An unexpected application:
Today we would like to report on a somewhat different application, because every now and then we come across processes using EXAIR products that are unique and a little unusual. A customer recently worked on a bizarre project: milling a human body. Today we would like to tell you about this rather “morbid” application.
Susan Potter, a medical education activist and cancer survivor, signed up for a project in 2000. She had recently been involved in a serious car accident and was told that her life expectancy was only one more year. She decided to donate her body to science for ongoing study and education. The study was to end with a complete dissection of her body from head to toe, with photos taken after each “cut”. Susan Potter was fully aware of the grisly nature of what would happen to her body, but wanted to fulfil her dream of making medical students more compassionate doctors.
Solution with EXAIR products
Instead, Susan Potter lived for another 14 years and allowed National Geographic to document her life story and subsequent dissection. All in the name of advancing medical research. In the process, 300µ layers were removed one after another and a photo was taken after each pass, which was used in a time-lapse video showing the entire dissection of the human body. But what role do our EXAIR products play in this fascinating story?
To get a clean image, the milled material had to be blown off the surface. Just before each shot, an isopropyl alcohol solution was sprayed onto the surface. At about 12 min 45 s in the video, you can see the process begin. The blow-off was performed with a Super Air Knife (model 110012SS) and the isopropyl alcohol was applied with an atomising nozzle (model EB1020SS).
Model 110012SS performing the blow-off after each pass
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More InformationAtomizing Spray Nozzles as the solution for a clear image
When this video was recorded, however, our atomising nozzles were not yet in use. The customer contacted us shortly afterwards, looking for a better solution than the cheap liquid nozzles they had been using. These consumed a considerable amount of isopropyl alcohol solution and failed to achieve an even or repeatable coating before each photo. As a result, some of the images were not as clear as hoped, and our customer had to check every single image as it was taken. Given the large number of layers removed, the process would have taken a very long time if images that were not clear enough constantly had to be checked and retaken. Our atomising nozzles provided an even coating of the solution immediately before each shot, resulting in a perfectly clear image every time. This allowed the customer to let the machine run with confidence, without having to stop after each pass to check the photo.
Even if a process like this is not an everyday occurrence, you can rely on our intelligent EXAIR compressed air products whenever you need compressed air at the point of use. Contact an application engineer if you need help with any of your processes.