nexAir Automotive: Operate at Top Speed
nexAir Automotive: Operate at Top Speed
nexAir is helping the automotive industry by providing equipment and specialized gases that are integral for meeting production timelines and established standards. We understand how vital getting the supplies you need is for continuous operation and how it can affect your bottom line.
This is why nexAir processes and supplies are designed to keep you operating at top speed.
Here’s how we’re helping the automotive industry:
Streamlining Production
Having a reliable supply of efficient equipment and necessary industrial gases allows industries to streamline production. A dependable supplier like nexAir is crucial for smooth and incident-free operations.
nexAir goes beyond supplying automotive tools and equipment. We also share our technical KnowHow and safety best practices so you can optimize the use of our supplies during production. A highly precise system is not only safer but will lead to faster production, lower costs, and more predictable output.
Providing Important Automotive Gases
nexAir produces the following gases that are crucial in the automotive industry:
Acetylene (C2H2)
Acetylene is a colorless gas that is used to manufacture metals and other materials that are used for automotive vehicles. It is essential for precision and accuracy during fabrication. Acetylene is also used as a fuel and chemical building block.
Argon (Ar)
Argon is used for manufacturing automotive parts like axles, exhaust systems, seats, and suspensions. It is a colorless and odorless inert gas that is used as a shielding gas in welding, which is crucial for vehicle fabrication. Moreover, high-pressure argon is an essential element in airbags.
Helium (He)
Helium is a non-reactive gas commonly used to detect leaks in the automotive industry and for airbag production. Because of its inert properties, helium is also used as a shielding gas for welding.
Hydrogen (H2)
Hydrogen is a sustainable alternative to fuel with less harmful emissions. Since production costs are high, it is more commonly used to help with the finishing of automobile steel parts.
Nitrogen (N2)
Nitrogen is vital in heat-treating processes and various automotive applications. It’s also useful for manufacturing electric components in air conditioning, brakes, seats, and stereos.
In addition, it can be used as an adjunct in automotive laser and plasma cutting and for shrink-fitting engines and transmission parts.
Oxygen (O2)
Oxygen is used to create automotive coatings that add to vehicles’ design and protection. It is also used to speed up the plasma cutting process and as an adjunct in automotive laser cutting. Small quantities of oxygen are mixed in shielding gases.
nexAir: Helping the Automotive Industry Forge Forward
The automotive industry is an important economic driving force, providing close to two million jobs and generating billions of dollars each year. To Forge Forward and continue operating at top speed, you need a reliable partner like nexAir.
nexAir provides top-of-the-line technology, supplies, and expertise to ensure that players in the automotive industry continue to operate with noteworthy bottom-line results. Our specialized gases, technical KnowHow, and reliable service will make sure you have the tools, knowledge, and supplies you need to keep moving forward.
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Manufacturing downtime costs American companies billions annually. When production lines halt due to gas supply issues, every minute translates to lost revenue, missed deadlines, and frustrated customers. At nexAir, we've spent decades developing solutions that keep manufacturing operations running smoothly.
The Hidden Costs of Gas-Related Downtime
When manufacturers calculate downtime costs, they typically focus on labor and lost production. However, gas supply disruptions create cascading effects that multiply these losses:
- Production rescheduling that disrupts carefully optimized sequences
- Rush shipping fees to meet customer deadlines despite delays
- Quality inconsistencies when processes restart after interruptions
- Overtime costs to catch up after unplanned stoppages
- Reputation damage when delivery commitments are missed
For a typical mid-sized manufacturer, each hour of downtime represents $5,000-$10,000 in direct and indirect costs. Our analysis shows that gas-related issues cause 7-12% of total manufacturing downtime - a substantial opportunity for improvement.
From Reactive to Proactive: The Supply Continuum
Most facilities follow a predictable pattern in their gas management evolution:
Stage 1: Reactive Management At this stage, facilities order gas when they notice supplies running low or, worse, after running out. Emergencies are common, and disruptions are accepted as "part of doing business." One automotive parts supplier operating this way experienced 14 production interruptions in a single quarter.
Stage 2: Calendar-Based Management Facilities advance to scheduled deliveries based on estimated usage. While better than the reactive approach, this method still results in either excess inventory (tying up capital and space) or shortages when usage spikes occur. A plastics manufacturer following this model maintained 40% more cylinder inventory than necessary while still experiencing occasional stockouts.
Stage 3: Consumption-Based Management Our telemetry systems monitor actual gas consumption, automatically triggering orders based on usage patterns rather than calendar dates. This approach virtually eliminates both stockouts and excess inventory.
Stage 4: Integrated Supply Management The most advanced approach connects gas management directly to production planning systems. Upcoming production requirements automatically adjust supply parameters, ensuring resources are precisely aligned with needs. A medical device manufacturer using this approach reports zero gas-related downtime for 27 consecutive months while operating with minimal inventory buffers.
Our expert KnowHow™ in industrial gas applications allows us to guide customers through this evolution at a pace that makes sense for their operations.
Customizing Solutions for Maximum Uptime
Manufacturing environments vary dramatically in their gas requirements and operational constraints. We've developed flexible approaches that address these differences:
- For high-volume, consistent usage operations, our bulk systems eliminate the cylinder handling that frequently causes supply disruptions. Bulk installations include telemetry monitoring and automated ordering to prevent outages.
- For variable-demand environments, our microbulk delivery systems provide the benefits of bulk supply with lower volume commitments. These systems reduce handling requirements while maintaining the flexibility needed for changing production schedules.
- For specialized applications requiring multiple gas types, our gas management programs combine cylinder tracking, usage monitoring, and automated replenishment. This comprehensive approach ensures that specialty gases are always available when needed, regardless of how infrequently they might be used.
- For multi-site operations, our enterprise supply programs coordinate deliveries and optimize inventory across locations. By treating the organization's gas requirements holistically, we minimize both stockouts and excess inventory across the network.
This consultative approach ensures that manufacturers receive solutions aligned with their specific operational patterns rather than generic "one-size-fits-all" systems.
Beyond Traditional Supply: Integrated Services for Total Reliability
Maximum uptime requires more than just reliable gas delivery. Our integrated services address the full spectrum of gas-related reliability factors:
Equipment maintenance programs that prevent system failures before they impact production Technical gas specialists who resolve application issues that could otherwise cause production problems Safety training that prevents accidents leading to downtime events Emergency response capabilities that minimize impacts when unexpected events occur Supply chain redundancy that ensures continuity despite regional disruptions
These services complement our supply solutions to form a comprehensive reliability strategy. By addressing both everyday operations and exceptional circumstances, we help manufacturers Forge Forward with confidence that gas-related disruptions won't derail their production targets.
Measuring Success: The Results That Matter
The ultimate measure of any downtime reduction strategy is its impact on production metrics. Our manufacturing customers consistently report significant improvements after implementing our comprehensive gas management solutions:
Downtime reductions of 85-95% for gas-related issues Inventory cost decreases of 20-30% through optimized supply management Administrative time savings of 5-10 hours weekly through automated ordering and tracking Production schedule adherence improvements of 3-7% due to improved supply reliability
These performance gains translate directly to bottom-line benefits that typically deliver ROI within months rather than years. More importantly, they allow manufacturers to confidently make delivery commitments, knowing that gas supply issues won't compromise their ability to perform.
Don't let gas supply issues impact your productivity. Contact us today to explore our tailored solutions.
Looking out for your future
Get your career going on the right track with nexAir
Find out how nexAir KnowHow has impacted businesses all over the Southeast
Our expertise makes us more than a valuable partner, it makes us headlines