Tag: swivel fitting

EXAIR Blowoff Systems For Easy Air Nozzle Installation and Aiming

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

EXAIR engineered Air Nozzles are quiet, efficient, and safe, which makes them ideal solutions for air blowing applications. Selection is largely determined by the size & shape of the desired air flow. Our Air Nozzles & Jets catalog section lists them all, from smallest to largest, along with performance data and airflow patterns, so determining the right one for your application is pretty easy.

The next question is, how do you install it? If it’s replacing another blowing device, odds are, you’re an adapter fitting away (if that) from a quick & easy install:

Compression fittings and Model 1100 Super Air Nozzles transformed the part ejection on this press from “loud and wasteful” to “quiet and efficient” in about a minute.
Swivel Fittings for Air Nozzles.

For new installations, your compressed air drop may be located some distance from the installation. Properly sized pipe or hose can get you from the drop to the point of installation, but what happens when you get there? If you use hard pipe, and you can run it right to the spot where you want the air to blow, your Air Nozzle will essentially be as well supported as the piping. A Swivel Fitting will then allow you to aim it precisely.

Compressed air hose is inexpensive and easy to work with, but it provides no support for a blow off device at the point of use. This is where EXAIR Blowoff Systems come in. Any EXAIR Air Nozzle, up to our 1/4 NPT models, can be fitted with a Stay Set Hose which, all by itself, could be used at the end of a properly supported piping run instead of a Swivel Fitting. It’ll give you more reach – they come in lengths from 6″ to 36″ – and more flexibility in adjustment than the Swivel Fittings.

Precise aiming and location is a breeze with EXAIR Stay Set Hoses.

If you don’t have a pipe manifold like the one shown above, but you have an iron or steel surface in close proximity, a Magnetic Base can be used. EXAIR offers three styles:

Model 9042 Single Outlet Mag Base (left), 9043 Dual Outlet Mag Base (center) and 9029 Swivel Mag Base (right), and some typical uses.

If you’re looking for an efficient, quiet, and safe method of blowing compressed air, EXAIR has you covered with a wide variety of Intelligent Compressed Air Products to choose from. If you have questions about them, or how to mount them for optimal performance, give me a call.

Russ Bowman, CCASS

Application Engineer
EXAIR Corporation
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The Best Angle is the Try-Angle

Published on by bdwagesLeave a comment

The importance of Swivel Fittings for your Air Nozzles

Hey there. So I was asked to write about our Swivel Fittings for Air nozzles. My first thought was, hmmm isn’t everything you need to know about a swivel fitting in the name Swivel Fitting? I started writing and then editing, and then rewriting, and then more editing. I don’t want my blog to be boring and just skimmed over, or worse not read at all!

Then just like a Mike Tyson uppercut it hit me. It’s all about the angle. The angle that you are blowing the air (and for me the angle I am taking in writing this blog) means a lot.

We talk a lot about using air intelligently. Your compressed air is in fact one of your largest utility expenses. My colleague just wrote a Blog about air being your 4th Utlity – read that here. There are many ways to control this expense such as: finding air leaks with our Ultrasonic Leak Detector, using the Electronic Flow Control and turning air off when not in use, using the lowest pressure and volume of air necessary to accomplish the task, just to mention a few. One thing that gets overlooked a lot is the importance of blowing air at the perfect angle to achieve the maximum effect.

Now, some of you remember how to do all of the equations to find this precise angle and that is wonderful, however most of us will struggle with these calculations as there are so many variants involved. Even if we did the math we would then need to engineer the exact fixture to hold the chosen nozzle in this precise place. So what do we do?

Let’s Fast forward to the point where you have already chosen and installed the best EXAIR Air Nozzle for your application. You are confident that the pressure, the flow, the SCFM, the pattern, and the material are all perfect. You install this on your set fixture, and OMG it’s not producing the desired effect. You then realize that everything is right about this, other than the nozzle is just not hitting the surface at the correct angle. All of our nozzles are built to attach and blow straight, inline with any fitting. The stationary fitting could be on a machine, a pipe, a hose or even an air gun. You then realize that for maximum performance – you need this nozzle to be angled off of the fitting, not straight.

We understand that your application is unique to you.  And your solution should be just as unique. Your distance and method to mount the nozzles or jets is unique to your application. Your system’s air pressure with all its power (or weakness) is all you. Your environment is just that – yours. It would be hard to believe that a straight nozzle will always be the canned solution. It would be a stretch to say that the exact angle that you need to blow air is going to always be straight. In fact, I would venture to say that a nozzle by itself is rarely the best solution. When using compressed air intelligently, we need to look at all the – umm – angles…. and one of the most important aspects that gets overlooked is finding the exact angle necessary for the perfect air movement in your unique application.  A few degrees can make a big difference in the overall efficiency of air flow. 

Now it comes down to finding the perfect angle. You can do all that math if you want. Or you can test several different angles very easily. This is what I like to call the TRY-ANGLE. This brings us full circle to the Swivel Fittings. This is the best way to find the precise angle to solve your process problem. EXAIR’s swivel fittings permit a movement of 25 degrees from center axis, for a total movement of 50 degrees. They are available from M4 x 0.5mm female X 1/8 MNPT through 1 MNPT X 1 FNPT.

Sometimes we over engineer and think projects to death. We spend hours thinking and miss the window of opportunity to DO! Many times the simplest solution is the best solution. Yes, sometimes it can be this easy… When buying nozzles, it’s worth the little extra to get these little gems. Some times 10° makes all the difference in the world…

Thank you for stopping by. Please reach out for assistance with any of your process problems, chances are – we have a solution.

Brian Wages, Application Engineer

EXAIR Corporation
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Boxer image courtesy of Mohamed_Hassan Pixaby License
Math image courtsey of Geralt Pixaby License

When Accessories Become Essentials

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

In my almost three decades of home ownership, I’ve learned a great deal about maintenance in regard to dwelling structures. Among those lessons are:

  • The importance of the right tool(s) for the job.
  • Having the right materials on hand (I’m looking at you, every plumbing project I’ve ever attempted).
  • When it’s a one-person job, a team effort…or a call to the professionals is always in play.

When it comes to EXAIR Intelligent Compressed Air Products, the first and last concerns above are easily addressed. With precious few exceptions, basic hand tools are all that’s required for installation or maintenance, and they’re engineered & manufactured to be “user friendly”. One key aspect of the “user friendliness” is a comprehensive inventory of accessories.

Some of these accessories are unique to a particular Product Line:

  • Air Knife Plumbing Kits are great, especially for the longer Super Air Knives that need to be plumbed to multiple ports along their length. These consist of air hose and brass fittings (for Aluminum Super Air Knives) or Stainless Steel tubing and fittings (for the Stainless Steel models) that connect in to those multiple ports, allowing for infeed to just one (for Super Air Knives up to 54″ long) or two (for lengths up to 108″) 1/2 NPT fittings. These can actually be used on our Super Ion Air Knives as well.
  • Universal Air Knife Mounting Systems provide for ease of installation, and precise positioning of our Aluminum or Stainless Steel Super, Standard, or Full Flow Air Knives.
  • Coupling Bracket Kits can join Super Air Knives together for a continuous, uninterrupted curtain of air flow in any length that you need. They can also be used if you don’t always need air flow along the entire length of a Super Air Knife assembly. I had the pleasure of assisting a user once who had needed to blow off parts on a hanging conveyor. Some parts were a little under 2ft long; others were about 4ft long. They used the Model 110900 Coupling Bracket Kit to join two Model 110024 24″ Aluminum Super Air Knives together, plumbed them separately, and turned both of them on for the long parts, and just the ‘top’ one for the shorter parts.

Other accessories can be used for a variety of products:

  • Stay Set Hoses (with or without Magnetic Bases) make up instant Blowoff Systems when used with our engineered Air Nozzles. They come in lengths from 6″ to 36″, and can bent by hand to “stay set” (as advertised) to hold their position. They can repositioned, as needed. They’re also popular for use with our 3/4″ and 1-1/4″ Super & Adjustable Air Amplifiers, and can even be used with 3″ Air Knives.
  • Conveyance Hose is a great way to connect point A to point B in a Line Vac Air Operated Conveyor system. Bulk material conveyance really doesn’t get much easier than Line Vac + Hose = Instant Conveyor System (just add compressed air). It can also be used with our Air Amplifiers to duct or route the air flow on the inlet, or the outlet to, or from, one area to another.
  • Mounting Brackets are available for a number of our products:
    • Atomizing Spray Nozzles
    • Line Vacs
    • Filters and Regulators
    • Cabinet Cooler System Thermostats
  • Vacuum Cups are often used with our E-Vac Vacuum Generators for pick-and-place material handling applications. We stock fittings and push-in tubing as well, to complete the package. Those fittings and tubing can also be used for the liquid supply to our Atomizing Spray Nozzles (depending on what you’re spraying, you might want to verify chemical compatibility first; call me if that’s a concern).

Other EXAIR Compressed Air Product Accessories can be used with products that aren’t even ours, or, in conjunction with your compressed air system design for increased efficiency or flexibility:

  • Model 9500-60 60 Gallon Receiver Tanks can be installed near points of high air flow demand to prevent or limit fluctuations in supply throughout the system.
  • Compressed Air Hoses can be made to length, and a variety of Fittings (Hex or Close Nipples, Couplers, Reducers, Tees, Elbows, Crosses, and Bulkhead Fittings) are on the shelf in popular sizes.
  • Our 5 Micron water/dirt Filter Separators are a standard when needing clean, condensate free air to blow through and end-use product.
  • Pressure Regulators are an important factor to minimize compressed air consumption. EXAIR always recommends operating our products at the minimum pressure necessary for a successful application. For example, if using a Super Air Knife to remove dust and light debris, this could be achieved at 20 PSIG, a Pressure Regulator will provide that adjustability and keep the air consumption much lower than if it were operated at 80-100 PSIG.
  • Swivel Fittings, typically used with compressed air nozzles, provide the precision adjustability to focus in on the exact area you need to treat.

If you have any questions about how the above accessories can aid with your application, please relay on our expert team for answers and solutions. Having the right materials and accessories on-hand can simplify installation, enhance performance, save compressed air, and more!

Russ Bowman, CCASS

Application Engineer
EXAIR Corporation
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Accessories, Don’t Forget About Accessories!

Published on by johnball2014Leave a comment

Accessories

I went to the auto parts store to replace my brakes on my vehicle.  They asked me if I needed some Anti-squeak grease for my brake hardware.  It made me think about the accessories that EXAIR sells.  I could have used my own kind of grease which may not be able to hold up to the heat, but for a few dollars more, I wanted to go with the item that the experts would suggest.

In this blog, I would like to turn your attention to the accessories that support our Intelligent Compressed Air® Products.  EXAIR products use compressed air to coat, conserve, cool, convey and clean.  To maximize the performance and/or ease installation it is important to have the controls and options, and EXAIR offers these items as Accessories.

Pneumatic applications come in many variations and forms, and Accessories can help you to adapt to your application and to remove “guess work”.  They can make installation easier, add flexibility, and give you peace of mind.

Here are the different categories and explanations for each item that EXAIR recommends for our products with their defined functions.  They can help you in different areas to enhance your EXAIR product experience.

Automatic Drain Filter Separator (left,) and a Pressure Regulator (right.) Oil Removal Filters (optional; center) are also available if needed.

Filters/Regulators:

  • Filter Separators remove bulk liquid and contamination from the compressed air stream. EXAIR stocks a range of sizes from ¼” NPT ports to 1 ¼” NPT ports.  They use a 5-micron filter and a mechanical baffle to remove slugs of liquid from your compressed air system.  Most Filter Separators have an auto-drain to automatically remove the buildup of liquid inside the bowl.   I would consider the Filter Separator as a minimum level of protection required to protect your EXAIR product installations.
  • Oil Removal Filters remove very small particles of dirt and oil from the compressed air; making it even cleaner. The 0.03-micron media of the Oil Removal Filter will “coalesce” the fine liquid particles into large droplets.  Thus, allowing gravity to remove oil vapor from the compressed air stream.  EXAIR offers different sizes ranging from ¼” NPT to 1 ½” NPT ports.  As a note, Oil Removal Filters are great for removing very fine particles, but if you have a system with lots of water, I would recommend a Filter Separator upstream of the Oil Removal Filter for optimal filtration.
  • Regulators control the amount of air pressure being supplied to your EXAIR product. This is important if you are trying to save compressed air, control the force produced by an Air Knife, or convey material slowly.  EXAIR, being a leader in compressed air savings, recommends to use the minimum amount of air pressure to do the job.  This will save compressed air and save you money.  Regulators have a characteristic called “droop”.  Droop is the amount of air pressure that it drops downstream when you start flowing compressed air.  If the regulator is not sized properly, you can “starve” your pneumatic components, causing loss of function.  EXAIR properly sizes our regulators in our kits to make sure that you won’t “starve” your application.
  • Mounting Brackets for the regulators and the filters to help support them to a wall or structure are available. To connect filters and regulators together without a pipe nipple, we also have Coupling Kits for sizes up to ¾” NPT.  And for combination kits which includes a filter and a regulator, we offer the Mounting Bracket and Coupling Kit together for a set.

Silencing Mufflers:

  • Reclassifying Mufflers are designed to have two functions. They can cut noise levels by 35 dB and remove oil mist from the exhaust air.  Cylinders and valves that exhaust pressurized air may have oil in the line to keep the seals from sticking.  When exhausted, it can create a fine mist which is dangerous for operators.  The Reclassifying Mufflers can reduce the loud noise as well as collect any contamination from the exhaust air.
  • Sintered Bronze Mufflers are simple in design, cost effective, and easy to install. They have a minimal back pressure to not restrict operations of the pneumatic device.  They come in sizes from #10-32 thread to 1-1/2 NPT.  For a quick and simple way to reduce noise, the Sintered Bronze Mufflers are in stock for fast delivery.
  • Straight-Through Mufflers offer a way to reduce noise levels without worrying about clogging. They have an aluminum shell lined with sound absorbing foam, and they can reduce the noise level by 20 dB.  EXAIR offers them with two ports from ¼” NPT to ¾” NPT.  This can allow you to connect other items like blowing hose kits while reducing noise.
  • Heavy Duty Mufflers have an outer aluminum shell with an internal stainless steel screen that can protect the components from environmental contamination, and can also keep contaminant like rust from being ejected at high speed into the work area. They have a typical noise reduction of 14 dB.

Pneumatic Valves:

  • Manual Valves allow for operators to turn on and off their system by hand. The full-flow ball valves range from ¼” NPT to 1 1/4” NPT in size and will not restrict flow.  EXAIR also offers a manual foot pedal valve for hands-free operations.  This ¼” NPT foot valve has a 3-way operation and works great if the operator has to use both hands in their process.
  • Solenoid Valves are a way to turn on and off the supply of compressed air electrically for automated systems. We offer solenoids in three different voltages; 110Vac, 240Vac, and 24Vdc.  EXAIR has a large range of flows with ports ranging from ¼” NPT to 1” NPT.  All models are UL listed and are CE and RoHS compliant.

Hardware:

EXAIR’s Swivel Fitting Family

  • Swivel Fittings are a great way to securely install and aim EXAIR nozzles. They are dynamic as they can be adjusted and set to a flow direction with 50-degrees of movement.  They are made from 303SS or 316SS for corrosion resistance with ports ranging from 4mm to 1” NPT.
  • Compressed Air Fittings are a nice arrangement to connect different compressed air items together. We offer a range of hex and close nipples, couplings, reducers, tees, elbows, crosses and bulk head fittings.  If you need a quick way to connect directly to your pneumatic system, we may have it on the shelf.

    Model 9043
  • Magnetic Bases are designed for a solid mount to steel surfaces and for easy portability of your blow-off system to different locations. It has a 100 lb. (45.5Kg) pulling force to keep the blowing device attached firmly until you want to move it.  They can be mounted in a vertical or horizontal position.  EXAIR offers a single outlet Magnetic Base (for one blow-off device); a dual outlet Magnetic Base (for multiple blowing products); and a single outlet Swivel Magnetic Base (to offer more flexibility to orientation).  The bases come with a ¼ turn shut-off valve to easily turn on and off the compressed air to the EXAIR products.
  • Receiver Tanks are used to store compressed air. They can be used at the air compressor or as secondary reservoirs for intermittent demand.  They help your compressed air system with pressure variations and high demand loads.  EXAIR offers a model 9500-60 Receiver Tank that has a 60 gallon capacity and is rated to 200 PSIG.  It meets the ASME pressure vessel code.

    Universal Air Mounting Kit
  • Universal Air Knife Mounting System gives you a way to mount the EXAIR Super Air Knife, Full-Flow Air Knife, and Standard Air Knife. This kit is used to position your air knife securely and precisely.  It comes with a bracket and an articulated arm that can reach up to 30” (762mm).  You can orientate the air knives in any position to maximize the effectiveness.

    Plumbing Kits
  • Plumbing Kit, or PKI, is a great tool for longer Super Air Knives to help attach your compressed air system. They are designed to help lessen the time for install as well as to properly supply compressed air equally along the entire length, specifically for 24” (610mm) and longer.  We can offer the Plumbing Kit separately if you find that it could benefit your fabricators during installation.
  • Coupling Kits are designed to attach Aluminum and Stainless Steel Super Air Knives if you need to extend past the 108” (2,743 mm) width. Coupling Kits will mount the air knives together end to end.

Hoses:

  • Conveying Hoses are used with our Air Operated Conveyors or Line Vacs. The hoses are made from a durable PVC semi-flexible hose with six different diameters from ¾” I.D. up to 3” I.D.  The conveyance hoses can slip easily to the ends of the Line Vacs or to tubes for an easy transition.  EXAIR can cut-to-length Conveying Hoses up to 50 feet (15m); in increments of 10 feet (3m).
  • Coiled Hoses get compressed air from the piping system to the EXAIR product. They are made of a durable abrasion-resistant nylon material that is 12 feet long (3.6 meters).  They have swivel fittings at the end to allow for easy uncoiling, and a spring strain relief to keep the hose from kinking.  The coiled design makes it easy to reach around the work area and retract back to the substation.  This will help to keep the hose off the ground where potential dangers could occur.  We offer 3 different connection sizes; 1/8” NPT, ¼” NPT, and 3/8” NPT.
  • Compressed Air Hoses is another way to supply EXAIR products. They are useful if you need to reach from overhead sources or around equipment.   They are made from a reinforced synthetic rubber in 3/8” I.D. and 1/2” I.D. diameters.  We can make specific lengths up to 50 feet (15m).  They are rated for 250 PSIG (17 bar) air pressure, and the hose material works well for long-lasting protection against ozone, weathering and temperatures up to 158oF (70oC).  They come standard with two male ends in ¼” NPT or ½” NPT.
  • Stay Set Hoses give you that possibility of manually adjusting or re-adjusting Super Air Nozzles. The hose has a “memory” function; so, it will not creep or droop until you physically move it.  They work well to direct air flows in unique ways at specific target areas.  They can be used with Super Air Nozzles, Safety Air Guns and Blow-off Kits.  The Stay Set Hoses come in lengths from 6” (15cm) to 36” (91cm), and they are offered with ¼” NPT male on both ends or with a 1/8” NPT female and a ¼” NPT male connections.  These hoses are rated for 250 PSIG (17 bar) and are made from reinforced synthetic rubber.

Temperature Accessories:

  • The ETC, or Electronic Temperature Control, is a digital temperature controller with a LED screen for precision monitoring and adjusting temperatures in a Cabinet Cooler System. The controller has easy-to-use buttons to raise or lower the desired internal cabinet temperature.  Once set, the ETC will hold the temperature to +/- 1 oF (+/- 0.5 oC).  The LED displays the internal temperature for continuous monitoring.  The ETC comes complete with the controller and a solenoid valve in two different voltages, 120Vac and 240Vac.
  • The thermostat is a way to control a solenoid valve electrically to turn on/off a Cabinet Cooler System at a set temperature. It is preset at 95°F (35°C), but it can be adjusted to other desired temperatures.  It has an accuracy to hold the set temperature within +/- 2 °F (1 °C).  It can handle voltages from 24V to 240V, AC (50/60 Hz) or DC.  They are UL Recognized and CSA certified.

In today’s fast-paced world, there is a need to get your devices operating correctly and as quickly as possible.  EXAIR Accessories can do that.  Not only will you have confidence, as you are using the items recommended by the EXAIR experts, but you won’t have to worry about your system “squeaking” to a halt.  Like with my brakes above; I was happy to use the recommended grease to end any annoyance with my braking.  If you would like to discuss the proper options with your EXAIR products, an Application Engineer will be happy to help you.

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