Robotic Welding and Fume Collection

Clean Air Matrix

RoboVent engineers are experts in every category of air filtration and ventilation. The four categories below represent the major options for treating your contaminated air. RoboVent has designed solutions for each of these categories and has manufactured air filtration systems of unrivaled quality.

For more information about these categories, see Indoor Air Quality 101.

Ambient_Filtration

Large blowers and air filtration equipment draw contaminated air from the plant (typically at the ceiling level), filter it and return it to the plant. This is a proven solution in plants welding large parts with overhead cranes. It reduces the haze in the air, resulting in a cleaner working environment, with no negative pressure or heat loss.

SourceCapture_Filtration

Air in the immediate area of the welding activity is captured in a hood system, then filtered and returned to the plant. This is the best solution whenever possible. It allows for a more flexible system and removes the smoke directly from the operator's breathing zone. There are many types of source capture, including overhead hoods, crossflow hoods, fume arms and fume guns, some of which work better than others.

Ambient_Exhaust

Large exhaust fans draw contaminated air from the plant and exhaust it directly into the environment, typically through the roof or walls. This is a traditional method and often results in negative air pressure. Also, it is very difficult to climate-control your plant and the system may not work well in the winter.

SourceCapture_Exhaust
Air in the immediate area of the welding activity is captured in a hood, sent through ductwork, and exhausted directly into the environment. This is a lower capital cost alternative to filtration, but tends to result in high operating costs and large, unsightly ducting systems that work less efficiently with modifications. It also results in negative pressure problems.

Introduction to Dust and Fume Collection for Robotic Welding

If you're designing and installing new robotic welding cells, you've got enough on your plate without worrying about dust collection and air quality regulations. RoboVent offers a flexible suite of clean air solutions to fit a variety of robotic welding cells and applications. Our fume collectors and enclosures are easy to install and simple to integrate with your robotic welding system.

As domestic manufacturing increases, robotic welding cells are proliferating. That's not news to you. These cells require serious weld fume mitigation, however. In today's plants, floor space is precious, so fume collectors must be unobtrusive. Also, since manufacturers must be nimble to accommodate changing production lines, collectors must be flexible, as well. RoboVent has decades of experience with robotic welding systems and understands how to integrate our fume collectors with your robotic welding equipment. By working with RoboVent, you can offer your customers a one-stop, all-in-one package.

Fume Collection Challenges in Robotic Welding

The dangers of weld fumes are well known. The regulatory environment, however, is an ever-shifting landscape. RoboVent understands both. We understand permissible exposure limits (PEL’s) and why they are mandated in workplaces. The extreme heat involved in welding creates fumes with metal particulates less than a micron in diameter. The smaller the particulate, the easier it is inhaled and absorbed into the body. Toxic substances, such as hexavalent chromium, can travel in these fumes. Exposure to this substance, and others, is known to cause cancer and other serious health problems. A comprehensive fume collection system is necessary to protect workers’ health and to comply with federal regulations.

All manufacturers know about air quality regulations, but not everyone understands the details. RoboVent has decades of experience navigating the PEL’s and TWA’s (time-weighted averages) and other acronyms of OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, of course). We know how to design and install fume collection systems that safeguard a facility and its workers from airborne contaminants and that meet the latest air quality regulations. RoboVent is particularly expert in addressing the fumes created by robotic welding cells.

Solutions for Dust and Fumes in Robotic Welding

RoboVent has been a leader in clean air solutions for robotic welding for more than 25 years. By working with us, you can solve all of your customer’s problems—packaging robotic welding units with the best fume collectors available. Our collectors and weld cell fume hoods are easy to install and can work with any robotic welding unit—or units.

A collector tailor-made for robotic welding cells is the Spire system. This system is perfect for automotive suppliers and other factory environments where space is at a premium. We build safety, energy savings and efficiency into every piece of equipment we make.

The Spire unit is a flexible, cost-effective alternative to a centralized ducted system. Each unit provides filtration for an individual welding cell. It’s a powerful system that can keep up with the heavy demands of robotic welding in a high-production factory. Fire suppression is a high priority, as well. Our proprietary Delta3 spark arrestance system comes standard with every unit and provides superior fire safety. We also designed the unit to keep maintenance at a minimum—filter changes are fast and easy, and our proprietary ePad Control Panel makes upkeep headache-free.

RoboVent’s Streamline Hood is the perfect companion for a Spire unit. It can accommodate any arrangement of robotic welding cells, from a single unit to a variety of configurations, including turntable, Ferris wheel or headstock/tallstock. Our modular design makes installation and modification quick and easy.

We know that no two clients are the same, and we are committed to finding the right solution. In addition to our space-saving Spire configuration, you can also choose from our traditional ducted configurations and our FloorSaver system. The latter maximizes your floor space by stacking the collector right on top of the weld cell hood.

With 12 offices across North America and a growing presence worldwide, we can be wherever you are. By forging this relationship, you can offer your customers an all-in-one package and build air quality right into your solution. Contact us to find out how easy it is to integrate RoboVent clean air solutions into your robotic welding plans.

Solutions