ABIBLOG: ABICOR BINZEL's Welding Blog

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, your using a Machine/Robotic torch and your concerned about access issues or your 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.

ABICOR BINZEL USA is now offering full turn-key solutions to fume extraction welding in both automated, robotic applications and manual applications.

Fume extraction is part of the basic equipment of every welding workplace. There is a wide range of extraction systems on the market, and the requirements are just as individual. From stationary systems that regularly exchange air in a complete production hall to mobile fume extraction with the absorption of welding fume directly at its point of origin, the so-called source extraction, there are many variants. In a previous blog, we went into more detail about the benefits of the extraction at the source. Today we want to focus on the costs that you will face if you want to buy a fume extraction system.

How to mitigate welding fume is a big topic. People, by instinct, oftentimes say, "Oh, I'll put a mask on and that'll be sufficient"

Now, however, there is a systematic approach that's been used by OSHA or any health and safety offices. Now, the approach is to start looking at the process, and starting at the bottom of mitigation pyramid and systematically moving up.

Eliminating or Substituting the Weld Process

The first question to ask is if it is possible to eliminate or substitute the process that's causing the fume? Obviously, most of the time it's not possible to remove welding from the operation. But it's worth considering if you are using stick welding or flux core welding whether you can substitute this process for a better process as far as smoke creation?

What is welding fumes? We all have an idea of what is welding fume. It is obviously coming from molten metal that you create when you're welding. The mixture of the welding smoke is changing from one process to the other, but overall, it's a mixture of very fine particles and gases.

When you start looking at fume extraction solutions, there are a multitude of engineered possibilities to assist in the capture of weld fume. These are typically the most effective way of dealing with weld fume in the workplace apart from removing the welding process.