Five Musts for Dusts: Dust Collection System Design Tips

Contained dust collection equipment is used in pharmaceutical facilities for a variety of reasons, from environmental compliance and employee health and safety to preventing cross-contamination of materials in multi-product manufacturing facilities.

Given these concerns, and the fact that many pharmaceutical dusts are potent and/or hazardous, contained dust collection systems are found in the majority of pharmaceutical processing facilities today. Such systems typically use safe-change containment for both the filter cartridges (bag-in/bag-out) and the discharge system underneath the collector (continuous liner technology).

By David Steil, pharmaceutical market manager, Camfil Air Pollution Control

Extreme Smog Over China Seen from Space

Images captured by NASA's Terra Satellite in December show why it's more important than ever to control air pollution in China and throughout the world.

Haze over China as captured by MODIS (image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, LANCE MODIS Rapid Response.)

China suffered another severe bout of air pollution in December 2013. When the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this image on December 7, 2013, thick haze stretched from Beijing to Shanghai, a distance of about 1,200 kilometers (750 miles). For comparison, that is about the distance between Boston, Massachusetts, and Raleigh, North Carolina. The brightest areas are clouds or fog. Polluted air appears gray. While northeastern China often faces outbreaks of extreme smog, it is less common for pollution to spread so far south.

Article: Proper Air Filtration — See No Evil, Hear No Evil (Metal Forming Magazine)

Noise and haze can add stress unnecessarily to already taxed welders and machine operators. Why inhibit their productivity when all that’s needed is a well-designed and properly installed air filtration system? This was precisely the case at this agricultural equipment OEM.

Original story by Brad F. Kuvin, Editor of Metal Forming Magazine.
For even more information about industrial dust collection, visit Camfil APC's website.

Ducting from Fast Manufacturing’s Mazak laser tube-cutting machine leads to a Farr Gold Series GS8 dust collector, located outdoors.

Welders and cutting machine operators welcome new technology that makes their days more productive, safe, rewarding and enjoyable. Such joy and appreciation can quickly subside when improved productivity and throughput comes with added shop noise and dirtier air.

Such was the case at agricultural industry supplier Fast Manufacturing of Mountain Lake, MN, a manufacturer of pull-type sprayers and liquid fertilizer application equipment. As the market for such equipment has surged since 2008, according to Fast general manager Clay Roll, so has the firm’s fabrication and welding capacity.

In 2009 the firm added 4800 sq. ft. to its main fabrication building, which houses 25 manual arc welding booths. In 2011, a second adjoining production facility welcomed a new plasma arc cutting table, and in January 2012 a new 4500-W laser cutting machine. Finally, in December of 2012 the firm acquired a second 4500-W laser cutting machine, replacing the plasma table. A third adjoining building features a 4000-W laser cutting machine designed to cut tubes and structural sections. Fast processes structural steel plates and sheets from 16 gauge in thickness to 2 in., and square tubes ¾ in. to 10 in.