MACHINERY & MACHINE SAFETY
WAREHOUSING, HANDLING & STORAGE
MAINTAINING A SAFE & PRODUCTIVE WORKING ENVIRONMENT THROUGH EFFICIENT FILTRATION TECHNOLOGY
F
ume and dust extraction technology plays an important role in helping employers implement environmental health practices in the workplace. Filtration systems can help filter potentially harmful airborne emissions associated with numerous industrial processes, such as lasering, additive manufacturing, printing and electronics manufacture.
In the UK, exposure levels to emissions are stipulated in the COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) regulations and expressed as workplace exposure limits (WELs). These limits are presented in the Health & Safety Executive’s EH40 guidance as time weighted averages for either a 15 minute period or an eight-hour working day, in both ppm (parts per million) and mg/m³ (milligrams per meter cubed). In what is often a 24/7 operating environment, filtration technology, such as that developed by BOFA International, can play a vital role in keeping production lines moving, helping to maintain a clean workplace atmosphere while keeping machinery free from contaminants that might otherwise lead to unplanned downtime. The context for industrial fume and dust extraction for manufacturers is best seen through the prism of WELs. Safety Data Sheets of the materials used in a particular process need to be examined to understand which contaminants need to be filtered. The results will then be reflected in the system configuration, which needs to take account of any chemical reactions that might occur during the process. This system scoping needs to determine: 1) The type, volume, size and velocity of particles being emitted
2) The type of production machinery being used 3) Whether the process is enclosed or not 4) The duration of the process - 24/7 for example 5) Whether there are thermal risks associated with higher temperatures.
Once armed with this information, data- driven airflow analysis can help set the control parameters that contribute to optimal filtration. Typically, a BOFA system will incorporate pre- filtration, a main High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter and a layer of activated carbon to filter vapours and gases.
The objective is two-fold: firstly, to contribute to a safe working environment; and secondly, to enhance productivity by keeping equipment free from dust to avoid unplanned downtime, which could be costly in high volume sectors such as laser marking and coding. There are also challenges that go beyond managing fume and dust emissions, particularly where extraction systems are linked to processes at risk of thermal events. This might be where interaction between say a laser and material being worked emits a combustible dust with the potential to be drawn into the filtration system.
Under these circumstances, managers should specify a system applying fire-resistant materials for casings and filters, thermal cut- out protection and technology such as BOFA’s Spark Arrestor 2 to mitigate the risk of burning particulate entering the extraction system and FireBOX with its fire suppression system. Design options include captor hoods, which use a capture velocity across the source of the emissions; receptor hoods, which use the movement of particles / vapour towards the device to capture them; partial enclosures, which extract contaminants typically for hand grinding and finishing; and full enclosures matched to the needs of automated processes such as laser coding or PCB manufacture. Increasingly, production-related technology is becoming more joined up and automated, and here data is creating opportunities to enhance productivity.
Joshua Evans MEng (Hons) IChemE, Applications Engineer and Head of BOFA Academy at BOFA International
For example, BOFA’s recently launched iQ2 intelligent operating system features a host of functionality enhancements and innovations, leveraging the value of extended onboard data logs and real-time system condition visualisation, plus a colour touchscreen user interface, smart alarm configuration and remote system upgrades.
This application of data enhances the ability of manufacturers to plan a timely exchange of filters in step with production schedules, using volume-based data rather than periods of time.
BOFA International
www.bofainternational.com 38 NOVEMBER 2022 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS 39
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50
