ABIBLOG: ABICOR BINZEL's Welding Blog

When welding aluminum, as with all other weldable metals and metal alloys, emissions arise in the form of combustion and evaporation residues.

Which protective measures are suitable here and is aluminum welding toxic?

When it comes to welding fume extraction, a couple of questions are frequently asked. Often it is about the performance, weight or handling of fume extraction torches, but also the service life of welding fume filters in extraction devices or the correct volume flow control are recurring topics.

Since welding fumes are toxic and the extraction of welding fumes should be mandatory to protect employees, we answer the most frequently asked questions about welding fume extraction and clear up common prejudices and concerns so that you can find the perfect solution for you and your welders.

The fact that the welder is close to the welding process and would therefore be completely exposed to the dangerous gases in the welding fumes without a fume extraction system is no surprise. But how is the situation when using a robot for welding? Do similar precautions need to be implemented as with manual welding? Just as with manual welding, the dangers of welding fumes should not be underestimated.

Extracting harmful welding fumes should be standard in every manufacturing company for health reasons. Many rely on large extraction systems for extraction, which completely exchange all of the hall air within a very short time. More efficient and far cheaper than such large air filtration systems are extraction devices where appropriate fume extraction torches can be connected for source capture. With the fume extraction torches RAB GRIP and RAB GRIP HE 2 from ABICOR BINZEL, fume extraction is easy.

When welding metals, there are a number of emissions which, on the one hand, cause the legally prescribed MAK values (“maximale Arbeitsplatz-Konzentration”: maximum workplace concentration) to rise above the permissible threshold value and, due to toxic and / or disease-causing ingredients, represent a health risk for the personnel in the processing area. This fact obliges companies in the welding industry in particular to ensure effective air filtering and ventilation in the areas concerned. Because not only the welder himself is affected by the harmful emissions, but also the rest of the staff in the production hall, who are exposed to the welding fumes.

In addition to a large number of stationary fume extraction systems, the torch-integrated fume extraction (fume extraction torches) is one of the most effective and mobile methods that can be used. Welding with fume extraction torches is definitely a challenge when it comes to the handling.

So how can you weld correctly with fume extraction torches? What do you need to pay attention to?

Purchasing a fume extraction unit is the first step in the right direction. To protect the welder and other endangered persons from the dangers of welding fumes for as long as possible, there are a few things to consider, especially when it comes to the fume filters. The fume filter ensures that the hazardous gases in the welding fumes are filtered out and that the working environment is safe for everyone. How exactly does that work?

Fume extraction systems are designed to help you, which also requires you take care of them. Maintenance is a simple, yet important part of keeping your fume extraction systems running at their optimal performance level. Whether you have a portable or large stationary fume system, the maintenance is manageable and necessary. These different systems require their own specific attention, but ultimately use the same maintenance checklist. 

The decision to purchase and use a fume extraction system and a fume extraction torch to capture the health-endangering welding fumes directly at the source is becoming increasingly easier for many people. The awareness of the potentially hazardous gases in welding fumes has cleary spread throughout the industry.

Are you looking to continue advancing your welding process? You've completed the first step by adding robots to your operation, but now you're looking to improve safety among your team. Step two is setting up a robotic fume extraction system in your plant to improve air quality. The xFUME™ ROBO by ABICOR BINZEL USA and CA is the most effective and economical way to control welding smoke emissions with fume source capture.

If you are looking to invest in Fume Extraction equipment but you don't want to use manual Fume Extraction torches because they are too heavy, you're using a Machine/Robotic torch and you're concerned about access issues or you're simply on a tight budget - then here are a few external kits that you can use with your existing setup.

RAS Torch Kits 

The RAS fume extraction option is an economical and ergonomic alternative to integrated fume extraction torches e.g. RAB GRIP.