Additive Manufacturing Moving To Replace Machining Processes

There are two main factors that are moving the process of using 3D Printing or Additive manufacturing into the product producing mainstream and replacing the traditional machining, CNC and injection molding processes. First, the number of skilled machinists and manufacturing engineers is rapidly declining and secondly, and most important, the younger generation has little or no interest in working for or with any manufacturing operation. The new generation sees their future in the digital world.

The other major reason is the speed in which additive manufacturing has advanced in every facet of product production. This is especially true in the use of additive manufacturing in producing parts from ferrous and nonferrous materials. The ability to produce a steel part that is one piece versus multiple parts or pieces using traditional machining is now blazing new trails in the ability to make a part in one print cycle that used to take five to eight steps. Also, the ability to quickly prototype a part and then change it and print again for five or more iterations in the span of one reduces prototyping and product development to less that 10% of the time for traditional machining.

Interestingly, the method of designing a part for manufacturing is identical in both traditional and additive manufacturing. The use of advanced CAD software allows for the design of any part and the design files are saved in different file types depending whether the part is made on a CNC machine or 3D Printer. This new generation of young workers already know how to use this software as their understanding computers, software, programming and object design is already in place. So, the 3D Printer is a perfect fit for this new group of workers who most likely will work remotely from the actual manufacturing operation.

Pure Air Systems began its operation in 1985 using hand drawings for the design of its HEPA based air filtration systems and then eventually moved into the CAD era and today is looking at using AI for some of its advanced equipment designs. The world of technology is moving at light speed and Pure Air Systems is keeping pace.

For more information on the complete line of HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems please go to our website at:  http://www.pureairsystems.com  or call us on our toll free number at: 800-869-8025.

Interior view of 2000. HS HEPA unit

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Artificial Intelligence Now Ubiquitous

In less than one year, the adaption of AI is not used in almost every facet of our lives. There is no industry or service business that is not using one or more of the AI programs that are being added to and updated daily. In fact, if your business is not incorporating AI into its operational profile it will fall behind its competitors very quickly.

For many people the use of AI has created visions of a massive take-over of our lives by some super intelligent machines. ( In truth that has already started). This belief is held mostly by older Americans who have a minimal understanding of technology and the vast knowledge base held in the Cloud. Change is always difficult for some people but the younger generation adapts quickly and they are using AI almost daily.

But AI is also being used in the engineering, design and product development arenas and this is where the real advantages are taking place. The use of engineering AI programs has tripled in the last year and the benefits have been amazing. Companies now know that they can use AI programs to accelerate their prototyping and product to market development process.

Pure Air Systems opened its doors in 1985. The use of any type of digital technology was limited to crude computer systems and reams of paper tape. All of the information gathered came from human sources and books. Designing a new filtration system took months and a fair amount of trial and error. All in all, it took 8 months to a year to develop a new product or modification to an existing system.

Today, adding a new product or modification can take as little as 1 to 3 months to complete, and the information is derived from the digital world. This adaption of digital information and/or AI is a necessary part of using technology to make us more productive and better our lives. It is important to realize that everything changes and change is constant. 

For more information on our complete product line please go to our website at;  http:/www.pureairsystems.com or call us on our toll free number at:  800-869-8025.

600 HS PLUS Plus Diagram - Components with Descriptions
600 HS PLUS – Split Housing Design

 

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Filtered Air Makes for Better Manufacturing

Manufacturing in many cases requires large pieces of equipment that may generate large amounts of particulate during their operation. This is especially true for milling, grinding and cutting machinery. While many of these systems may have some general duty dust collection equipment, fine, airborne particulate may float in the air and land on the various parts and other equipment located in the manufacturing operation.

Fine metal, plastic or wood particles that are sub-micron in size ( not visible to the naked eye ) can get inside areas of a part like threads, gasketed connections, glass layers or liquid containers prior to being filled. Over time these particles will affect the quality and potential performance of the part or parts that are being manufactured.

Pure Air Systems, a manufacturer of commercial grade HEPA based air filtration systems, has been installing their fan powered multi-stage equipment in commercial and institutional facilities since 1985. These fan powered units can be used in either as stand-alone units or configured to attach to existing HVAC units. 

The PAS systems can move up to 2,000 CFM and can be ducted to a hood that is located either over the manufacturing process or using close capture hooding for best reduction/removal of the small sub-micron airborne particulate. Over the past 37 years PAS has installed many of these systems in similar applications with the end result being a greater production rate with fewer rejects and part returns.

For more information on the complete line of HEPA and Carbon based air filters please go to our website at: http://www.pureairsystems.com   or call us on our toll-free number at: 800-869-8025.

Multi Configuration HEPA Systems

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Designing Your House With Air Filtration In Mind

People that are either building their first home or third home are always concerned with the interior room sizes, placement of rooms, wall treatments and appliances needed to make their home comfortable and livable. Unless they have had heating or cooling issues with an existing home, people rely on their contractor to put in the adequate cooling and heating systems and seldom think about the air filters or air filtration systems installed in a new home.

Most new homes are much tighter ( in regards to air leakage ) and a positive pressure door test is usually done to ensure that when the HVAC system is operational the home is slightly positive. Meaning air is being pushed out rather than being sucked in. Air filters are normally placed in the air returns that are normally located in most rooms, except the bathrooms. These general duty pleated filters are designed to keep most large airborne dust from entering the HVAC system and have very little resistance so they don’t put a strain on the main blower/motor assembly of the air handler. 

Since the air handlers are designed for the general duty air filters, placing a more restrictive, yet more effective air filter media, in the returns will reduce the fan power and pull less air through your HVAC system that could significantly affect the performance of your HVAC system. Therefore, you need to talk to your contractor prior to putting in your HVAC unit if you want to incorporate a more effective air filter system.

Usually the HVAC contractor will caution you about putting the more restrictive filters in your system and suggest a main air filter unit ( either electronic or media filter ) at the inlet to the air handler itself. This can be difficult and often creates installation issues and accessibility to the unit for servicing.

Pure Air Systems has been making HEPA based, fan powered air filtration systems since 1985 and has developed a method of attaching one of their HEPA Shield units in a partial by-pass installation that allows the filter to pull anywhere from 600 CFM to 2000 CFM of air through the air filter and then putting back into the HVAC unit. By pulling only a portion of the air the HEPA Shield unit can clean all the air in the house from 24 to 48 times a day depending upon the frequency of operation of the HVAC unit. And, you can still place the general duty filters in the air returns. 

For more information on the complete line of HEPA filters please go to our website at: http://www.pureairsystems.com   or call us on our toll-free number at:  800-869-8025.

Typical Air Flow Diagram
Partial By-Pass System

 

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The Price You Pay For Performance

Amazon and other online stores have created a scenario where people look at items that seem to be similar with various pricing. This has led people to believe that all products are similar and price becomes the deciding factor. For the manufacturers of these products it is difficult to up sell the their products. People will typically go to the best priced selection and read some reviews then make their choice. It is for this reason that many of the companies that make high-end products or products with proven superior performance elect not to market their products on Amazon and other similar online websites. They, instead, market them on their own websites.

So, for the astute buyer, often times you are better served to purchase the products from your selected company product website. They may charge a little more and often don’t offer free shipping, but their products are usually far superior and will last and perform better than many of those lesser expensive copies from your favorite online store.

Pure Air Systems has been offering their products online since 1990. Their commercial grade, fan-powered HEPA air filtration systems are some of the best in the world. With an average operating time of 15 to 20 years, these made in the US systems perform as advertised and the service from PAS is second to none.

For more information on the complete line of air filtrations please go to our website at:   http:/www.pureairsystems.com  or call us on our toll-free number at: 800-869-8025.

Pure Air Filtration Product Grouping
HEPA Systems For Every Application

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AI, Becoming The Next Great Employee

I have been playing around with the new Google AI app, Bard. It is fast, and easy to use. Further more, it will create anything you ask it to create. The more and better the prompt information you input, the better the end result. I have already used it to write some simple contracts. 

In the field of engineering, AI apps are helping entrepreneurs and manufacturing and design companies to both enhance existing designs and fabrication techniques but also developing whole new concepts is product development. And while there are skeptics out there who believe AI is the end of the world as we know it, this technology is growing so fast that in another 3 months it will become ubiquitous in the field of writing and creating everything.

ChatGPT and other AI apps are gaining popularity and there are now more than 15 of these apps out in the market place. Yes, students are using it to write term papers and do math problems, and this can be an issue down the road, but it also ushers in a new way to increase the speed of creating everything and with fewer employees. This concept has not been lost on major corporations who are already looking for individuals with some experience with these new computer models.

Pure Air Systems has been manufacturing commercial grade HEPA based, fan-powered air filtration systems since 1985 and will begin to utilize this new technology for enhancing its product line as well as writing some of its marketing materials.

For more information on our complete product line please go to our website,  http://www.pureairsystems.com  or call us on our toll free number at: 800-869-8025.

600 HS PLUS Plus Diagram - Components with Descriptions
600 HS PLUS – Split Housing Design

 

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Commercial HEPA Air Filtration Systems

Started in 1985, Pure Air Systems has been making commercial grade, fan-powered, true HEPA air filtration systems for over 38 years. The same high quality metal fabricated housings used then are still used today. High quality ECM motors and metal framed HEPA filters along with carbon media and ring panel prefilters are all part of the various systems offered by Pure Air Systems.

PAS makes units a number of systems ranging in air flow from 50 CFM up to 2000 CFM. These units are configured so they can be mounted either as stand-alone units or as part of an existing, ducted HVAC system. The powder coated painted 16 gauge steel housings can be mounted in side or outdoors depending upon the application.

The ECM motors provide for variable speed control using digital controllers or run by a computer system. In addition, they can be used in a a120 volt 60Hz electrical system or 240 volt 50 Hz system. This means they can be use in any location around the world.

HEPA filters are the best method of removing over 99.9995% of all particles 0.3 microns in size and larger and approach 99.99% for particles as small as 0.12 microns. They are used in all hospital and medical facilities and in commercial, military and residential markets.

For more information on the complete line of HEPA and Carbon filtration systems available from PAS, please go to our website at:  http://www.pureairsystems.com    or call us on our toll free number at;  800-869-8025.

600 HS PLUS Plus Diagram - Components with Descriptions
600 HS PLUS – Split Housing Design

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Visible vs Invisible

Our eyes allow us to focus on and see airborne particles as small as 20 microns. For comparison, the human hair is about 100 microns in diameter. Most bacteria are in the range of less than 1 to 5 microns in size and viruses are less than 0.12 microns in size. So the old adage that what you don’t see won’t hurt you is not correct.

Bacteria, when present in a warm, moist environment, can stay alive for very long periods of time. From many hours to days. Because it is heavier than viruses it will not stay airborne for very long. So most contact with bacteria comes from contact with a surface or body part that caries the bacteria.

Viruses, on the other hand, are very tiny and light and can stay airborne for long period of time. This is how the flu and cold bugs are normally transmitted. Coming in a room or close contact where these viruses are airborne can infect another human once the viruses are inhaled and ingested. This is the reason masks are used in all medical facilities, especially surgical units.

For information on the complete line of HEPA and Carbon filters manufactured by Pure Air Systems, please go to our website at:  http://www.pureairsystems.com   or call us on our toll-free number at, 800-869-8025.Pure Air Systems Homepage Screenshot

 

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Variable Speed Drive Motors Power Pure Air Systems HEPA Units

Pure Air Systems was founded in 1985 and at that time the electric motors used in their HEPA based air filtration systems were typical wound motors. These motors were only capable of running either at one speed, or 3 speeds if adjusted to the speed controller. They were also either 120 volt, 60 Hz or 240 volt, 50Hz. 

In 1998, PAS along with General Electric, started to play with the new ECM, variable speed drive motors that were magnet driven and not the typical induction motors used in the past. These new motors could run forwards, backwards and could controlled to run at 1% of power up to 100% of power in 1 percent increments. And, they were rated from 1/3rd HP up to 1 HP using the same base unit but by changing the drive add-on could be changed from 1/3rd HP or 1/2 HP to 3/4 or 1 HP simply by changing the controller section. 

In addition, by using digital controllers, the customers had the ability to change the speed of the motors and the level of filtration from any location in the room or proximate to the filter systems. These units could also be programmed to operate on a pressure differential basis so as to speed up the fan motor when the HEPA filters started to load up and create more static load. This allowed for continuous speeds throughout the life cycle of the HEPA filter.

The newer versions of these motors now allow for complete programing functions either from the factory or by the end user with some minor education by the factory. These newer motors, like the original variable speed drive motors, are now 120/240 50/60Hz so they can easily be adapted to working anywhere in the world. These new motors are used on the complete line of HEPA based air filtration systems offered by PAS. Models, 600HS, 1200HS, 2000HS, and the HPS Portable HEPA filter systems. 

For more information on the complete line of HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems please go to our website at  http://www.pureairsystems.com   or call us on our toll-free number at 800-869-8025.

2000HS Plus S Model - Doors Removed
Inside the 2000HS Plus S Model

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Comparing UV to HEPA Filters

While this subject has been addressed once before, it is important that people understand the stark differences between the two types of air purification/filtration systems. 

First, UV ( A,B or C ) is purely a type of wave length of light that has certain affects on a variety of materials, both organic and inorganic. The UV rays from the sun, for example, have a significant affect on carbon, plastics, and the human body. While the UV rays can destroy some airborne contaminants, the amount of time ( in minutes ) the contaminants are exposed to the UV rays determines the efficacy of the process. In essence, UV only works if the UV rays are in contact with the air stream for an extended period of time. 

HEPA filters are a mechanical device that captures airborne particulate ( down to under 0.3 microns and smaller) at an efficiency of 99.99% and greater. This is important as even organic particulates that are destroyed can create issues once inhaled into the lungs. 

One reason UV is often used in-lieu of HEPA filters is the overall cost of UV versus HEPA filters. Also, the use of HEPA filters requires an auxiliary fan source as HEPA filters have a very high resistance to air flow and in order to pull enough air through the filter media requires a motor/blower assembly in addition to the blower assembly that comes with all HVAC systems.

Pure Air Systems offers a complete line of fan powered air filtration systems to meet the needs and demands of any residential or commercial application requiring the reduction and/or removal of airborne contaminants and also odors and gaseous pollutants.

For more information please go to our website at:  http://www.pureairsystems.com  or call us on our toll-free number at 800-869-8025.

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