include the Super Ion Air Wipe, a Power Supply, in addition to a filter, a regulator, and a Shim Set.  The filter removes the debris and water from the compressed air line to optimize performance as well as keep your product clean.  The regulator is used to make the “fine” adjustment to the blowing force, while the shim set is used as the “coarse” adjustment.  The adjustment can go from a “breeze” to a “blast”. 

When you are working with non-conductive materials, you may want to evaluate some of your processes.  With materials like plastic, paper, glass, rubber, textiles, etc., EXAIR has a variety of Gen4 Static Eliminators that can remove the static nuisance.  This will help your company increase production rates, decrease non-conforming parts, and improve protection from personnel shock.  The Gen4 Super Ion Air Wipe is a great tool for removing static and debris from extrusions, wire, hoses, plastic pipes, and molded parts.  If you would like to discuss your application and potential static issues and to have the possibility of receiving a promotional gift, you can contact an Application Engineer at EXAIR.  We will be happy to help.

John Ball                                                                                     

Application Engineer

Email: johnball@exair.com

Twitter: @EXAIR_jb

Gen4 Stay Set Ion Air Jet Replaces Blower Ionizer and Speeds up New Production Line!

Published on by Tyler DanielLeave a comment

When looking to solve an industrial process problem, EXAIR is the go-to solutions provider. Such was the case in a recent application with a customer in South America. The company manufactures a variety of different caps used for glass bottles in the food & beverage industries. They have an issue with debris from the environment sticking to the insides of the caps.

Their current production speed worked at around 200 caps per minute. Their solution for mitigating static was an ionized blower system. With this solution, they had maxed out the speed at which they could produce the caps while still removing the particles that would adhere to the insides. At higher speeds, residual contamination was left on the caps.

The customer is looking to construct a new line that can operate at speeds of up to 300 caps per minute. To do so, they began seeking out a different solution for their static troubles. The issue with blower-based ionizers is that the turbulent nature of the airflow causes some of the ions to cancel one another out before reaching the target. EXAIR’s Gen4 Static Eliminators utilize a laminar flow of high-velocity air to transport both positive and negative ions to a surface that needs to be treated.

After reviewing some photos of their current setup, I recommended implementing some of EXAIR’s Gen4 Stay Set Ion Air Jets to be positioned over each run of caps. In addition, we recommended angling the flow from the jets in a manner counter to the direction that the caps were traveling. As we recommend for any static, blowoff, cooling, or drying process it’s important to take advantage of counter-flow to maximize the time in contact the part has with the airflow. The longer we can remain in contact with the part or material, the more successful we’ll be at neutralizing the static (or cooling, drying, or any blowoff process).

The Gen4 Ion Air Jet is a compact ionizer that is capable of delivering a concentrated, ionized airflow. This is particularly critical in sensitive applications where a large area of airflow could disturb the process or surrounding materials. The quiet, focused air stream can quickly eliminate the static charge on surfaces. At a pressure of 80 psig the Ion Air Jet is capable of dissipating a 5kV charge in just .18 seconds!

In addition to providing rapid static decay, the Ion Air Jet also helps to minimize compressed air use while maximizing the ionizing airflow. Utilizing a specially designed shim, the Ion Air Jet entrains ambient air at a rate of 5:1. The Ion Air Jet can be adjusted from a “blast” to a “breeze” simply by increasing or decreasing the inlet pressure to the ionizer.

When precise positioning is necessary, as was the case in this application, the addition of the Stay Set Hose and magnetic base allows for simple installation and directing of the ionized airflow. It’s also useful in applications where frequent repositioning may be required due to product or material changeovers.

If you’re looking to improve on a process in your manufacturing facility, give EXAIR a call and see what we can do to get the most out of your compressed air.

Tyler Daniel, CCASS

Application Engineer

E-mail: TylerDaniel@EXAIR.com

Twitter: @EXAIR_TD