Modern fiber laser tables generate heated metal, smoke, and gases, which can be hazardous if inhaled by machine operators. In order to prevent this accident occurring good ventilation would be required to prevent toxic airborne particles from affecting vital organs of employees. Dust collectors are most effective equipment used to capture particles at the source.
The Farr Gold Series baffle inlet should be used to help deflect any sparks that make it to the collector. A spark drops out box should also be considered. A baffle arrangement in the table itself that creates a difficult path for the sparks being generated is also helpful in preventing the sparks reaching the collector. In extreme cases, spark detection and suppression should be considered.
Fire resistant cartridges should always be used in this application, as well as sprinkler heads in the collector itself. Explosion vents should also be included when cutting aluminium. The collector should be located outside.
Two of the most important factors when choosing the size of our dust collectors are, the expected amount of smoke generated being collected and the type of material being cut.
Numerous things affect the amount of particulate being collected. Firstly, the amperage of the plasma cutter itself. A 300-amp plasma will cut much faster and have a much higher loading than a 100-amp plasma. Some tables may have two heads operating at the same time.
A zoned table will have a much higher loading due to lower airflow required for the amount of material being collected. It can be compared to source capture verses general ventilation on non-zoned tables.
When cutting aluminium, the air to cloth ratio should also be lowered. The air to cloth ratio should be no more than 1:1 on lighter loadings and as low as 0.5:1 on very heavy loadings. HemiPleat fire resistant cartridges should be used in this application at these air to cloth ratios.
Plasma cutters are available in portable units much like an acetylene torch as well as CNC controlled plasma tables. The application that this paper addresses is for CNC Plasma tables and laser tables. The melted metal and smoke that is generated from laser and plasma tables is pulled down through the grate. The sparks and melted metal settle out in the area below the grate. The smoke is then removed through the duct work and filtered through the Farr Gold Series collector.
Ireland
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