Camfil Air Pollution Control partnered with a major auto parts manufacturer that used dust collectors to ensure clean air in robotic welding cells. Their goal was to significantly reduce the downtime caused by dust collector maintenance.
The facility operators believed they had the best system available, as their previous vendor provided detailed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) data showing airflow performance. The vendor’s main message was that their system was designed to prevent fires effectively.
However, reality proved otherwise. The installed dust collection systems led to frequent downtime, expensive repairs, and even fires inside the collectors themselves.
Fire, Filter, and Fan Frustrations
The company faced recurring problems with its dust collectors, which caused significant production delays. When the dust collectors caught fire multiple times, entire production lines had to be shut down for days. Additionally, when differential pressure built up, the fans would activate, making it impossible to pulse-clean the filters. As a result, staff had to manually clean the filters during lunch breaks and other off-hours, leading to at least two hours of daily downtime.
Moreover, the filters needed replacement every six months, increasing both time and operational costs. The noise from the fans also became an issue, leading to complaints from nearby residents. The fans were prone to overheating, requiring costly replacements of 50-horsepower motors each year. And accessing the fans for maintenance was difficult, especially during winter, since the collectors were located outdoors.
Experts in Welding Dust and Fumes
Facility managers realized they needed a more reliable partner for their dust collection systems to ensure continuous operation of their manufacturing lines. Camfil APC’s Wayne Zimmer brought a Gold Series dust collector demo trailer to the site, showcasing how easy it was to maintain and replace filters.
Eventually, Camfil APC installed a new Gold Series dust collector system with a completely redesigned ductwork layout for the weld cells. This system allowed the facility to safely recirculate filtered air back into the plant using integrated safety monitoring filters.
Thanks to the improved efficiency of the new system, the manufacturer hasn’t purchased new filters in over three years. There have been no fires in the collectors, and no additional maintenance has been required for the fans or electrical system. Impressed by these results, the company decided to install two more dust collection systems from Camfil APC.
Watch the Full Switching Story
To learn more about how this company reduced downtime and improved air quality, watch Zimmer in this video titled “Preventing Downtime for Filter Cleaning.â€
Dangerous Airborne Particles in Welding Operations
Welding and cutting processes, whether manual or automated, release harmful fumes—tiny airborne particles that can pollute workshop air and pose serious health and safety risks. Activities like arc gouging, plasma cutting, and laser cutting generate these fumes, and the amount increases with higher production levels.
The most effective way to protect workers is by installing well-designed dust collection systems equipped with high-efficiency primary cartridge-style filters. In some cases, secondary safety filters may also be necessary to capture certain particulates.
Important Safety and Health Regulations
After installing customized Camfil APC systems, the auto parts manufacturer found that cleaned air could be safely recirculated back into the workspace. However, the air must meet OSHA permissible exposure limits (PELs) for metal contaminants generated during welding. Facilities that exhaust air outdoors must also comply with EPA emission requirements.
OSHA PELs are based on an eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA) for metals found in welding fumes. These standards determine the minimum filtration efficiency required for dust collectors. Even if the air meets PELs, some workers might still experience health issues from exposure. In such cases, stricter limits may be necessary to ensure safe indoor air quality.
The EPA’s National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) Rule 6X regulates facilities that vent contaminated air directly outdoors. It covers hazardous air pollutants from metal finishing processes, including cadmium, chromium, lead, nickel, and manganese.
Cartridge filtration is recognized in Rule 6X as an acceptable control device to eliminate visible emissions. Installing dust and fume collectors with high-efficiency cartridge filtration systems, like the Camfil APC Gold Series, helps welding facilities stay in compliance with EPA regulations.
Click here to discover more solutions for reducing airborne particles in welding operations and improving workplace safety.
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