Weld Fume LEV system for Student Craft Training Facility

Weld Fume LEV system for new student craft training facility at Springtown

BEAM were approached to design, develop, and install a bespoke weld fume extraction system for a new purpose built student craft training facility, where students would be learning the practical skills of welding.

The classroom/workshop training facility was designed to have nine welding booths where students could practise and perfect their practical welding skills in a safe learning environment. The workshop therefore required a weld fume extraction LEV (Local Exhaust Ventilation) system for the elimination of poisonous weld fumes to meet CoSHH Regulations. The design brief was as follows:

• Provide a convenient and unobtrusive extract arm to be suitable for installation and use within the confined booth enclosure.
• The client required the fume extract system to have variable capacity to provide weld fume extraction from a single user up to all points in use simultaneously.
• In addition, they sought to have automatic controls as much as possible to increase the effectiveness of the system.
• The brief also specified that energy efficiency should be considered in the design and operation of the new LEV system.
• The installed system should comply with all legal requirements; ie. CoSHH Regulations 7 & 9

BEAM designed a unique system providing energy efficiency with the use of on-demand automated controls.

Wall-mounted extract arms were supplied which can be positioned anywhere within the booth as required.

The arms feature a unique external frame which is self-supporting using gas-strut balancers allowing for convenient use.

The extract system starts automatically when welding commences and adjusts to suit the number of students using the system at the same time.

• The extract arms are a unique compact design to suit the location within each booth
• The self-supporting design allows for finger tip positioning and can be folded flat or easily manoeuvred anywhere within the booth to suit the work piece
• The extract hood design provides increased extraction range for improved performance and elimination of harmful weld fume
• Beam provided unique inter-locked controls to deliver a fully automatic start/stop system to completely eliminate potential for operator error
• The control strategy developed by Beam ensures extraction is only provided where it is needed which delivers savings in the running costs of the system
• Often overlooked, Beam’s control system will minimise the heat loss from the building which contributes to further energy saving potential and improved comfort within the classroom.

Beam provided full support to the client throughout the design and installation process and provided direction to proposed changes that were required as the project developed.

On completion, Beam engineers carried out a thorough examination and test of the LEV system which included staff and student training and Q&A session to ensure the system was handed over in full working order and all persons using the system were familiar with the operation of it.

Links:

https://www.hse.gov.uk/welding/protect-your-workers/index.htm
https://www.hse.gov.uk/welding/welding-controls.htm