What Is The Best Kind Of Dust Collector For My Laser Or Plasma Cutting Table?

Dust collectors for laser or plasma cutting tables must take into account the high volume of dust produced by these processes as well as the dust’s extremely fine particulates. Capturing this dust quickly and completely is crucial for protecting workers and for guaranteeing that your laser cutting equipment works properly. (Accumulating smoke and dust can interfere with the laser beam.) Also, because many metallic dusts are combustible, dust collection is necessary to avoid potentially catastrophic fires and explosions.

The RoboVent Plaser Series of dust collectors is tailor-made for these applications. These units offer powerful performance with low operating costs, using automated systems to run only when they need to. The units are also designed to reduce the risk of fires. The optional Delta3 Spark Arrestor kills sparks before they can ignite filter media.

Many of the metals involved in laser and plasma cutting create toxic dust and smoke, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set permissible exposure limits (PEL’s) for many of these substances. Below is a list of just a few of them:

• Cadmium: 0.005 mg/m3
• Hexavalent chromium: 0.005 mg/m3
• Lead: 0.05 mg/m3
• Nickel: 1.0 mg/m3

Exposure to these substances is associated with a wide variety of very serious health problems, from respiratory irritation to cancer. Implementing a rigorous air quality solution is necessary both to protect workers and to keep your facility in regulatory compliance.