Air Quality Issues in Automotive Manufacturing
The processes performed to assemble vehicles, plus the fume ventilation systems that keep employees safe, are detailed By TREVOR KENDALL, the technical director of VentMapping and engineering services at RoboVent (robovent.com), Sterling Heights, Mich. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. Reprinted with permission: The AWS Welding Journalrobots welding in an automobile factory
- Confirm the use of the best welding parameters, processes, and consumables for the application.
- Weld fumes may be reduced by using power supplies that deliver pulsed current rather than a steady current.
- Adhere to the wire manufacturer’s recommendations regarding the voltage and amperage settings that minimize fume generation.
- Make sure welds are sized properly. Overwelding will increase fumes present in the facility.
- Take care to ensure welding surfaces are clean. Oftentimes dust, oil, paint, and other residues on surfaces not only weaken the weld, but also form other fumes that may be toxic.
- Adjust the position of the manual welder, welding machine, or location of the robotic welding cell to minimize overexposure to weld fumes.
- Hoods, cells, and arms work well for robotic and manual welding stations.
- Fume extraction guns remove the fumes directly at the weld. Modern fume extraction guns can be ergonomic and capture fumes at the source without compromising the quality of the weld. This is a useful option for welders working with large weldments that cannot be hooded. Fume guns also work well for welders who need to be mobile or work in tight spaces.
- Fume arms are a versatile solution for capturing dust and fumes. They are designed with movable arms that may be put into various movable positions to best capture fumes as weldments and welding positions change. Fume arms are not particularly cumbersome, but they do need to be moved into position by the welder.
- Crossflow and downdraft tables or backdraft hoods are a good option for welders working with smaller parts in a fixed location. This source capture system pulls contaminated air away from the welder’s breathing zone and returns clean air into the workspace.
- Unfortunately, fumes cannot always be captured at the source. In these cases, ambient air filtration systems are necessary for regulatory compliance. In some cases, plants will need to use both source capture and ambient extraction systems for the greatest effectiveness.