14/07/23
Many industrial processes produce airborne contaminants which can create a risk to human health, as well as the potential to impact production and product quality.
In a growing number of countries around the world, workplace exposure limits (WELS) are in place covering emissions resulting from industrial processes. These are designed to help ensure that workplace environments are safe for people and transgression can be costly both in terms of penalties and corporate reputation.
BOFA’s continuous development of fume and dust extraction technology can be a key contributor to workplace occupational health and safety strategies, helping manufacturers stay compliant with local regulations by maintaining a clean working environment.
BOFA’s portable technology is proven to filter airborne contaminates down to 0.3 microns in size emitted. It achieves this through the advanced collection and filtration of fume and dust, thanks to multi-stage filtration that includes a patented DeepPleat DUO pre-filter, a main High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter and a layer of activated carbon to remove vapours, gases and odours. The exact configuration, airflow rates and filtration media will depend upon each application and the industrial process involved.
BOFA systems have really proven their worth in recent times by delivering reliable performance and automated monitoring when workplace restrictions have sometimes meant fewer eyes on the shop floor. Customer feedback has reported that the availability of reliable control functionality and continuous filter condition monitoring and remote diagnostics has enabled a timely exchange of filters, which not only helps safeguard operatives but helps keep equipment clear of contaminants, which helps avoid unplanned downtime.
BOFA systems are designed to deal with process-specific emissions, including laser coding, marking, cutting and engraving, ink printing, electronics soldering, and 3D printing.
In additive manufacturing, BOFA’s technology helps to filter nanoparticles and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which can be emitted during these processes. Each solution takes account of the processes, substrates and chemical interaction to help ensure optimal protection for the workforce and avoid unnecessary downtime that can be caused by equipment contamination.
When supplying a new customer with fume and dust filtration technology, BOFA ensures that the system design meets the specific needs of each application. In some higher temperature instances, this includes taking account of a risk of a thermal event and introducing mitigating technology. This could include BOFA’s Spark Arrestor 2 and FireBOX products, which will filter hot embers before they reach the fume extraction unit, which itself is thermal cut-out protected.
So, with this combination of system monitoring, smart airflow management, extended filter life and bespoke design, BOFA technology can play an important role in keeping manufacturing environments safe for employees. BOFA units are also portable, meaning that they can easily be manoeuvred to support an agile manufacturing environment – a benefit that is becoming increasingly important as companies seek to flex opportunities in new markets and respond quickly to customer demand.
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