DUST & FUME EXTRACTION EXTRACTION SYSTEMS GET UP TO SPEED The demand for optimal productivity
requires an ever-increasing degree of automation informed by data capture and analytics. For example, BOFA’s portable AD Oracle laser system incorporates the latest generation intelligent operating system – iQ2 – which offers access to more performance data than before. This includes extended onboard data logs and real-time system condition visualisation, along with a colour touchscreen user interface, smart navigation, enhanced alarms and remote system upgrades. This means that users can quickly review
iQ2 offers access to more performance data than before
Below: DeepPleat DUO pre-filters remove larger particulate
Richard Heard, product manager at BOFA International, explains how better data and information means better extraction of dust and fumes
L
asering touches an enormous range of industrial processes and consumer products around the globe. From the
coding of everyday items such as beverage cans, to the batch marking of printed circuit boards and the intricate cutting of packaging, lasers make a positive contribution to how we all live and work. In recent years one of the biggest trends in
the laser industry has been the need for speed with laser coding and marking systems getting faster as operators seek competitive advantage through greater productivity. In this 24/7 environment, fume and dust
extraction technology is playing a vital role in keeping production lines moving, mitigating risk, and helping to deliver both health protection and process improvement. As a result, there is an increased reliance on automation and the operational data that can contribute to enhanced productivity. In the world of high-volume manufacturing,
‘downtime is money’. Laser coding and marking, particularly in the food and beverage industry, is all to do with speed. Where once the benchmark was to code around 50,000 products per hour, today laser marking lines for aluminium cans are able to operate at more than 100,000 cans/h. This makes the role of fume and
dust extraction even more important, because with faster processing comes a requirement for technical innovation and greater
filter capacity to capture potentially harmful airborne contaminants. Without reliable extraction systems, laser
processes would simply not be able to function within the scope of workplace regulations governing the particulate exposure levels that protect human health. The focus on speed results from the
convergence of fibre laser technology and process automation. Automation enables the integration of lots of complementary systems to create one holistic solution – and BOFA is part of that architecture, designing technology capable of capturing particulate at the point of laser ablation. This is critical not just from an operative
health perspective, but also in helping ensure that no fume or dust can travel beyond the process area and contaminate products or components, such as rollers or bearings. In this fast-moving world, any unscheduled stoppage in a 24/7 operation is hugely costly.
filter status, temperature, percentage motor running and operating efficiency, along with any visual alarms – thereby presenting a snapshot of true system pressure and percentage capacity utilisation. This data can help head-off potential issues before they impact on production and can also be used to inform system configuration to maximise filter life. All this information is presented using internationally recognisable icons and multiple language options. The extended data log in iQ2 is valuable for
high volume manufacturing because with increasing production line speeds, filter capacity is best measured through units of product rather than units of time. Interrogating these logs can provide the granular detail needed to establish optimal filter exchange patterns in step with maintenance routines to avoid the risk of costly unplanned downtime. This combination of downloadable data
and visual read-outs makes diagnostics smarter and quicker. It no longer relies on operator interpretation of data – the visualisation of system performance on the user interface quickly establishes the overall health of each element of the extraction technology. This functionality provides manufacturers
with better information on live extraction performance and helps enable smarter decisions to monitor filter saturation and align filter exchanges with maintenance regimes. All this is in support of the fundamental role
of fume and dust extraction to help maintain a healthy working environment while keeping expensive laser lenses free from the build-up of debris that could otherwise impact on product quality, and even the replacement of damaged parts if not addressed. In the case of the AD Oracle iQ2, the
portable system includes three-stage filtration consisting of a patented DeepPleat DUO pre- filter to remove larger particulate; a HEPA filter to remove 99.997% of particles at 0.3 micron in size; and advanced carbon filter technology for the safe capture and removal of hazardous fumes.
BOFA International
bofainternational.com
SEPTEMBER 2021 | PROCESS & CONTROL 47
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