posted on March 08, 2021 08:00
Paxton’s custom-designed air delivery device system removes debris from paddles to ease the labeling process.
THE CLIENT
Since 2014, a Sporting Company located in the Pacific Region has been the market leader in pickleball paddle manufacturing. The pickleball paddle manufacturer is a family run business focused on driving innovation and technology into the industry. Not only does the manufacturer want to provide high-performance equipment, but they strive to improve the pickleball community as a whole.
THE CHALLENGE
The pickleball paddle manufacturer uses polymer or high-grade aluminum to create the base of the paddle. The polymer or high-grade aluminum sheet is placed on a 12” wide conveyor. A CNC Machine is used to cut the polymer or aluminum sheets to create the foundation of the paddles. After the CNC Machine cuts the sheets, compressed air is used to remove unwanted debris. Once complete, employees grab the newly cut paddles from the conveyor and place them on a separate table for labeling.
The manufacturer’s concern is that the amount of debris remaining on the paddle must be minimal during the decal labeling process. If the debris is not adequately removed from the paddles, the debris can cause lumps and wrinkles in the decal leading to rejected products. The manufacturer wanted to improve the quality of their paddles and called Paxton for their expertise.
THE SOLUTION
The Paxton team determined that the pickleball paddle manufacturer can remove the unwanted debris using two Ionized Air Knives and a Spyder Manifold powered by 7.5 Hp PX-750 Centrifugal Blower. The Ionized air knives removes static from the sheet allowing debris to loosen and blow off while the Spyder Manifold targets the edges and crevices of the paddle cut out. Because Paxton application engineers have extensive experience in air flow technology, were able to precisely analyze the best placement for each air delivery device for this specific application.