Welding Fume Extractor Manufacturer

Welding Fume Extractor: The Ultimate FAQ Guide

It is essential to maintain the proper circulation of fresh air within your production facility.

For a comfortable and healthy work environment, you should use the welding fume extractor systems to keep the workshop’s environment free from fumes.

Setting up and maintaining the welding fume extractor system may be a complicated process without the proper knowledge. This guide will help you to learn all the basics of the welding fume extractor.

What Is A Welding Fume Extractor?

A welding fume extractor is a mechanical appliance that you can use to remove the fumes created during the welding operations.

The welding fume collector creates a negative pressure area similar to a vacuum suction effect, to create a dragging force.

Due to the created pressure, the newly generated fume is sucked into the welding smoke extractor before being distributed to the surrounding area.

A typical welding fume extractor is used to remove the newly generated welding fume

What Are Welding Fumes And How Do They Form?

The term fume is generally used to express atmospheric pollution. The term welding fume refers to the air pollution that occurs in the surrounding area during the welding operation.

Welding fume generated during the welding process

When you fuse metals during the welding process, extreme heat is generated at the connection point to create the bond. The filler material and the surface of the base materials are melted during the process at the connection points.

Due to this highly generated heat, a few minor surface metals are emitted in the form of tiny solid and gas particles to the surrounding area. All these emitted particles create a cloud of dust and gas, referred to as welding fumes.

Why Do I Need To Use Welding Fume Extractor?

If you are working in an environment involving dust particles, one of the major concerning factors for you should be keeping yourself safe from dust. During the welding process, different small solid particulates are scatted in the air in the form of dust.

When you breathe in, these dust particles can enter your lungs and cause serious health injuries. So, you must always try to avoid as much dust as possible.

Moreover, the welding activities involve highly toxic materials which may be good for the welding process but are seriously harmful to your health.

Due to the extreme heat generated during the process, a few solid particles from the surface evaporates to release toxic gases in the form of gas. These gases fill the surrounding air, creating a cloud of welding fume.

These toxic gases are highly injurious to the lungs and may lead to fatal to long-term sickness. The Occupational Safety and Health Hazards (OSHA) has set some standards and regulations to protect the welders from the hazardous environment.

The regulatory bodies provide guidelines and standards on the minimum quality of air that you need to maintain at the working facility.

To protect yourself from harmful welding fumes and maintain standardized practices, you need to remove the fume within the air of the facility. To remove the toxic fume using a welding exhaust fume extractor. The welding fume collector will keep your facility’s air in check.

How Do The Welding Fume Extractor Work?

The primary function of the welding smoke extractor is to remove the generated fume from the air during the welding operations. To extract the fume, an artificial negative pressure zone is created with the welding fume extractor.

This negative pressure zone is similar to what you see in a primary residential vacuum machine but with a much powerful output and additional features. The rotational force pulls the air from the front of the extractor head towards the inside of the welding exhaust fume extractor.

A negative pressure zone is created in front of the extractor head. So, you have to focus the head towards the welding area where the fumes are being generated.

You can divert the suction head either by mechanical or manual means, depending on the features offered by the welding fume collector.

Welding fume extractor in operation

While extracting the fume, the power at which the negative pressure is created depends on the ability and scope of the welding smoke extractor.

A welding smoke extractor is sufficient to extract the gaseous fumes and tiny solid particles produced during your welding operations. You might have to use powerful machines or extractors with compatibility features for heavier particles or dust particles.

There is a filter inside the welding exhaust fume extractor to block the fumes and dust to protect the essential parts of the machines. There is a collection chamber that houses the collected fumes and residues.

You can manually or automatically discharge the residues entrapped on the filter at the collection chamber at frequent intervals.

These steps are how a typical welding fume extractor works. There are different types of available welding fume extractors for sale with versatility and differential scopes of applications, that might have additional features and differ in operating principles.

You can watch this video to understand more about how welding fume extractors work.

How Loud Are The Welding Fume Extraction Systems?

There are some eventual drawbacks of any mechanical appliances. For the welding fume extractor, one of the significant downsides is the noise.

But, the good news is, with the proper features, you can reduce the sound to significant amounts from very low to no existing levels.

One way to reduce the sound is to place the primary rotating machines of the welding exhaust fume extractor outside the facility and place only the suction units inside the facility.

Moreover, with the advanced technologies, manufacturers now build intelligent filter and motor systems.

With superior performance, these units ensure to produce very low sound levels. Among different welding fume extractors for sale, the indoor welding fume extractor uses these features to reduce the noise levels to appreciable standards that comply with all kinds of legal requirements.

What Is A Multiple Arm Fume Extractor System?

A multiple arm welding smoke extractor has an additional arm attached with the main suction head. In some extractors, you may find one additional arm, while in some machines, multiple additional arms.

The number and types of arms depending on what additional features you can perform with a single extractor. The power of the created negative pressure zone relies on the strength of the extractor and the cross-sectional area of the suction head.

That means you can change the suction power levels of the extractor by varying the cross-sectional area of the head. This is what you can quickly achieve with the multiple arm fume extractor systems.

During the welding operations, a welding fume is generated, composed of gaseous particles with small and heavy particulates. The bare arm of the extractor has a large capture zone that is sufficient to remove the essential welding fumes.

But in particular cases, you may also want to remove dust particles generated due to welding, grinding, or other processes. The additional arms with the varying suctional head will help you clean up the additional mess and adapt to your necessities.

Again, there are multiple arms attached to a single extractor where each arm performs the same function, but the idea is to create multiple working arms with a single vacuum unit.

Do I Need To Regulate The Welding Fume Extractors Individually For Each Working Station?

Whether or not you need to regulate the welding fume extractor individually for each working station depends on what function you have set or the type of extractor appliance you have chosen.

The manufacturers offer different kinds of welding fume extractors for sale. Among them, many of the extractors are designed for your facility to run under the command of a single centralized system.

With these features, you can easily convey the central command’s operational instructions in multiple extractors or suction heads. So, you can regulate the power and motion to follow a single order or set individual regulation programs for individual extractors at each workstation.

This will help you a great deal to avoid complications in operating multiple extractors or extractor heads. Moreover, you can properly maintain the units with proper standards and no need to rely on inexperienced operators.

Another scope for you to regulate the welding fume extractors is when you use individual units of mobile or fixed extractors at each working station.

In those particular cases, if there is no linkage set up between the individual companies, you have to regulate them individually for each active station.

What Is A Portable High Vacuum Extractor?

The portable high vacuum extractor is one of the available welding fume extractors for sale. It will offer you flexible operational scopes. These extractors come with a built-in wheel system with which you can quickly move the units to any convenient location.

These extractors are comparatively smaller in size. So, if you are performing welding operations on areas inaccessible for larger or fixed extractors, the portable units are a perfect fit for you.

Portable high vacuum extractor

Moreover, if you are involved in occasional welding activities in multiple locations, the portable welding exhaust fume extractor is a perfect solution for your welding fumes.

These extractors have a built-in fume collection chamber within the unit. So, you don’t have to worry about setting up an exhaust line for discharging accumulated fume.

What Is The Difference Between Dust Classes M And H?

The dust class M is used to express dust particles that pose medium levels of risk for health, while the dust class H is used to express dust particles that pose higher levels of risk.

The class M dust is produced from repair compounds, cement fly ash, wood particles, small particulates emitted during welding operations, etc.

The safe exposure limit for dust class M is less than 0.1 mg/m³. It means, to keep yourself safe, you have to use an extractor that catches 99.9% of the dust class M.

On the other hand, the class H dust is produced from mineral fibers, bitumen, glass wool, metal particulates, etc.

The safe exposure limit for dust class H is less than 0.005 mg/m³. It means, to keep yourself safe, you have to use an extractor that catches 99.995% of the dust class H.

Are The Welding Fume Extractor Filters Self-cleaning?

The welding fume extractor for sale comes with both manual and self-cleaning filter technology. The filters are what blocks the dust and fume from entering the extractor. But when a sufficient amount of dust is accumulated on the filter layer, the extraction process may be disturbed.

So, it is required to remove the accumulated dust from the filter. In some particular models, the filters are automatically cleaned at regular intervals and discharged at the collection tube.

But in specific models, you need to clean the filter once dust is accumulated manually.

When And How Often Do I Need To Replace The Filter Of The Welding Fume Extractor?

There are different kinds of filters and how often you need to replace them depends on the type of filter. So you have to first decide which model you want to choose from welding fume extractor for sale.

Some filters are disposable and you must replace them after they reach their service life. The service life of the disposable filters depends on the number of particulates absorbed. There is an indication gauge within the filter.

Fume extractor filter

When you will observe that the last indication gauge has crossed, it means the filter layer is saturated with substrates. Then you should immediately replace those filters.

For self-cleaning filters, you can clean them to reuse them. But they are also limited to service life. Once the layers are fully saturated with permanent substrates and impossible to clean further, you should proceed to replace them.

What Is A Diluter Fume Extractor System?

A Diluter system is a general filtration procedure, where the background concentration level within a manufacturing facility is diluted and the concentration levels are kept in check.

The system ensures to keep the concentration levels of the facility below the permitted standards, such that the toxic levels are no longer harmful when inhaled during your breathing.

Diluter fume extractor system

How Do The Extraction Hoods Work?

By the extraction hoods system, you can separate a particular welding space from the surrounding environment so that the produced toxic fumes do not get distributed to the surrounding atmosphere.

The produced welding fume remains within the bounded area, increasing to higher concentrations. But these are not harmful as they are mostly set up in robotic welding operations.

Extraction hood

What Are The Types Of Welding Fume Extraction Ventilation System?

There are several types of welding fume extraction ventilation systems. The common ones are:

• Diluter system
• Extraction hood
• Multiple arm system
• Push-pull system
• Local exhaust ventilation
• Downdrift table system
• Portable high vacuum (PHV)
• Mobile weld fume extractor

How Are The Welding Extraction Systems Rated?

The welding fume extractors are rated on how much volume of air each unit can circulate per unit of time. In that regard, different unit sets are used to express in other areas depending on the country or region.

The ideal set of units to express the possible volume of air each extractor can circulate are cubic feet per minute (CFM).

Can I Use The Air-purifying Respirators To Protect Myself Against Welding Fumes?

Yes, you can use air-purifying respirators that filter the inhaling air from the toxic materials and lets you breathe in purified air.

Air-purifying respirators

Although this step is unnecessary in cases where welding fume collectors are sufficient to remove the toxic fumes from the air. But to add an extra layer of security you can use the air-purifying respirators in combination with the extractor system.

What Is A Low-vacuum / High-volume Fume Extraction System?

A low vacuum / High volume welding fume collector system focuses on extracting a high volume of welding fume with lower intensity levels.

You can use this system to position the extractor at a distant position from the welding point to obtain a larger capturing zone.

In this kind of system, the cross-section of the suction head is larger. So, you can quickly get a larger capture zone. But simultaneously, since the cross-sectional area is large, the intensity of the created negative pressure is reduced.

What Is A High-vacuum / Low Volume Extraction System?

A high-vacuum / low volume fume extraction system focuses on extracting a low volume of welding fume with higher intensity levels.

You can use this system to remove heavier and harder-to-remove particles from a closed position.

To ensure higher intensity, the cross-section of the extractor head is kept smaller. So, you can quickly get a higher power of negative pressure.

But simultaneously, since the cross-sectional area is small, the volume of the fume that you can extract reduces significantly.

What Factors Should I Consider To Setup The Welding Fume Extractors And Establish A Management System?

The weld fume management is an advanced system with which you can completely deal with the weld fume issue. With the proper direction, you can take care of any evolving issue much efficiently, with a long-term and cost-effective approach.

While setting up the welding fume extractors and establishing a management system, you should deal with the following factors:

• First of all, you have to determine the total workspace and area of your manufacturing facility.
• You have to analyze how much welding is targeted to be done per unit time.
• Analyze the number of welders working.
• With the previous pieces of information, you can calculate the required stations and volume of fume generated and needed to be extracted.
• Determine the type of welding fume extractor technology you want to implement for an efficient and effective solution to the weld fume issue.
• Calculate the number of extractors you require.
• Determine the locations to set up the extractor units.
• Along with extraction, you also have to analyze and ensure the system maintains sufficient air inflow within the facility.
• Following that, you have to ensure the extraction of fume through a central system or individual setup.
• Set up the protocol of where and how you want to discharge the collected fume.
• How much weld fume is generated also depends on the welding technique and material usage. So, you should also focus on the welder’s training and use proper materials to reduce fume production.
• At regular intervals, you have to monitor the health conditions of the workers whether the current setup is sufficient and they are being affected or not.
• Finally, you have to ensure the complete maintenance of the weld fume extractor appliances, changing of filters, etc., and other relevant areas.

How Should I Position Myself And The Fume Extractor To Reduce The Exposure To Welding Fumes?

The welding fumes are composed of gaseous substances and small particles. These are highly toxic. So, you should be careful that these pollutants are strictly removed before you inhale them.

During the welding operation, you have to position yourself close enough to the point of the process to have clear visibility of the procedure. So, it is likely that you might be exposed to welding fumes without the proper safety protocols.

While finding the suitable position for the extractor, you should always keep in mind to never give sufficient time for the welding fume to distribute in a larger area. For these setups, you first have to understand the nature of fumes.

When the fume is generated from the point of operation, it takes some time to get distributed and diffused into the surrounding air. With the welding fume extractor, you have to remove the fume within the minimum time range efficiently.

Positioning with welding fume extractor

Moreover, due to the highly generated heat, the newly formed fumes are lighter than air. So, just after the fume is generated, the highest density of the fume is concentrated just above the welding point. For radial distribution, the fume is evenly distributed in all directions maintaining a common radius.

So, you must position the suction head to remove the air from within the concerning radius and the top of the welding point. You must also match the focus with the timing that is sufficient to remove the welding fume.

For positioning yourself, you must always position the welding point between you and the welding fume extractor so that the fume never comes towards your face, instead gets pulled back by the draft force of the extractor.