Air Knives and Their Applications
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An air knife is an implement that uses compressed air. It is very relevant in industries. The compressed air flows through the inlet of the air knife and into a precise orifice. As this airflow exits the chamber, it passes through a .002” gap that directs the airflow into a perfectly strain line.
Air knives are typically used in manufacturing units to clean and dry products as they move along on a conveyor. The pressurized air curtain formed by such a pneumatic device removes excess oil, dust, and other debris from the products and also helps in cooling them.
Air knives are commonly used in bottling industries to dry bottles and cans after they have been rinsed; used in removing flux and solder paste from electrical products, such as printed circuit boards; and metal scraps and other waste left behind during machining processes. Depending on the application and the industry it is used in, you have a choice of using either an aluminum air knife or a stainless steel (type 303) air knife.
They are cost efficient and deliver large volumes of pressurized and compressed air. A regular air knife delivers a uniform sheet of air at an amplification ratio of, 30:1 and is comparatively less efficient than the advanced version which delivers air at 40:1 ratio, lower noise level, and consumes just 2.9 SCFM @ 80 PSIG. The type of air knife you use depends on the applications.
Air Knife Applications
There are a number of applications for air knives, depending on the industry it is used in.
* Drying – It is practically impossible to hand dry products in large industries. One reason for this is the quantity involved and the other could be the shape of the products. Using air knives for drying is more cost effective and leaves the products completely dried. They are used for drying bottles and cans, PC boards, machined items, and in drying paints, among other uses.
* Cleaning – Cleaning your products through air knives do not ruin the quality of your product. Alternate to using those for cleaning could be using brushes, wiping with a piece of cloth, or a squeegee. These methods could leave marks or scratches on products that are sensitive and delicate. They can also remove debris trapped in places where it cannot be removed mechanically.
* Cooling – They can be efficiently used in processes where you need to keep the products cool. There are many industries where water or other types of coolants cannot be used for cooling, such as in food processing, for products that require dimensional stability, and for extrusion cooling. Metal parts may require to be cooled before they are coated with chemicals or painted. Air knives are a very cost effective and efficient way to do so.
* Anti-Static – Dust is bad for plastic, glass and rubber industries as it sticks to such products. You can effectively deliver an anti-static blanket of air through an air knife fitted with a static bar.
Article Source: Articlelogy.com
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