Introduction: Extraction of Oil Mist from CNC Machining Process

The FumeKiller® finds use across a variety of applications. Primarily used as a welding fume extractor or soldering fume extractor, the FumeKiller® also finds use as an effective oil mist collector. Following are the details of a successful application of the FumeKiller® for the extraction of oil mist generated from a CNC machining process.

The Challenge: Issues due to Oil Mist in the Shop Floor 

Nexteer, a well known and established player in the manufacturing industry was facing an issue commonly faced during the CNC machining process – oil mist.

The process involved the use of neat cutting oil during the machining process which led to the generation of oil mist. The mist would escape into the shopfloor which led to various issues, including:

1. Reduction in air quality within the shopfloor.
2. Mist settling within the gaps on the machine which may lead to breakdowns and system failures.
3. Loss of oil mist means loss of usable neat cutting oil over time.

Any solution provided to the customer would need to be designed with all the above problems in mind and effectively solve each issue.

The Solution: FumeKiller® model FK2000EM

To address both the primary and secondary issues, a careful study of the work area was done before suggesting a FumeKiller® model FK2000EM for the capture and control of the generated oil mist. The unit was to be mounted on a 6.5 ft. pipe stand positioned close to the CNC machine. This positioning would also provide an additional advantage of being able to collect the filtered oil mist from a drain point provided on the FumeKiller® unit.

The logic used for this solution is primarily based on the concept of mist evacuation where the entire volume of air within the CNC machine is evacuated within a certain time, usually 5-10 seconds. This ensures that when the doors of the machine are opened there are no mist particles that escape into the shopfloor.

Results and Impact: Successful Implementation of FumeKiller®

The implementation of the FumeKiller® was a success which allowed for multiple benefits to our client:

• Improvement in Air Quality: The complete volume of air within the CNC machines, which would include the generated oil mist, was being evacuated before the doors were opened and therefore, with no release of oil mist into the shopfloor, it resulted in a significant improvement in the air quality.
• Operational Efficiency: The FumeKiller® model FK2000DPEM is a single oil mist collector unit that was equipped with a dual-pass filtration system, allowing for greater efficiency of filtration and therefore, even cleaner air being released into the shopfloor.
• Cost Savings: Because the filtered oil could be collected and reused, the neat cutting oil for the process was more efficiently and economically used, which resulted in a direct reduction in operational costs.
• Regulatory Compliance: The successful implementation of the FumeKiller® as an oil mist collector resulted in the customer meeting the required air quality standards within the shopfloor.

Conclusion: The Capability of FumeKiller®

The successful execution of the project serves as another example of the capability and versatility of the FumeKiller® as a fume extractor as well as an oil mist collector. It can be stated with confidence that the FumeKiller® is probably one of the most effective air pollution control systems currently available. For more details about the FumeKiller®, visit our website or you can get in touch with us for any requirement you may have for air pollution control solutions.

Electrostatic fume extractors are designed for the capture and control of fine particulate matter like fumes, smoke, dust, mist etc that are generated during industrial processes. Some of the aforementioned processes include welding, soldering and brazing. These systems make use of the principle of electrostatic filtration, which is simple, effective and efficient.

How It Works

At its core, these systems make use of electrostatic filtration modules. Here’s a step by step breakdown of the stages of operation of the electrostatic filter modules used by Powertech Pollution Controls.

1. Intake: The air consisting of pollutants like fumes and smoke is pulled into the system through the inlet.
2. Charging Stage: The first stage of the filtration modules makes use of aluminium parallel plates where all the fine particles receive a heavy positive charge.
3. Collection Stage: The second stage of the filters use a second set of more closely placed parallel plates which have alternating positive and negative charges. When the positively charged particles pass through this stage, they are pushed onto the negative plates where they get stuck.
4. Release: The filtered air is then released either back into the shop floor or into the atmosphere, free of all fine particulate matter.

It is to be noted that the filtered particles remain stuck on the electrostatic plates even after the system is turned off due to residual static charge.

Benefits of an Electrostatic Filtration System

1. High Efficiency: These system can capture particles that are up to 0.01 microns in size with 90 – 99% efficiency.
2. Reusable Filters: These filters have a long life and only require minimum maintenance of occasional cleaning.
3. Low Pressure Drop: Due to the use of parallel plates, the air passing through the filters have minimal obstruction and therefore, these system demonstrate a very low pressure drop between the inlet and outlet. 
4. Lower Power Usage: the low pressure drop allows for higher capacity systems with lower power consumptions. These systems usually require only half the power of a similar system using a physical filter.
5. Economic Benefits: The lower power usage, minimal maintenance requirements and negligible replacement costs, these systems can reduce running costs by about 30%.

Applications of Electrostatic Fume Extractors

These systems are typically used as one of the following:

1. Welding Fume Extractor
2. Soldering Fume Extractor
3. Oil Mist Collector

They are typically used in welding and soldering stations, CNC machining centers, automotive workshops, electronics manufacturing and food processing units.

Electrostatic filters are the smart choice for industries that need clean air. They are effective, efficient and economically more viable over the long term.