What is Helium and Why is There a Global Helium Shortage?

by Andy Castiglione on Oct 21, 2019

Introducing Helium: The Most Common Gas You Know Nothing About

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Topics: Specialty Gases, industrial gases, helium, helium shortage

Looking for Welding Supplies in Modesto? Meet One of Our Central California Retail Locations

by Francesca Celik on Oct 2, 2019

Feeling Modesto? For those looking for industrial & specialty gases, safety equipment, and welding supplies in Modesto, the search is over.

Modesto, California is a mid-sized town in Central California that is known for friendly faces, agriculture (including some of the largest wine makers in the world), and for being the birthplace of filmmaker George Lucas. That aside, it’s also the home of one of our retail stores, located at 510 River Road, just across the street from the Tuolumne River. Here you can find industrial & specialty gases, personal protective equipment (PPE), and welding supplies in Modesto, just to name a few.

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Topics: Specialty Gases, industrial gases, modesto, ca, westair branches, welding equipment

To Know your Dewar is to Love your Dewar

by Andy Castiglione on Sep 14, 2017

Or … How to Dodge Dewar Bullets

The old saying really goes something like:

To know someone is to love them

If people count on you to supply liquid nitrogen or other cryogenic liquids for storing biological samples or processes like Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LCMS) and Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE), the saying can apply to your relationship with your dewars and liquid cylinders.

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Topics: Specialty Gases, Lab & Life Sciences, Nitrogen, Cryogenics

Don't let a Bad Apple spoil your Laser Cutting Operations

by Dan Fairchild on Jan 19, 2016


One Bad Apple Cylinder Spoils the Whole Bunch

Metal fabricators began reaping the benefits of laser cutting technology as far back as 1965 when they started using it to drill holes in diamond dies.  Because of its cutting precision and energy efficiency, laser cutting has many advantages over plasma cutting when cutting sheet metal. And through numerous technical advancements,  newer laser machines operating at higher power (6000 watts versus the 1500 watt ratings of early laser cutting machines) have approached plasma machines in their ability to cut through thick materials.

But to realize these benefits, laser cutting machine owners and operators must adopt some key processes and procedures. One set of key processes and procedures involves "assist gas" management. Following sections describe key do's and don'ts about laser assist gas management...including how the old saying One Bad Apple Spoils the Whole Bunch is something to worry about...but can be easily addressed.

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Topics: Specialty Gases, Cutting