FORKLIFT TRUCKS
BARCODING LABELLING & PACKAGING
WAREHOUSING, HANDLING & STORAGE
OVERCOMING THE FILTRATION CHALLENGES OF LASER-DRIVEN
PROCESSING LINES S
ince their introduction in the 1960s, lasers have played an increasingly important role as an industrial processing tool to meet the manufacturing demands for speed, accuracy and quality finished products. Indeed, as the summer months come to an end, manufacturers in the FMCG market will be starting to ramp up production for the Christmas period. During this time, they need to ensure that their processing lines are running efficiently, reliably and flexibly to respond to the demands of their customers. Lasers have transformed how many industries work, whether that is PCB precision cutting, ultra-fast and accurate FMCG marking and coding, high-end cosmetic branding or creating bespoke fashion packaging. What all these processes have in common is the generation of fume or particulate emissions at the point of ablation…and this requires extraction technology to help maintain productivity and contribute to a clean, healthy working environment.
The evolution into latest generation ultra-fast fibre lasers also means that extraction systems need to keep pace to ensure that production is not interrupted, quality is maintained and, in the case of BOFA’s portable systems, clean air returned into the workplace.
Take the FMCG drinks market for example, where the speed of laser coding and marking is critical to productivity. The frequency at which a laser is firing, the wavelength at which it operates and the power density it generates are all factors that govern how quickly and accurately a laser can operate. However, manufacturers are increasingly becoming aware that filtering laser particulate is an essential element in maintaining an optimal production environment by helping to ensure that laser lenses remain free from airborne contaminants. The question for manufacturers is how to specify the best extraction system for their processes. BOFA has significant resources to analyse the size and chemical profile of emissions from any given process, and is able to calculate the potential for particulate to ‘travel’ beyond the point of ablation, through detailed airflow analysis. Once this work is complete, control parameters can be set to define the optimal filtration technology, which, depending on the process, will likely involve a combination of pre-filtration, a main High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter and a layer of adsorbents to remove vapours and gases. This detailed assessment can be critical as making assumptions about particulate and filtration can be the enemy of productivity in manufacturing. For example, when a high-end sparkling wine producer opted to laser engrave glass bottles with a logo, it was known that the process would produce silica dust, which can create health risks if not filtered. Lasering with high intensity creates localised areas of very high temperature and what was not understood was that the immediate release of silica dust caused by ablation would be followed by a secondary release as the glass area cooled.
This was only noticed when residue started to appear on a surface away from the immediate laser area. The solution was to add a second stage filtration point. Fume and dust are not the only areas that BOFA engineers need to consider where any processing lines are using lasers. Manufacturers are increasingly opting to use fibre lasers in their processing lines as they operate at high speeds and accuracy. However, this presents another challenge as these lasers generate significant heat. To address this issue, BOFA has developed a range of temperature control and cooling units that help ensure the laser head is kept at a temperature that optimises reliability and performance, while protecting the integrity of high-value equipment.
A further consideration for manufacturers is that fibre lasers working 18 SEPTEMBER 2022 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS
Geoff Sagar, Product Manager, BOFA International
aluminium can under certain circumstances create a thermal event. In these situations, managers should consider specifying an extraction system benefiting from fire-resistant materials for casings and filters, thermal cut-out protection and technology such as an in-line pre-filter to intercept and a firebox to retain any hot embers before they can reach the extraction system. Finally, how extraction is controlled can make a significant contribution to productivity in an increasingly data driven and automated environment, such as barcoding, labelling and packaging. So, BOFA has developed the iQ2 operating platform, which has extended onboard data logs and real-time system condition visualisation, along with colour touchscreen interfaces, smart alarm configuration and remote system upgrades, all of which contribute to a more efficient way of working. This combination of downloadable data and visual read-outs makes diagnostics smarter and quicker, no matter where in the world a production facility is based. Diagnostics no longer rely on operator interpretation of data alone – the performance visualisation can help establish the overall status of each element of the filtration system.
In short, at BOFA, we understand that better operating data and intuitive information systems lead to better extraction performance, enabling filter exchanges to be exchanged in step with production schedules, avoiding unnecessary downtime.
BOFA International
www.bofainternational.com 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 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58
