Tag: tube conveyor

Line Vac Helps Students With Automation Projects

Published on by Brian FarnoLeave a comment

Over the past year I received a contact from a professor and student combination from Madison Area Technical College inquiring about the sizes available for our Line Vac products.  They were using a 2″ Line Vac in one of their automation class labs and wanted to try something a little bigger for a new project.  The 2″ Line Vac was one they had used in the past on different projects and had always worked well.   The new project however increased the bag size and made the conveyance difficult for the 2″ Line Vac.

The Initial e mail received.
The Initial e mail received after a short conversation.

With the picture below of their current setup and a good understanding that they will be placing three items into a heat sealed bag that is roughly 3″ long and 2″ wide we settled on using the 3″ Aluminum Line Vac at a low pressure to convey the baggies to their secondary function.   As you can see in the video below, the Line Vac is activated by a sensor and operates for just seconds in order to convey the bag of parts successfully to the other side of the machine cell where the bag is then picked and placed by a robotic arm.

The existing 2" Line Vac they had in place.
The existing 2″ Line Vac they had in place.

After the project was completed we received a mention through social media, as well as a brief video showcasing the Line Vac in use.  The video showcases how easy it is to install an EXAIR Line Vac into a tight space where adding other conventional mechanical conveying systems would be considerably more elaborate.  The Line Vac is being controlled via a PLC that energizes a solenoid valve on a timer to convey the package in a matter of seconds.

 

Social Media Contact
Social Media Contact

We are very pleased to see the projects these kids turned out, and the leadership shown by Peter, their instructor. Manufacturing programs such as this one at Madison Area Technical College are important for our economy and for the future of these kids. We’d like to congratulate them all on their accomplishment.

If you have a project you are trying to move products from one point to another, contact us.  If you are a professor, student, or even a mentor to an educational program that would benefit from EXAIR products, please contact me directly.

Brian Farno
Application Engineer Manager
BrianFarno@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_BF

A Customized Line Vac Moves Dog Bedding

Published on by Lee EvansLeave a comment

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One of the interesting things about working with a variety of applications on a daily basis, is realizing every answer isn’t cut-and-dry.  There are, of course, times when we can specify the exact amount of compressed air required, or the air volume needed to maintain a specific temperature, but conveying applications tend to be a bit different.

A reseller contacted me with an application in need of moving bedding material for dog beds.  The end user needed a reliable way to move the cotton fill for the beds, and wanted to find a way to limit handling by employees, while maintaining a reliability in the amount of material conveyed.

Due to the light weight and density of the cotton, we considered a Light Duty Line Vac, which has an option of sizes up to 6” in diameter – a benefit to this application because the cotton can cluster in groups up to 5” wide.  So, the end user decided to test a Light Duty Line Vac and fell in love with the concept and results.  But, the conveyance capacity of the Light Duty Line Vac was below the needs of the application, meaning we needed to consider a revision to our initial solution.

Finding a new solution meant exploring a number of different options.  We looked into the standard Line Vacs available from stock, threaded Line Vacs, and custom-made Line Vacs with cam lock fittings.  All the while we kept an eye on the throat diameter of each size, the related compressed air requirements, connection options, and lead time.

An initial concern at EXAIR was the cotton “clumping” and being delivered in a the form of a ball. The “clumping” of the cotton was of relatively little concern to the customer, their bigger indicator of success in this application was in how quickly the bedding material could be conveyed.  Having this as the decision driver led us away from the Light Duty Line Vacs we originally sought, and towards a modified version of our stock model 6087 (4″ aluminum Line Vac) with an additional compressed air inlet machined into the body of the unit.  The additional compressed air inlet was introduced by request from the customer, to provide guaranteed air delivery during higher compressed air flow conditions, brought about through higher operating pressures (not to exceed 250 PSIG).

Finding this custom solution wouldn’t have been possible without the Light Duty Line Vac, its large size availability, attractive compressed air usage, and ability to chip from stock.  We never would have explored this special solution, which the end user went on to implement in 12 locations!  If you’re considering a Line Vac for an application in your facility, consider a Light Duty Line Vac, standard Line Vac, or even a custom solution.  No matter the solution, we’ll be happy to help.

Lee Evans
Application Engineer
LeeEvans@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_LE

Line Vacs Save Your Time, Your Backs – and Your Money

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

A while back, I wrote about how Line Vacs Save Time And Backs. Well, it’s happened again, and this time, it’s saving a customer some money, too.

A major manufacturer of machined products used portable electric vacuums to remove chips and coolant from their machines. These electric vacs continually broke down due to clogging, coolant getting into the electric motors, vacuum hose deterioration, etc…all of which caused down time and lost production. They were failing pretty consistently after about 3 months of use.

Electric Vacuums are prone to clogging, wearing out, and motor failure.
Electric Vacuums are prone to clogging, wearing out, and motor failure.

The tanks needed to be emptied on a regular basis as well, meaning the machine operator had to stop what he was doing (which makes the company money) and spend 10-15 minutes emptying out the tank (which does NOT make the company money,) three times per shift, on average. Additionally, the tanks could weigh up to 100lbs when full, so it was no small chore. Although this company reported no injuries (yet,) a common first line in a LOT of workplace back injury reports start out with: “While attempting to lift a 100 pound _____” You get the idea.

After hearing about the EXAIR Line Vac and calling us to discuss, they decided to try a couple of Model 6064 2″ 303SS Line Vacs. These were mounted near the machine with a short section of suction hose to reach inside, with a discharge hose taking the chips & coolant to the disposal bin. So, with a little help from EXAIR, they’ve saved:

*TIME: Machine operators never have to leave their workstations to lug the heavy tanks across the shop for emptying, meaning no work stoppages.

*BACKS: Because they don’t have to worry about those heavy tanks anymore, they’ve eliminated the risk of lifting-related injuries.

*MONEY: With no moving parts to wear or electric motors to burn out, the Line Vacs will run darn near indefinitely, maintenance free.  For an investment of $3,700.00 (2016 List Price for a Model 6064 2″ SS Line Vac is $370.00 x 10 machines,) they’re saving $5,400.00 annually (the current replacement cost of the electric vacuums is $135.00 per unit x 4 per year x 10 machines) for a first-year savings of $2,700.00.

A Line Vac and two pieces of hose are all you need for a durable, easy to use, no maintenance, reliable vacuum conveyor.
A Line Vac and two pieces of hose are all you need for a durable, easy to use, no maintenance, reliable vacuum conveyor.

The first two Line Vacs worked out so well for them, they were able to justify adding them to the other eight machines in their facility. These are operated intermittently, so there’s not a drastic impact on their compressed air system demand. It’s a win-win-win…win.

If you’d like to find out how EXAIR’s engineered compressed air products can produce “wins” for you, give me a call. We ARE keeping score.

Russ Bowman
Application Engineer
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Multiple Choice

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

My oldest son got his driver’s license last week.  There was a popular commercial for an insurance company, a while back, that touted how “life comes at you fast,” and that’s been the story of my week:

Friday: Son passes driver’s exam, first time, 100%. Proud Dad moment.
Saturday: Dad & Son go used car shopping. Pride has a price tag.
Sunday: Dad & Son bond while detailing new (to us) car. Son learns what to do when engine in 10 year old car stalls while backing out of driveway cold. Pride usually is followed by lesson in humility.
Monday: Mom adds Son to auto insurance policy. Insurance agent no longer concerned about funding retirement. Pride is getting expensive.
Monday part 2: Son learns valuable lesson about leaving lights on when parking at school in pre-dawn hours. Dad’s portable jumpstarter finds new home in trunk of Son’s car. Lessons in humility have caused pride to approach pre-licensing levels.
Tuesday-present: Enjoying what we can of a return to incident-free normalcy (and I hope I didn’t just jinx it by putting that in writing.)

We had quite a few choices, looking at cars in our (limited) budget range. Having these choices allowed us to choose the features that most appealed to us. They were pretty much all small-to-mid-size used cars with automatic transmissions and fuel efficient (read: small) engines. The one we settled on was the same model (and a year newer) as one I’d owned previously. It was one that had proved reliable, and safe…I was in an accident in that one where the air bag deployed, and I walked away with no injuries. Safety is a big selling point for me, especially where my family is involved.

When we speak with customers at EXAIR, many times, we too, can offer multiple choices to provide a solution.

I had the pleasure of helping a caller with a chip removal application recently. The application was to solve a problem with stringy chips wrapping around a plastic cylindrical part as it was turned on a lathe. The initial thought was to use a Super Air Nozzle to blow them away. Our Model 1100 1/4 NPT Zinc Aluminum Super Air Nozzle was discussed…inexpensive, low air consumption, easy to mount (we also talked about Stay Set Hoses and Magnetic Bases,) and super quiet.

EXAIR Model 1100 Super Air Nozzle is commonly used in point-of-cutting debris removal applications.
EXAIR Model 1100 Super Air Nozzle is commonly used in point-of-cutting debris removal applications.

The second thought was to use a small Line Vac to convey the debris away. Small footprint, easy to install, collection of waste in a receptacle away from the machine, still easy on air use & noise level.

Model 6080 3/4" Line Vac is also used in point-of-machining applications, removing debris from the site altogether.
Model 6080 3/4″ Line Vac is also used in point-of-machining applications, removing debris from the site altogether.

The third option came up when discussing tool life. Turns out, one of their machinists was familiar with our Cold Guns, and how they had been used to markedly improve tool life while eliminating the need for coolant at a previous job. This turned out to be all it took for them to try the Model 5215 Cold Gun Aircoolant System.

EXAIR's Cold Guns not only blow debris away, but also provide cooling for tool life improvement.
EXAIR’s Cold Guns not only blow debris away, but also provide cooling for tool life improvement.  With (4) Models to choose from, we’ve got the right one for your needs.

Any of the three options – Super Air Nozzle, Line Vac, or Cold Gun – should have solved this application successfully, with different benefits. They simply chose the one with the benefits that appealed to them the most.

If you have an application regarding compressed air product use that you’d like to discuss, give me a call. We’ll cover all the bases, and get the one that works best for you.

Russ Bowman
Application Engineer
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