RECENTLY Gold Coast-based powder coating facility, Bundall Powder Coating and Sandblasting, completely upgraded its dust handling system to optimise occupational health and safety standards for employees, plus gain a system that is largely self-cleaning.
According to Director, Peter Brown, the Queensland company which has operated for more than 20 years, wanted to ensure its extraction system kept pace with world’s best practice and the expectations of modern industry.
“Donaldson Australasia analysed our requirements and worked out how to provide the necessary airflow across our two booths with a single Torit DCE dust extraction system,” Brown said.
“Previously, the system was made up from two older style cyclone units and what they didn’t extract ended up going into the air and spreading around the factory”.
“It was effective for its era, but with the newer technology we knew we could gain efficiencies by reducing clean up time, while simultaneously improving air quality.”
“As we have always had the objective of being an innovator within the industry, and to maintain our leading position in the industry in South East Queensland, we came to the conclusion that we had to upgrade.”
Donaldson’s Product Manager, Doug Freeman, in conjunction with engineer Peter McGough from DCE Environmental, used a Donwflo Oval DFO 4-16 (a sixteen cartridge style) dust control unit as the hub of the solution, combined with a redesign and implementation of new plenums for the powder coating booths to guarantee the correct velocity and air movement.
“This entailed extracting only the excess powder coat, as too much suction would actually pull the powder off the work rather than letting it adhere via its electrostatic charge”, Freeman explained.
“We also supplied a differential pressure control with an off-line cleaning feature, so that automatic filter cleaning occurs at the end of shifts rather than at regular intervals.
“This means the noise from the reverse pulse doesn’t occur unexpectedly during operating times, and thus provides for a quieter and more comfortable working environment.
“This is a busy operation and we have been successful in designing a system that reduces downtime. Now staff has less cleaning to do and don’t need to physically clean the cartridges.
“All that is required is for a plastic bag containing the excess powder to be removed twice a week.”
Downlfo Oval Series (DFO) of patented dust collectors utilises oval shaped cartridges to allow large amounts of air flow through the collector without damaging the filters.
Donaldson’s use of FLUENT design software, which minimises high velocity points in the cartridge and housing design, resulting in a lower potential for media abrasion and increased filter life.
The DFO Series minimises initial purchase price, reduces filter replacement costs and uses less manufacturing floor space across most industries including grit blasting, powder coating, general engineering and food manufacturing and processing.
DFO Models 2-4 to 4-128 are also compact and supplied in 23 standard models/ sizes — customised where requested — and have many options and accessories. All models include quick release handles to facilitate easy cover removal and faster filter access.
For more information Contact:
Donaldson
P – 4350 2000
W – www.donaldsonfilters.com.au