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Air Wipes — Tech Tips
We've put together a compilation of technical information
for your convenience.
Performance
Installation
Maintenance
Custom
Replacement Parts
Performance
Three main factors affect the performance of an air wipe;
proper sizing, alignment, and line speed.
Air Wipe sizes must be chosen according to the chart contained
in our specifications. It is important to note that although
there is a sizing margin built into these recommendations,
the faster the line speed, the more critical proper sizing
becomes.
Product alignment is also an important consideration. Material
will not dry properly if it is allowed to touch the wall of
the Air Wipe. Proper guiding must be supplied at the entrance
to the Air Wipe. Due to the varied array of mounting possibilities,
this entrance guide must be customized for individual installations.
An adjustable centering guide with a long wearing ceramic
cradle is provided for proper exit alignment. These guides
are essential to successful drying of the product. Premature
wear will also occur if the material touches the Air Wipe
body.
Speed is perhaps the most difficult performance factor to
quantify. Our Air Wipes work extremely well at speeds in the
200—300 meters/minute range. Above this, multiple units
may be required, and eventually the speed will be too great
for complete drying. Although not typical, we have received
reports from customers who are pleased with two in-line units
drying material at over 1,200 meters/minute.
Other factors such as the temperature and composition of
the material being dried and the quality and dryness of the
supplied compressed air also have an effect on individual
performance.
Used widely throughout the world, our Air Wipes have received
praise and recognition for outstanding performance. We feel
that our product, compared to other designs, dries the best,
uses less air and produces less noise.
In addition to wire manufactures, we sell to manufacturers
of extrusion equipment, printers, and plastic tubing extruders.
If you have questions regarding your particular application,
please contact us for recommendations.
Installation
Huestis Industrial Air Wipes represent a major advance in
the technology of drying a rapidly moving product. When properly
installed, they yield an extremely efficient drying action
with a minimum of noise. They also use only a fraction of
the air consumed by most other types of air wipers.
The most important factor in proper installation is using
the proper size Air Wipe for a given size product. An attempt
to wipe an 1/8” (3.2 mm) diameter product with a 1”
(25.4 mm) dia. Air Wipe will require a tremendous amount of
air in order to achieve even minimal wiping action. However,
a 1/4” (6.4 mm) Air Wipe applied to an 1/8” (3.2
mm) product will obtain an effective drying action using very
little compressed air at a minimal noise level.
Unlike other air wiper brands, Huestis Industrial's Air Miser™
allows use of an air wipe that is sized closely to the wire
diameter. Air Miser's unique self-opening body freely passes
knots, splices and other oversize conditions that would otherwise
catch or snag in such a small opening. However, Air Miser
should not be sized too closely to the wire size. For example,
running a 1/4” (6.4 mm) dia. or larger product through
a 1/4” (6.4 mm) Air Miser will result in uneven drying
due to poor air circulation. This condition may also cause
excessive wear on the Air Miser body. While the unit is hinged
to allow passage of occasional oversized areas, a certain
clearance is required for efficient operation and optimum
product life.
Another important factor in installation is proper alignment
with the product line, including the elimination of possible
whipping tendencies. We provide a long wearing ceramic guide
at the exit end of the Air Miser, but an adequate guide must
be provided at the entrance end to avoid wear on the Air Miser
body.
Air Miser should be attached to the end of a water trough
using the pre-drilled holes in the stainless steel bracket.
All guides must be adjusted to position the wire travel axis
directly through the center of the Air Miser. Proper alignment
is very important.
Air Miser mounting brackets are designed for easy interchange
so that the correct size Air Miser can be quickly installed
during product diameter changes in the process line. The entire
Air Miser line uses only three common bracket sizes. Air Miser
size ranges 1/8”—1-1/4” (3.2—31.8 mm),
1-1/2”—3” (38.1—76.2 mm), and 3-1/2”—4”
(88.9—101.6 mm) are covered by these three common brackets.
In addition, all brackets have mounting holes on the same
centers for easy changeover from one size to another.
Mini Wipe and rectangular air wipes are not snap-on style.
The bodies are screwed onto the mounting brackets. Guides
are not included with Mini Wipe or Rectangular Air Wipes.
Proper alignment with the product line, including elimination
of possible whipping tendencies is important. Adequate guides
must be provided at the entrance and exit ends to avoid wear
on the Air Wipe body.
The air supply should be connected to the air piping through
a pressure regulator. In operation, you should adjust the
pressure regulator to give the required wiping action. Normally
40—60 PSI will be an effective range depending on speed,
clearance between the diameter of the Air Miser and product
diameter, and the ambient temperature and humidity conditions
in your plant.
Maintenance
Air Miser requires very little maintenance. To ensure proper
operation, the air wipe should be periodically cleaned to
remove the accumulation of dirt or debris. The air jets should
also occasionally be removed for cleaning.
Custom
Custom Teflon, stainless or aluminum bodies may be fabricated
for unique applications. Stainless steel jets may also be
added to the Air Miser. Contact Huestis Industrial for details.
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