DUST & FUME EXTRACTION
WHY FRONT-END ENGINEERING DESIGN LEADS TO SMARTER LEV SYSTEMS
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f you want to keep your team safe whilst working on the production line, it is important you have comprehensive dust control measures in place. However, some Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) systems fall short of the performance required to manage hazardous airborne particulates effectively. Inadequate design, poor specification, or inconsistent maintenance can all create vulnerabilities that could compromise the health of your employees or harm your product quality. But with so many factors to consider when commissioning a new LEV system, where do you begin in the design of a new LEV system or turning underperforming equipment into a reliable unit? For a start, the effectiveness of any LEV begins long before installation. It kicks off with smart, bespoke design, tailored to your needs as a manufacturer. More specifically, it starts with Front-End Engineering Design (FEED).
BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN LEV SYSTEM DESIGN AND INSTALLATION
You might have learnt from past experience that a dust extraction system can look great on paper, but fail to operate sufficiently when it comes to the factory floor install, leaving you back at square one with inadequate dust control. Often hugely frustrating, it highlights a disconnect between the intended performance of a designed system, and the actual performance in the production environment, caused by practicalities and process nuances not being fully accounted for in the design process. This is where Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) comes in. A crucial engineering design phase, it connects conceptualisation with execution and is used to develop a detailed plan for an effective LEV system. During this process, a qualified engineer will conduct the preliminary scoping, planning, and design
14 SPRING/SUMMER 2026 | INDUSTRIAL COMPLIANCE
Adrian Ogden, director of leading UK dust extraction firm APS UK, discusses how using Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) simplifies factory floor decisions when it comes to new LEV systems.
work of a dust extraction project, outlining technicalities to consider.
FEED’s purpose is to give you a detailed framework for decision-making, determining a project’s feasibility and giving an accurate cost estimate before a full investment commitment is made. It increases transparency, giving you clarity on system set-up and expected performance so you do not face redesign after redesign. In short, it helps you make sure you are making the right decision.
This is particularly important when LEV projects so often involve external parties. Without clear, accurate information from the outset, assumptions creep in, requirements get misinterpreted, and you often end up with a one-size-fits-all solution that suits your chosen supplier, but not you.
FEED combats the pitfalls of incomplete data and standardised design by considering all your individual needs, covering how and where dust is generated, site layout,
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