ShopSolutions Case Histories of Manufacturing Problem Solving Safe, Productive Fume Extraction Technology V
ermeer Corp., a family-owned and operated company was founded in Pella, IA, in 1948. Vermeer provides ag- ricultural and industrial equipment to customers in more than 60 nations for industries including biomass, landscaping, pipeline, surface mining, tree care, and utility installation. For Vermeer, building a quality product for customers starts with a foundation of well-trained, skilled employees who are valued as its most important resource. In keeping with that belief, Ver- meer provides training to all new welding operators, and has welding engineers and technicians who conduct quality audits throughout the company. Vermeer has made continuous im- provement a priority, implementing lean manufacturing practices to help make the company and its products the best they can be. Through that effort, Vermeer has worked to eliminate waste in its manufacturing and operational practices, and established a focus on workplace organization through lean manufactur- ing principles that promotes efficient and effective order in production. All of those efforts have helped Ver- meer dramatically reduce the lead time for many products.
more comfortable environment for Vermeer welding operators. The larger fume-capture zone created with this new technology means welding operators don’t have to stop welding as often to adjust or maneuver the extraction arm, which leads to greater arc-on time and improved productivity. Vermeer welding opera- tors in the selected areas that use the systems said they also notice the fumes being captured faster in their work area.
The fume-capture zone—up to 3' (0.9-m) wide and 5' (1.5-m deep)—of the FILTAIR Capture 5 system in the weld cells for Vermeer welding operators is three times larger than conventional source capture technologies.
A natural extension of this continuous improvement process—and a natural extension of how Vermeer strives to provide the best working environment for its people—was an assessment of fume extraction in the company’s welding cells. In an effort to positively impact an already favorable environment for welding operators, the company recently installed multiple FILTAIR Capture 5 fume extraction systems from Miller Electric Mfg Co. (Appleton, WI) in selected weld- ing cells and facilities. The FILTAIR Capture 5 fume extraction system captures fumes from up to 5' (1.5 m) away and reduces operator inter- action with the extraction arm, providing a cleaner, safer, and
“Fume extraction is very important. We use a very clean welding process, but we still want to improve,” says Dave Landon, manager of welding engineering at Vermeer. “We felt like the Capture 5 gave us our best option.” In the selected areas featuring the FILTAIR Capture 5
systems, Vermeer typically uses Pulsed MIG with solid wire as its chosen welding process. In considering new opportunities in fume extraction, the company decided on source capture rather than ambient air filtration.
Source capture allows weld fumes to be removed at the source before reaching a welding operator’s breath- ing zone, so it’s considered among the most effective and
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