Case Study: C&C Machining

A Ductless Air Filtration System for Better Weld Smoke Management
When C&C Machining needed a new solution to manage weld smoke in their main production facility, they came to RoboVent. The Vortex™ ductless ambient air filtration system has transformed the working environment, significantly improving air quality and worker health.

“The system we had before never really worked—no matter what, we always had the smoke haze across the floor. With the Vortex units we have now, literally within minutes, there’s nothing visible to the eye.”

- Tanner Cowan, Vice President of Manufacturing, C&C Machining

The Problem

C&C Machining is a family-owned and operated business in Centerville, Iowa, specializing in machining, welding and fabrication for large companies including Vermeer. With a team of 110—comprising 20-30 welders along with painters, assemblers and machinists—they make agricultural products such as hay rakes and tedders and heavy equipment including landfill compactors, car loggers and balers, snow removal equipment and cement mixers. C&C has several buildings, with total production space of ~150,000 square feet.

When they started looking for an air cleaning solution, their primary concern was weld smoke. Most welding operations are concentrated in the center section of an open 50,000-square-foot building. Without mitigation, weld smoke travels throughout the space and creates a visible haze in the air and an unattractive sooty buildup on ceilings and other surfaces. Air quality testing showed that particulate matter concentrations were approaching the level of concern. Air quality was especially bad in the winter when facility doors remained closed.

The company tried a number of air quality remedies over the years, including overhead receiving hoods and a push-pull ventilation system. The air filtration system for the receiving hoods was costly and time-consuming to maintain, without making a big enough difference in air quality. The ducted push-pull ventilation system exhausted heated or conditioned air to the outside and pulled fresh makeup air in from the outside, driving up energy bills. In addition, the ductwork was awkward and interfered with overhead cranes. Most importantly, the system simply didn’t produce the results they wanted. Gaylon Cowan, the founder and owner of C&C Machining, says, “It helped a little bit, but it was just nothing like they said it would.”

C&C Machining needed an air quality solution that would:

• Filter air and return it to the facility to keep heated or cooled air in.
• Operate without ductwork to keep ceilings clear for overhead cranes.
• Prevent weld smoke from drifting through the facility and maintain a clean, comfortable and healthy environment for workers.

The RoboVent Solution

C&C Machining initially approached Airgas, their long-time partner in welding consumables and gases, for ideas. Airgas suggested they take a look at RoboVent. Adam Pfeiffer, the Solutions Sales Director for RoboVent, got to work designing the solution.

Based on C&C’s requirements, Adam recommended putting in an ambient air filtration system, which would operate without ducts and clean air for the whole facility. The Vortex™ Series fit the bill. The Vortex system, built on RoboVent’s powerful Senturion® cartridge dust collector, uses intake and exhaust plenums to pull in dirty air and push out clean, filtered air. Units are placed in a “V” formation to create a vortex airflow pattern for maximum efficiency. With the Vortex system, dirty air is filtered and cleaned, keeping the shop environment virtually smoke-free and providing cleaner air for the employees.

C&C ultimately purchased 10 Vortex units, placing six in the main welding facility and four in a secondary facility. The six units in the main building are positioned in the center section where welding takes place. They fit neatly in the column lines so they do not take up production space; C&C chose an elevated stand so they can use the space beneath each unit for storage. Since there was no ductwork to install, the units were easy to set up. In fact, C&C was able to set them up themselves, with RoboVent’s team following up for inspection and commissioning.

The Result

Since implementing the Vortex system, Gaylon says “The difference has been like night and day.” Air is clean and comfortable, with no visible haze even when the doors are closed. Employees have also noticed the difference: if the Vortex units are not turned on when they get there, they make sure they are up and running before they get to work. Tanner Cowan, the Vice President of Manufacturing, says, “Before, when welders would go home after a 10-hour shift, they’d blow their noses and have black coming out. Now, they say they don’t even have to blow their noses when they go home! It’s just impressive how clean the area is compared to how it was before.”

These human observations are backed up by data. RoboVent ran a two-week particulate monitoring study, measuring air quality for one week before implementation and again after implementation. Prior to installing the Vortex units, their air particulate numbers were running between 0.75-1.0 milligrams per cubic meter of air (mg/m3). Now, they average less than 0.1 mg/m3 each day.

The units have proven to be easy to maintain, too. The system is optimized to extend filter life and minimize maintenance. The cartridge filters are protected by mesh-style spark traps, which collect some of the coarser particulate matter and prevent welding sparks from reaching the filter chamber. C&C purchased a second set of these washable mesh filters so they can swap them out for cleaning as needed.

The new Vortex units met all their requirements: the system is easy to set up or reconfigure, simple to maintain, and ductless, so it does not interfere with overhead cranes. Filtered air is returned to the facility, keeping heating and cooling bills low. Best of all, employees are healthier and more comfortable. The Cowans like the system so much that they are considering installing Vortex units in a third production building. “It was great working with RoboVent,” says Gaylon. “We’re very, very pleased with the results.”