Welding Dedusting Equipment
Welding can create a wide range of airborne contaminants that are hazardous to workers. Depending on the nature of your welding operation, we can design and install dust collection equipment that will effectively supply your welders with clean air free of welding fumes and dangerous small particles for the duration of their working shift.
Welding fumes
Welding fumes are airborne particles and gases that can be released from welding processes. They can be harmful to welders, as well as others in the area.
When welding metal, the heat from the arc can vaporize the metal and release tiny particles of hot metal into the air. These particles are called “fumes.” They are dangerous for welders because they can cause respiratory and gastrointestinal problems.
The size of the particles that are generated in welding can range from nanometers to hundreds of micrometers. These submicron particles are easy to inhale and can get very deep into a worker’s lungs.
Welders who inhale these small particles can have a number of short-term effects, including eye and nose irritation, dizziness, nausea, and coughing. Long-term exposure to these particles can also cause health problems, such as lung and larynx cancers.
Particles in the size range of 1-7 mm are the most dangerous to welders because they can penetrate deep into the lungs and are not readily cleared by the cilia that line the lungs.
These particles can have a direct impact on the brain and central nervous system, which may lead to serious health conditions. They are also known to cause respiratory diseases, such as bronchitis and pneumonitis.
Other effects of welding fumes include metal fume fever and pulmonary edema. These conditions can also cause a variety of symptoms, including chills, thirst, muscle pain, chest pain, and fatigue.
A welding dedusting system can help control the amount of welding fumes that are produced in your workplace. These systems are designed to collect and filter the welding fumes and other hazardous small particles that are produced during the welding process.
Welding fumes contain a wide range of toxic chemicals and metals that can harm the body, including hexavalent chromium, manganese, and nickel. They can cause cancer, emphysema, kidney damage, and neurological problems.
The amount of welding fume that is allowed in a worker’s breathing zone depends on several factors, including the type of welding and the concentration of the fumes. These measurements are used to determine the appropriate safety limits for welders and to provide the basis for a respiratory protection program.
Welding dust
Welding is the process of joining pieces of metal together using heat or pressure. As a result, the work environment can be dangerous and hazardous to the welders and workers around them.
Welders are exposed to many health and safety risks as they perform their job, including fire and explosion hazards, heat and burns, electrical dangers and risks of ultraviolet radiation. However, the most dangerous hazard is welding dust and fumes.
When welding metals, the heated material releases fumes that condense into fine particles, invisible to the naked eye. These particles contain toxic metals, including hexavalent chromium and nickel.
Hexavalent chromium and nickel are toxins that increase your risk of cancer, especially in the lung. Exposure to these materials can also cause siderosis, a disease of the lungs that is fatal.
Beryllium, a welding dedusting equipment similar chemical, can cause bronchitis and lung diseases called berylliosis. Other toxic chemicals in welding dust are iron, nickel, zinc and manganese.
Aside from their health implications, these metals are hazardous to the environment. They pollute the air and can damage the plants, animals and soil surrounding the site where they are produced.
As a result, the welding industry must have strict regulations to protect workers and the public from exposure. These include limiting the amount of metal that can be welded, controlling the temperature of the fumes, protecting against explosion hazards and using dust collectors to capture the harmful welding fumes.
To minimize your facility’s welding dust, you must have a dedicated welding dedusting system that is made with industrial-grade steel. It must be able to handle the harsh, industrial environment and withstand the repeated use that it will see.
Your welding dust collector will need to be designed based on the type of metals you are welding, the amount of air you are collecting and how often you plan to use it. It should be able to capture the dust, convey it to a collection point and filter it down to a fine powder that is easy to dispose of.
Nederman offers a wide range of welding and metal processing dedusting equipment that can help keep your facility safe, clean and efficient. We can design a solution that fits your needs and budget, including flexible extraction near the torch, multi-user fixed weld fume extraction systems, filter carts, portable units and more. Contact us today to learn more about how we can make your workplace safer.
Welding slag
Welding dedusting equipment is used to remove dust, fumes and slag from welding processes. It can be used with many different types of welding, including shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), flux-cored arc welding (FCAW) and electrode-assisted gas welding (AGW).
Slag is the non-metallic product that forms from the chemical reactions that occur during welding. It can also be the result of oxidation in a joint and can act as a barrier between molten weld pool and subsequent weld passes or coatings.
It is important to understand how welding slag is formed and what its purpose is in a welding process. This will help you better manage it when working on a project.
During the welding process, slag forms as the heat from the arc melts the filler metal and flux coating on the electrode. This slag collects with the base metal into a molten weld pool.
The slag protects the molten pool from contaminants in the air as well as other elements that may not be compatible with the weld metal. It also serves as a barrier against the formation of unwanted spatter on nearby surfaces that can interfere with the welding process.
However, slag can be a problem if it becomes embedded into the actual weld. This is called slag inclusion and can be very difficult to remove.
It can also be difficult to clean off with manual or power tools, requiring a more thorough approach to remove it. If slag is deep inside the weld, grinding is required to remove it completely.
A good welding technique can prevent slag inclusions by creating the correct weld bead profile. Travel speed and voltage are key factors for achieving this.
Another factor is the type of slag material that you use. Fluxes that contain calcium carbonate content are notorious for causing slag inclusions because of their high wettability and surface tension. They tend to dip into the pool rather than rise to the top, welding dedusting equipment making it easier for slag to accumulate at easily accessible points in the puddle.
If slag is left in the weld, it can be removed using a chipping hammer or wire brush. Some slag materials can self-peel so that it will release itself from the weld after you finish welding it.
Welding gas
There are two main types of gases in welding: inert and reactive. Inert gasses, such as argon and helium, don’t react with the elements in the weld pool, so they protect it from contamination. They also help promote the formation of a strong, quality weld.
Reactive gases, on the other hand, combine chemically with the elements in the weld pool and can change or alter the properties of the resulting weld. They also increase or decrease the heat of the welding process.
When choosing a welding gas, keep in mind your goals for the final weld. Often, you’ll be looking for a specific result like a deeper penetration or more fluidity in the weld pool.
Penetration is a major concern in welding, especially for welds that undergo repeated stress or heavy loads. For those purposes, you’ll want a high-quality shielding gas that will have a uniform and deep distribution of penetration across the weld.
Argon is the most commonly used shielding gas for welds that require a good quality of penetration. It has a low thermal conductivity, so it doesn’t pass heat quickly, and this contributes to a narrow and deep penetration.
Another gas is carbon dioxide, or C02. This is a common gas that we breathe out when we exhale, and it’s less expensive than argon. It has a few disadvantages, however, including the fact that it can produce more spatter during the welding process.
In some cases, it can even lead to arc instability or a poor weld. Using it in mixtures with other gases can be a better option.
A mix of argon, carbon dioxide, and oxygen can help you achieve the fluidity you need in the weld pool. This will improve the travel speed of the welder and make for a more productive welding job.
The combination of argon, CO2, and O2 can also help you to produce an austenitic (low-corrosive, non-magnetic) stainless steel weld. This type of welding requires a reactive gas to increase the surface heat and arc energy.
In addition to the three main gas types, you can also use other types of gases for certain applications, such as a purging gas that’s used during stainless steel welding. A purging gas does the same job as a shielding gas, but it’s applied on the underside of a joint.