Air knives ideal for perfect tiles

For success in making its high-quality decorative tiles, Southern Cross Ceramics requires a dry and contaminant-free tile surface to allow the screen printing process to be successful.

Since 1987, Southern Cross Ceramics has been using sophisticated technologies to manufacture tiles in accordance with international standards - and has a world-class colour laboratory to allow it to create diverse designs and colours.

Screen printing is one of the most versatile methods used for printing glazing materials onto ceramic tiles - the technology allows the printing of different decorative materials onto complex surfaces, penetrating into the uneven printing surface. The need for a dry and contaminant-free tile is due to the fact that the presence of the tile chips or any excess moisture on the tile during screen printing may lead to creation of scrap on the surface of a tile.

In order to solve the problem, Southern Cross Ceramics Plant Engineer Peter Lawson considered using air knives. He had looked into the use of air knives for a range of applications before, including removing moisture from difficult surfaces and drying of crates for labelling.

Peter and Braydon Cocks of Hurll Nu-Way were looking for the most cost-efficient solution and discussed two options, using a blowing system or using the current compressed air capacity. A blower system is considered to be more energy efficient and quiet, while compressed air is expensive to generate. However, the existing compressor had some leftover capacity in the current system, which allowed solving the problem with minor investments.

They had to find an efficient air knife capable of delivering the capacity needed. Braydon offered the high-performance, low-noise and low air consumption compressed air knife Neublade, manufactured in the UK. The low dBa reading of the air knives during their operation was of high importance due to OHS regulations. The operators have to be safe in the area where they work.

Installing the air knife was easy due to the fact that the model has many thought-out mounting options, and the results were seen immediately - consistent air stream across the tile, very efficient and solving the problem straight away.

Hurll Nu-Way has been a long-term equipment supplier for the company, providing the tile manufacturer with infrared process heaters for heating and drying the ceramic paint. Its sales engineers and product specialists are highly professional, knowledgeable and helpful. Among other products, HNW can supply to the ceramics, tile and printing industry, there are gas burners, centrifugal blowers, high-velocity fans and infrared heaters used to heat the warehouses.