Pneumatic Conveying: Move Materials Efficiently

Within any industrial system, the movements of materials from Point A to Point B isn’t exactly seen as an opportunity to improve operations. If anything, it’s a challenge to be overcome then swiftly forgotten, allowing the processes put into place to take their course. But like anything in industrial systems, there is always room for improvement. The question is always, “Is the improvement worth it?” With Exair pneumatic conveying Line Vacs, the answer is undoubtedly yes.

As a constantly-operating part of most facilities, material movement can take a lot of energy to accomplish, whether the transported substances are nuts and bolts, gravel, plastic pellets, food products, pills, or even shavings, sawdust, and other granules. Exair Line Vacs are, by far, the most efficient way to transport these small materials from one place to another, using only a small injection of compressed air and no additional electricity.

Heavy Duty Line Vacs for Rugged Applications

Line vacs, such as those produced by Exair, are easily the most versatile solutions for material relocation. They can be attached to the tubing or piping of your choice, which can be stretched over horizontal and vertical distances. 

The Heavy Duty Line Vac, the most powerful of Exair’s pneumatic conveying solutions, is designed to handle the heaviest of small material transportation duties. It sends larger materials greater distances than any standard line vac, moving up hundreds of pounds of materials per hour over 200+ feet. This workhorse features a hardened alloy construction, designed to withstand the rugged industrial applications that might wear down a similar product composed of aluminum of stainless steel. The Exair Heavy Duty Line Vac is available in a multitude of sizes ranging from 3/4″ all the way up to 3”.

At Airtec, we are constantly keeping an eye out for most innovative and effective compressed air products to provide you with high-quality solutions. The Exair Heavy Duty Line Vac is no exception, providing you with an efficient way to move your heavy materials at a relatively low cost. 

Airtec’s Industry Expertise

At Airtec, we reveal opportunities for efficiency-boosting throughout any system by way of efficient compressed air products. Whether we are helping you bolster the efficiency of your existing compressed air system or providing you with new solutions that ultimately reduce operations costs, our recommendations are designed to save you money, time, and energy, all while helping you reduce your facility’s carbon footprint.

We use our decades of experience to create solutions specifically to fit your system from the beginning, providing you with exactly what you need to improve your operations. With Airtec, you don’t need to worry about ending up with a “one-size-fits-all” compressed air solution. If you’re interested in learning more about Airtec, our team, or our solutions, please feel free to contact us. 

We offer free quotes on all of our compressed air solutions!

The Ionizing Bar: Strategic Static Elimination

During the chilly, dry months of winter, protecting your system from static buildup is typically a high priority. From maintaining product quality to protecting your employees from static discharge in high friction environments, the importance of static elimination can’t be overstated, especially in large-scale facilities that generate a lot of friction. Fortunately, there are many tools and best practices you can adopt to make the process of static elimination easier, many of which actually end up saving you money by reducing the wear-and-tear and other problems caused by static. 

EXAIR Ionizing BarsAt Airtec, we pride ourselves on creating efficient solutions for the common problems facing industrial environments, reducing wasted energy and saving time and money.  For the purpose of static elimination, we offer a multitude of efficient solutions, such as the Ion Air Wipe for precision applications, the Ion Air Knife for strategic placement and blowoff, and the Ion Bar for large sheets of plastic, paper, or film. Each of these products are highly efficient and versatile, perfect for strategic use throughout your system. For large scale blowoff and static elimination on flat surfaces, the Exair Gen4 Ionizing Bar is among the best solutions on the market today. 

Reducing Static While Saving Money

Within industrial facilities, static buildup is an incredibly common problem due to the high friction created by the constant motion of various pieces of equipment. With enough friction, static buildup can become a serious problem, resulting in interference with sensors, leading to incorrect readings, attraction of particles in the air, leading to issues with paint, coating, or general product quality, or even hazardous static discharge, which can put your employees at risk. 

The Exair Gen4 Ionizing Bar can alleviate static buildup by eliminating static at the points where buildup occurs. If your system deals with paper, film, or other sheets of products and materials, you are likely aware of how much static builds up on materials that have a large surface area. This ion bar eliminates static buildup by creating a curtain of both positive and negative ions in high concentration for your products at materials to pass under. Using a small amount of power, Exair’s ion bar charges the air surrounding its emitter points, resulting in ion-charged air that draws positive and negative charge away from anything passing beneath the bar. The Exair Gen4 Ionizing Bar features an electromagnetically-shielded shockless power cable and a lightweight aluminum build and comes in a variety of sizes to fit your purposes, ranging from 3 inches all the way up to 108 inches.

Our Dedication to High-Quality, Efficient Solutions

At Airtec, we work hard to provide our clients with the products and solutions needed to operate efficiently. Our services and recommendations are designed specifically to help save money through reduced resource expenditures, ultimately lowering long-term operational costs and reducing your facility’s carbon footprint. Additionally, many of our recommended products reduce wear-and-tear, increasing the longevity of your resources. 

If you are interested in learning more about any of our products, our expert recommendations, or how you can improve your system, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We offer free quotes on our efficient solutions and would love you help you meet your goals.

The Basics of the Line Vac

Compressed air and compressed air products have an incredible quantity of distinct uses in a wide variety of industrial settings, from massive manufacturing facilities to small machine shops. These versatile products can be used to many different ends, helping you reduce operations costs, increase productivity, and accomplish new levels of efficiency. One of the most highly efficient compressed air products is the Air Conveying Line Vac. 

Line vacs are among the best ways to move materials from Point A to Point B, wherever that may be in your system. Using only a small amount of compressed air, line vacs create a vacuum that can be used to transport large quantities of materials through the piping of your choosing.

Conveying Materials of Many Shapes and Sizes

Line vacs, or “air-operated conveyors”, are primarily used to move materials, components, and parts from one part of the system to another. The line vacs we at Airtec offer are designed to operate efficiently, electricity-free. They are solely powered by a small stream of compressed air that flows through the inlet into an annular plenum chamber. This jet of air is then injected into the throat of the line vac via directed nozzles, creating a powerful vacuum at the intake. The vacuum draws materials in and accelerates them through the piping, conveying them over long vertical or horizontal distances.

Materials that can be conveyed include but are not limited to nuts, bolts, packing materials, food products, paper, shavings, sawdust, and textiles. 

Our Recommended Air Conveying Line Vacs

At Airtec, we pride ourselves on making product recommendations that suit your needs exactly. Our solutions are tailor-made to fit the system, so you don’t have to worry about ending up with a poorly optimized, one-size-fits-all compressed air solution. Our collection of Exair Line Vacs cover the full spectrum of requirements for air conveying.

Exair Line Vac

This industry standard line vac is an excellent choice for a wide variety of applications. The Standard Line Vac is offered in 11 sizes in aluminum and 10 sizes in stainless steel.

Exair Threaded Line Vac

The Threaded Line Vac features threading that instantly transforms any ordinary piece of pipe into a powerful conveying system for parts, scrap, trim and other bulk materials.

Exair Heavy Duty Line Vac

The most powerful line vac we offer, the Exair Heavy Duty Line Vac is perfect for rugged industrial applications where durable solutions are absolutely necessary. This line vac features a hardened alloy build that is resistant to wear and tear.

Exair Light Duty Line Vac

The Light Duty Line Vac is extraordinarily efficient and perfect for conveying light materials for short distances. This line vac can be used to simplify smaller tasks where a larger line vac might be too much. 

Reach Out to Airtec for Your Compressed Air Efficiency Needs!

At Airtec, we believe in the power of efficient compressed air and what it can do for your system. We make our recommendations based on what is going to save you the most money, while actually reducing your facility’s carbon footprint. 

Reach out to us today to learn more about line vacs or chat with us about your system!

The Ion Air Wipe: Reduce Static and Save Resources

As seasons change, different problems are bound to arise within any system. Summer brings the risk of overheating and potential heat damage to sensitive electronics, while spring’s increased humidity can lead to lower quality ambient air as well as general wear and tear. In fall and winter, the most common issue is static buildup due to relative low humidity. Static buildup can cause a wide array of difficulties, such as misreadings from sensors or damage to electronics, both of which can lead to malfunctioning of equipment and significant resource waste. In large-scale industrial settings, static buildup can even pose a risk to workers in high-friction areas if unchecked, as the sheer quantity of materials in movement may result in a potentially hazardous static discharge. 

Within industrial systems, there are a few quite effective ways that efficient compressed air can be used to reduce static buildup. From the Ion Air Knife, which is used to cleanse product surfaces of debris and remove static buildup, to the Ionizing Bar, which directs a flow of ions to eliminate static on high-static surfaces like paper, plastic, or films, Airtec offers multiple useful options capable of significantly reducing static in large increments. As important as mass static elimination is, it’s also rather important to remove static where possible throughout the system, rather than only in one place. By spreading the task of static elimination out throughout the system, you can avoid static buildup in only specific areas. For this task, tools like the Super Ion Air Wipe are incredibly handy. 

Exair Ion Air Wipes

The Exair Super Ion Air Wipe is designed to eliminate static while offering all the benefits of a blowoff product, such as drying materials and removing debris and particles. Offering a powerful ionized 360-degree airflow, the Super Ion Air Wipe is the perfect static eliminating blowoff tool for materials such as pipe, cable, wire, tubing and moulded or extruded shapes. Everything that passes through the Super Ion Air Wipe receives a blast of air that provides total coverage, maximizing output while minimizing consumption to better enhance efficiency levels. It’s lightweight, easy to mount, shockless, and has no moving parts, virtually removing the need for any maintenance. 

But how does it work? The Super Ion Air Wipe is actually a very simple design. Using only a small amount of compressed air, the Air Wipe draws in ambient air and expels it inward at high velocity. The expelled airflow is ionized by 2 replaceable ionizing points, which gives this Air Wipe its static elimination capability. 

Improve Product Quality and Increase Efficiency

At Airtec, every product we recommend is proven to increase efficiency levels throughout your system. The Exair Super Ion Air Wipe is no exception. This tool allows you to further your efficiency goals by replacing less efficient and less purpose-built blowoff solutions, saving you money. What’s more, with the uniform ionized airflow, you can be sure that your products and materials will be clear of debris and the static that draws in particulate matter, ultimately increasing your product quality. 

If you are interested in learning more about Air Wipes or Static Elimination, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We offer free quotes on all of our solutions to help you build a better, more efficient system.

Low Cost Conveyor for Materials Up To 900 Degrees °F

EXAIR’s new 2.5 inch and 3 inch High Temperature Line Vac Conveyors convert hose, tube, or pipe into a powerful in-line conveying system for high temperature materials up to 900 degrees °F (482 degrees °C). These air operated conveyors are available with smooth ends, to fit into hose or tube and secured with a simple hose clamp or they are available with NPT threaded ends, to mount onto threaded pipe. They feature large throat diameters for maximum throughput capability.

The High Temperature Line Vac Conveyors eject a small amount of compressed air to produce a vacuum on one end, resulting in high output flows on the other. The response is instantaneous. Regulating the compressed air pressure provides infinite control of the conveying rate. High Temperature Line Vacs are CE compliant and available in seven sizes from 3/4 inch to 3 inch. Construction is durable Type 303 or Type 316 stainless steel to resist high temperature, corrosion and contamination. Applications include sampling hot flue gases, exhausting fumes, conveying soot, ashes, salts and other hot debris. Other models for hopper loading, scrap trim removal, small part transfer and packaging are available.

At Airtec, we pride ourselves on our ability to create custom compressed air solutions for facilities of all shapes and sizes. Part of how we do this is by offering only the finest compressed air products. In addition to product recommendation, we offer comprehensive training sessions where we work with you to better operate an efficient system, as well as compressed air audits, where we pinpoint the best places to deploy compressed air solutions.

If you’re interested in attaining new levels of compressed air efficiency or learning more about Airtec and our recommended product, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

SUTO and the Power of Industrial IoT

Every day, some new technology is created with the goal of solving problems and creating new efficiency within industrial systems. From improving the way that resources are used to malfunction detection and repair, the latest efficiency solutions for industrial settings are proving to be too valuable to be ignored. That’s why we at Airtec recommend the compressed air measurement technology, SUTO.

In a recent blog about SUTO, we gave an overarching view of how SUTO works and what it does. In short, SUTO allows you to monitor your full compressed air system from a single console, giving you the information needed to determine where leaks or other inefficiencies might be within your system. As amazing as this air compressor technology is at first glance, it only gets better the more in-depth you go. 

IIoT and Air Compressor Technology

SUTO provides a nearly textbook definition of IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things). For those of you who don’t know, Industrial Internet of Things refers to a given set of devices and sensors that communicate information to each other throughout a given industrial setting. In the case of SUTO, the devices and sensors in question provide information on compressed air usage throughout the system, allowing for compressed air monitoring that is more comprehensive and consistent than ever before. SUTO’s all-encompassing approach can be used to accomplish many different goals across the industrial process:

  • Assembly
    • Control resource consumption in this phase
    • Be certain that the conditions are correct for production
  • General Allocation
    • See how dry compressed air is at any given phase, ensuring quality
    • See where resources are being lost and view discrepancies with ease
  • Quality Control
    • 24/7 Online Monitoring
    • Gain proveable compliance metrics
    • Analyze usage and see where improvements can be made
  • Lab/R&D
    • Be sure that all compressed air in-use meets even the highest quality standards

By providing these key metrics for guidance, SUTO allows you to make the best decisions for your system with confidence, no more guesswork or lack of certainty on results. What’s more, you will actually be able to see the effect of the changes you implement in your system, as SUTO’s sensors will pick up even the smallest changes. Whether you are working to conserve energy, reduce expenditures, optimize your process, maintain compliance goals, or work toward environmental protection, SUTO can help you achieve and exceed your goals with relative ease.

Airtec’s Approach to Industrial IoT

At Airtec, we are constantly seeking new technologies to help us create better compressed air solutions. Compressed air is capable of creating incredible levels of efficiency when used properly, and solutions like SUTO can take the power of efficient compressed air to new heights. From the moment SUTO is fully implemented, you will begin to gain a better understanding of the way your system uses resources, providing you with everything needed to make it better. 

To learn more about SUTO, how we recommend its use, or any of our other compressed air efficiency solutions, please feel free to contact us at any time! 

We offer consultations and would love nothing more than to help you get started on the path toward your efficiency goals.

The Many Uses of Air Amplifiers

While a fully efficiency-optimized compressed air system might feature a number of different high-tech and high-profile products, sometimes the smallest part can make all the difference in decreasing energy use. For example, well-placed timer drain can significantly reduce the amount of wasted compressed air, a purpose-built no-drip nozzle can cut down on wasted materials, and an air knife can make use of ambient air to reduce energy expenditure. The air pressure amplifier is another small part that has secured its place in this camp of commonly overlooked products that make a major difference in the way that your system uses compressed air. But the air amplifier isn’t just another way to increase efficient compressed air use. In fact, this amazing piece of engineering exhibits an amazing versatility that can be used to accomplish a wide variety of different tasks.

Efficient Compressed Air Throughout Your System

Air amplifiers are among the simplest additions you can make to your system. They have no moving parts and require no electrical power, ensuring maintenance-free operation. Air amplifiers work by using a small amount of supplied compressed air to pull in surrounding air and direct it through a small ring nozzle at velocity in a process called “entrainment”. This flow can be easily controlled by manually adjusting the air gap. Both the vacuum and discharge ends of the air amplifier can be ducted to either draw air from another area and expel air into another area. 

Now that you have an idea of how they work, you may already be thinking of different applications for air amplification in your system. Due to their powerful directed flow, air pressure amplifiers can be used to accomplish an assortment of different tasks. An amplifier might be used to direct a flow of cold air over a product line, quickly cooling materials to a necessary degree, or it might be used during the cleaning process to clear products of shavings and other particulate matter. If the surrounding air is filled with smoke from some part of the production process, air pressure amplifiers can even be used to draw the smokey air in and expel it elsewhere by ducting the discharge end. If small materials need to be transported quickly, you can make further use of the ducting to make small air conveyors that depend only on ambient air to send materials to their proper place. The possibilities are nearly endless when you use an air amplifier. 

Airtec’s recommended air amplifiers include the Exair Adjustable Air Amplifier, which features a highly-adjustable air gap capable of fine-tuning, and the Exair Super Air Amplifier, which has a patented design that maintains critical position of the component parts. 

Airtec’s Compressed Air Solutions

At Airtec, we work hard to create and provide efficient, realistic compressed air solutions aimed at saving time, energy, and money for businesses of all sizes. From large scale manufacturing facilities to machine shops, we offer solutions capable of helping you cut costs, save energy, and reduce your carbon footprint all at once. If you’re interested in learning more about our recommended products or our compressed air efficiency solutions, please feel free to contact us any time!

Compressors and Vino

The Use of Compressed Air in Wineries

Compressed air accounts for a large amount of energy consumption in the wine production process, especially in the production of grapes. A big part of wine-making is a result of the work of equipment and is dependent on its efficiency.

An air compressor should be located in well ventilated, shaded areas, out of direct sunlight. This includes the inlet for the compressed air system which should be located away from heat sources such as the compressed air outlet, refrigeration or air conditioning plant and equipment.

Common Uses of Compressed Air in Wineries

Wineries of all sizes depend on compressed air for powering continuous-duty machines from crushing grapes to bottling, labeling and filling. These machines require a very precise amount of clean, oil-free air to accomplish the following items:

Pressing Grapes: Air compressors are often paired with a bladder press to aid in pushing out the grapes juice through the vent holes.

Crushing Grapes: Sadly, villagers do not stomp barefoot in vats to crush grape harvests anymore. Teaming up with a pressurized bladder, compressed air slowly inflates the tank to press the grapes to the surface.

Heat & Cool Product: Monitoring temperature and keeping best temperature ranges during fermentation is a very critical part of making a great wine. Excesses above or below the ideal range will have a direct impact on your finished wine, including whether or not it finishes at all

Filter & Dry Product: Running a filtration system, which is the fastest and most efficient way to filter your finished wine before bottling.

Aeration: Aeration is an essential process of introducing oxygen to the wine to round out and soften. Oil-free compressors are ideal because they don’t risk contaminating your masterpiece with oil – affecting the quality and the taste.

Bottling: Bottling is one of the most common uses for air compressors in wineries and smaller commercial operations. Pressurized air is vital for moving wine from the conditioning tank or barrels to the bottle, and for keeping lines clean and free of water. Bottling uses a lot of air, so getting the right unit is critical. If you select an undersized or non-continuous rated unit, it will most likely get hot and start “spitting” oil into the lines. Even with a water trap, oil filters, and water filters, contamination will still get through pneumatic lines and wreak chaos on your equipment.

Clean Air = Clean Wine: No matter what size the operation, you will want an oil-free air compressor that is UL-listed, comes with an ASME-certified tank and uses the right combination of air treatment accessories to produce the most contaminant-free air possible. But, if you’re still using an oil-lubricated compressor, you’ll need to incorporate refrigerated dryers and in-line air filters to remove moisture, oil, and other airborne contaminants. Whether you are a large winery coop or an independent, small winery, choosing the right air compressor and accessories will go a long way to protect your investment and the award-winning wine you create.

Please feel free to call or email us if you have any questions or need help deciding which compressor is right for your winery. At Airtec, we are here to help you!

Compressed Air Condensation Management

Protecting Your Compressed Air from Condensation.

When moisture is not removed correctly from your compressed air system, it could travel through your airlines and leave you with unexpected damage and decrease production efficiency. The presence of water will lead to the creation of rust in the air piping system.

However it is quite simple to prevent these issues. All that needs to be done is to regularly ensure that all drains are working and removing condensate from the system efficiently. If possible, make sure all your drains are zero-loss, as you want to get rid of moisture not compressed air that equals wasted energy.

DO NOT leave manual valves slightly open to consistently drain the condensation. Leaving the valve open will eliminate the need for continued attention, and it will be effective at getting the condensation out the system. This is tempting on drain points that have a high volume of condensation. However, this creates an apparent compressed air leak, and even a small continual leak will waste several hundred dollars in annual energy cost.

Benefits of an Air Dryer

The most efficient way to prevent moisture from gathering is by installing an air dryer in your system. Dryers remove moisture so it does not condense and cause those problems. There are two types of dryer (refrigerated and desiccant) and the type you need depends very much on the type of air desired for your operation. You can browse our complete line of air dryers here.

The bottom line is you need to somehow manage the moisture that will develop in your air compressor system and a dryer is the optimal way to make this happen. It will keep your system up and running at its peak and avoid major expenses down the line.

Never under estimate the damage that can be caused by condensation. For questions, please contact our support team at support@airtec.global.

How to Size your Cabinet Cooler?

We’re right in the heat of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, with heat waves rampant across much of Europe. You all know what that means, it’s Cabinet Cooler season!! When working with a new customer for a Cabinet Cooler application, the first step is always going to be the same. Get them to fill out the Cabinet Cooler Sizing Guide so you can determine the appropriate Cabinet Cooler for their particular application.

The information contained on this form MUST be both complete AND accurate. Otherwise, the calculations will be based on false data. The temperatures should be taken with a thermometer or thermocouple, not an infrared temperature gun. These devices merely take a reading of the surface temperature and not the air temperature. It’s important to communicate to your customer just how important these values are. If the temperatures given are lower than the actual temperatures, we’ll undersize the Cabinet Cooler and they’ll be right back where we started during the hottest summer temperatures. If they over-exaggerate the temperatures, we’ll end up giving them a cooler that’s too large and if not operated with a thermostat will consume more compressed air than necessary.

There are different things we see when getting back Cabinet Cooler Sizing Guides. Make sure you’re reviewing the data given so that it makes sense. Here’s a few examples we notice from customers:

1. Current internal temperature given is lower than the current external temperature:

More often than not, this is simply a mistake from the customer. If the internal temperature is cooler than the external temperature, there has to be an A/C cooler or other cooling device already installed. If there is, find out the rated cooling capacity of the A/C cooler as we’ll want to match that with the corresponding Cabinet Cooler. This is the most common clear indication that the values given are not accurate. If you get a sizing guide where the current internal temperature is lower than the external, ask your customer to confirm and inquire about any other cooling method that may be installed.

2. Not indicating if fans are installed:

Cabinet Coolers must be installed on sealed enclosures, this means any fans that are installed must be removed and sealed off. Fans do provide cooling inside the panel, so we must account for this when calculating the necessary Cabinet Cooler.

3. Giving a range instead of actual temperatures:

If a range is given, the customer has simply estimated what they believe to be the temperatures that they experience in the cabinet. The current Delta between the internal and external temperatures is the most critical value in determining the internal heat load of the cabinet. With a range, we have no way of determining what that temperature differential is.

It’s very important to review the sizing guide data given to you before trying to make any calculations. Otherwise, you’re simply wasting your time and will have to go back and do it again. If you’re clear and up front with the customer from the beginning it makes this process much easier. Sometimes, the Cabinet Cooler isn’t going to be suitable for the application.

As another example; on an application with a customer where the Cabinet Cooler wasn’t going to provide enough cooling in order to maintain their target temperature of 35°C inside. At first glance, it looked like it may be alright. Thankfully the customer included a photo of the enclosure in addition to filling out the sizing guide. He had left the field asking about fans blank. In the photo, a large fan was clearly located on the panel. The fan installed was 6” in diameter, providing 260 CFM (441 m3/hr) of airflow. To calculate the heat dissipated from the fan, we multiply the flow in SCFM by the Delta between current internal and external to get the heat load in Btu/hr. In this case, the temperature inside of the cabinet was 123°F (51°C) and the target was 95°F (35°C). With a Delta of 28°F, the fans are already removing more heat than what a Cabinet Cooler could provide.

                        260 SCFM x 28∆T = 7,280 Btu/hr

The largest Dual Cabinet Cooler only provides 5,600 Btu/hr, making this application one that is not suitable for our Cabinet Coolers. Rather than spending both yours and your customers time going back and forth about a potential sale, make sure you have everything up front.

Please feel free to call or email us if you have any questions about Cabinet Coolers or need help calculating the right one. At Airtec, we are happy to help you!