Can Downdraft Tables Be Used For Welding Smoke?

Downdraft tables are well suited for grinding or cutting applications. In these applications, larger and heavier particulates fall out of the air and are captured by the table.

The best solutions for welding smoke account for hot smoke’s tendency to rise. For this reason, a downdraft table is not an ideal solution for welding smoke. A powerful table, however, could most likely capture a large amount of smoke. Downdraft tables are sometimes used in situations where welding and cutting or grinding is conducted on the same work surface.

If the table will be used primarily for high-production manual welding, a better choice is a backdraft or sidedraft table such as the RoboVent Crossflow table, which will capture weld fumes as they rise and pull them away from the welder’s breathing zone. Fume arms are another good choice for manual welding stations.