Applications For Air Conveying Products

gravity conveyor - self propelling air tables - typical assembly - installation

The air flotation technique is extremely versatile and can be used to solve any number of material handling problems. Glasgow Products, Inc. has the experience and engineering capability to plan, design and build special tables or to assist in converting existing tables into air flotation surfaces, automatic conveying or clamping surfaces, etc.

Typical applications for Glasgow Systems include:

Table conveyors	Guillotine cutters Feed tables
Feed tables (for example: sheet metal, bar cutting, plate cutting)	Sheet Glass Cutting tables
Tilt tables	Glass conveyors
Sheet metal conveyors	Machine flotation devices
Paper conveyors	Stretching and cutting tables (garments)
Panel Saws	Woodworking Equipment
Rubber Conveying	Bags of Granular Products

Air table with horizontal component of air velocity to buoyantly support and simultaneously propel material.

Systems using water (instead of air) to buoyantly support the load used in the glass industry while grinding glass (seaming) and control the glass dust residue hence reducing hazardous dusty environment. This system entraps and reduces glass dust in conformance to safety requirements.

Gravity Conveyors

Hinge an air table at one end, raise the other end with an air cylinder, and the air table is turned into a gravity conveyor. A tilt-angle of 5-7 degrees will suffice.

A series of tilt tables creates a chain of gravity conveyors to move loads between production stations.

For example, in manufacturing dress patterns, 10-foot square loads of sheet paper weighing over 400 pounds are moved through various operations by tilting tables.

The technique has also been applied to moving sheets of masonite and pressed board as well as typewriter assemblies.

Self-Propelling Air Table

Air Table with horizontal component of air velocity to buoyantly support and simultaneously propel material.

Typical Assembly

Using nozzle N-201 & couplings TC-301 or EC201, these nozzles are connected in series from nozzle to nozzle.

No manifold is required.

To terminate run, use elbow coupling P/N EC-201.

Installation Consideration

1.	Plan the nozzle pattern on the tables to be converted to air tables.
2.	Make certain that there are no obstructions on the underside of the table such as ribs, wiring, junction boxes, legs, etc. in the areas where the nozzles are to be inserted.
3.	Mount adequate nozzles under the moving load to provide a cushion of air upon which the load will float based on size and weight of load.
4.	Nozzles should be located to provide full coverage of the moving load while allowing for adequate edge clearance.
5.	Since plant air represents an expense it is desirable to minimize any losses in your air handling system. To significantly improve the load bearing characteristics of a system and reduce air consumption at the same time, put a spotface approximately 4" diameter by 1/64" deep around each nozzle and mount the nozzle slightly below flush with the base of this spotface. The net effect is that the nozzle now supplies a lift pad of air 4" diameter as compared to the lift pad of 1" diameter around the head of the nozzle itself. Since area varies as the square of the diameter, this lift effect will be 16 times as great as without it, and the system air pressure may now be reduced accordingly. This will significantly reduce the air consumption of the system.
6.	Maximum of 25 nozzles per regulator. For larger tables use multiple regulators (multiple zones).