Ergofix Welding Table Hydraulics Ensure Welders Maintain Good Posture

Posted on March 15, 2017 by ismuser

Whatever sort of work you do, it’s important to maintain good posture. This means you need to be sure that you aren’t straining your back or any of your muscles while you work. The implications of bad posture are enormous as stress and strain on the spine can result in a myriad of complications. These range from headaches, neck pain, and sore knee, hip, and shoulder joints, to cramps, indigestion, and of course, backache.

Welders generally stand when they work, and they often find they have to bend and virtually contort themselves to reach inaccessible areas that need to be clamped and welded.

Ergonomic Equipment Helps Posture

Ergonomic equipment is frequently used in home and office environments, to help people sit correctly and avoid muscular or skeletal injuries. And now welders have access to ergonomic equipment too.

Forster America specializes in lifting and tilting welding tables that have hydraulic lift and turning functions that make it easy to adjust the height of their tables.

The Ergofix welding manipulator is a particularly useful piece of equipment, enabling workers to maintain an ergonomic posture throughout the welding process.

Available in several sizes, from 31.5 inches to 47.2 inches in length, the Ergofix manipulator is infinitely adjustable. Using cutting edge hydraulics, the height of the table can be adjusted from 27.2 inches to 39 inches. This means there is no need to bend and strain. Additionally, the table can be rotated by 360 degrees, and locked with a brake so that it stays in position. It can also be tilted to an angle of 45 degrees (or less). So even the most complicated work piece, with multiple sides, is easy to access from any angle.

Both the lift and turn functions are operated using hydraulics. This means that there is no need for physical strength, and the user doesn’t have to strain in any way.

The Ergofix hydraulic system is easy to control and it is incredibly accurate. It is easy to start, speed up and slow down, and stop manually. It provides constant force and torque and is safe and economical, and easy to maintain.

Apart from its superior hydraulics, Forster’s Ergofix manipulator has been designed for use with a highly superior vacuum clamping system, Vakufix.

Ergofix Works With Vakufix

Vacufix Clamping System

Made for both manual and robotic welding of sheet metal plates, Vakufix enables welders to clamp parts of the work piece directly in the line of heat. Better still, because the Ergofix can be tilted and rotated, the clamps can be used at a three-dimensional level.

One of the most important advantages of this system is that welding seams aren’t covered with clamps or clamping arms. This makes the welding procedure easier, and of course, ensures that workers are able to maintain good posture throughout the process.

The way it works is that the parts are secured onto a vacuum plate that has a very small surface. So if work has to be corrected, or pieces repositioned, the process is simplified and is a lot quicker than it would be if using regular clamps.

Ultimately, because the Ergofix hydraulic system helps welders maintain good posture, their health is protected and downtime is minimized. It’s a win-win situation for employers and employees.

Contact Forster America to find out more about the Ergofix manipulator and other lifting and turning tables that will increase efficiency and productivity in your welding workshop or factory.

The Best Clamps for Welding Workshops

Posted on February 21, 2017 by ismuser

All welding operations require effective clamping systems that enable welders to keep their work pieces in place. High quality, precision welding projects are totally dependent on clamps and clamping systems. Without them, the metal cannot be held in place properly, and the likelihood of error will be increased. This will impact negatively on efficiency, productivity and the company’s bottom line.

In a nutshell, not all clamps are made equal. So which are the best?

The Innovative 3D Clamping System From Forster America

Forster America has a range of modular welding tables, including their signature modular 3D tables that are designed with an innovative T-slot top. These, in turn, accommodate the company’s unique 3D clamping system.

Instead of having to find a suitable place to clamp the metal to be welded, the slats on the 3D welding table accommodate Forster America clamps in the simplest way possible. Whether you need a flat clamp, a C-clamp, a flange clamp, or a basic horizontal clamp, these are made to slide between the slats in the table. Better still, because the tables can be accessed from all sides, and easily adjusted to different positions, once you’ve clamped the work piece, you can just keep on working.

The Best Six Clamps for Welding Workshops

Clamps come in a variety of shapes and forms to suit a wide range of needs. But not all clamps are suitable for welding. In fact many are better suited to woodwork.

Forster America’s 3D clamping system for welding is limited but incredibly versatile. Whether you need to clamp large pieces of sheet metal or small components, there is a clamp that will do the job. They are all most effective when used in conjunction with the Forster America 3D welding table and include:

A 50 mm-diameter (2”) horizontal clamp that fits on a clamping pole and is perfect for application of horizontal clamping forces. It can be used at different heights and is easy to adjust continuously.
A 30 mm-diameter (1.2”) horizontal clamp that is suitable for applying force on steel and bronze pads.
A 50 mm-diameter (2”) x 600 mm (23.6”) flange clamp with a clutch and contact surface made from stainless steel that can be used to position flanges of any size. Suitable bolt sizes range from 97 mm to 355 mm (3.8” to 12”) with a bore diameter of 13mm (0.5”).
A flat clamp that is incredibly effective for holding flat components tightly in position. It has a throat depth of 200 mm (7.8”) and an adjustable clamping range of 110 mm (4.3”).
A C-clamp that is perfect for clamping flat components to right-angled brackets. It has a throat depth of 70 mm (2.7”) and an adjustable clamping range of 60 mm (2.3”).
An invaluable quick-release clamp that can be positioned freely along any x- or y-axis with the flat stop. It is ideal for clamping small components and sheet steel.

Forster America’s 3D tables and clamps are made to incredibly precise standards. So if you want the best clamps for your welding workshop, you know who to go to.

Vacuum Clamping System that Reduces Distortion

Posted on January 31, 2017 by ismuser

Whether you do the work manually or use a robot to do the welding for you, working with sheet metal parts can be an extremely challenging task. But it doesn’t have to be. Now a new high temperature, Vakufix vacuum-clamping system is available, that will simplify the process, even when parts need to be clamped at a three-dimensional level, in the critical heat affected zone (HAZ). The new system also reduces thermal distortion, which is a huge plus, particularly when welders work with stainless steel plate.

Introducing the Vakufix Vacuum Clamping System

Vacufix on Welding Table

Now available from Forster America, Vakufix is a sophisticated clamping system intended for both manual and automated robotic welding of sheet metal plates. It is a patented product, and totally unique in terms of the way it works. Unlike any other existing welding clamping option, the Vakufix vacuum clamping system is incredibly versatile and can be used for every possible sheet manufacturing operation, using any type of metal including steel, stainless steel, and aluminum.

Suitable for use in an extremely high temperature range, Vakufix provides maximum accessibility to all welding seams. This is because none of the seams are covered with clamping arms the way they are with most conventional clamping systems. Additionally, all sheet metal parts are secured to the vacuum plate easily and fast. Because the process utilizes a ball valve, it results in the use of a very small vacuum surface. This, in turn, means that any necessary correction required in positioning the sheet metal parts is considerably quicker and easier than it would normally be using conventional clamps. It also minimizes the damage that it is often caused by normal clamps that would need to be rectified.

Once the parts have been correctly positioned, and traction-related forces become active, the vacuum area immediately increases. This results in each of the vacuum plates generating adhesive mechanical forces as strong as 40 kg to 45 kg. This is a particularly reliable method of reducing thermal distortion, and is a boon to those involved in stainless steel processing and manufacturing items from stainless steel.

Vacuum plates are used with compressed air for component pick-up that involves integrated voltage on the inside of the work piece. Each of the plates incorporates an “elastic” stainless steel shim that acts as a sealing surface; this can be replaced very easily if it wears out.

Best of all, Vakufix can be used with Forster America’s state-of-the-art T-slot tables, which speeds up the operation as a whole, ultimately increasing the bottom line.

Vakufix Vacuum Clamping System

Forster America has two different options available for the Vakufix vacuum clamping system. The clamping system is:

Supplied with a clamping table or plate, as well as a pump, and air chamber.
Customized to specific work pieces, together with all the necessary accessories. If there is a change to the work piece, the clamping system can be adapted either by the customer or by Forster America, depending on complexity.

If you would like to know more about Forster America’s Vakufix vacuum clamping system or would like to order a system for your welding workshop, please contact us.

The Best Welding Tables for Aluminum Welding

Posted on January 23, 2017 by ismuser

Welding tables are vital tools in any welding environment, however big or small it may be. A good, high-tech design can minimize down time and play a vital role in achieving consistently good work.

But how do you decide which tables are best for the different metals to be welded?

While the most common welding tabletops are made from carbon steel, welding tables with tops made from an alloy of aluminum and copper are also available and these are much better suited to aluminum welding.

About Steel, Aluminum, and Copper Welding

forster-america-welding-tables-alcu Many welders work with various types of steel including carbon steels, low-alloy steels, and stainless steels. Within these groupings, there are many different and more specific types of steel, the most common of which is mild steel, a type of carbon steel. While mild steel contains between 0,15 and 0,35 percent carbon, stainless steel contains considerably more chromium (at least 10 percent) than any other types of steel, and it doesn’t rust or corrode.

Aluminum (Al) is a non-ferrous metal that doesn’t contain iron. It has a low melting point combined with high thermal conductivity that can result in weld defects and discontinuities including porosity and both hot cracking and stress cracking. While used to make a wide range of items for a huge number of different industries, aluminum is also added to steel in tiny percentages to deoxidize it and refine the grain.

Copper (Cu) is sometimes added to steel to make it more resistant to corrosion and to make the steel more malleable and ductile. When used as an element in mild steel it makes the steel a little harder.

Generally, aluminum is not used in its pure form, and a number of alloying elements are commonly added. Typically, aluminum-copper (Al-Cu) alloys contain between two and ten percent copper, sometimes with the addition of other elements. The copper increases the strength of the aluminum and facilitates precipitation hardening.

While carbon steel is used for the top of tables commonly used for welding carbon and other types of steel, an Al-Cu alloy is a much better option for welding stainless steel and aluminum.

Benefits of Al-Cu Welding Tables

Suitable Al-Cu alloys have a much higher tensile strength than carbon steel. Additionally, the low surface hardness doesn’t cause pitting or ferritic scratches that are common when carbon steel is used.

Another huge benefit of using an aluminum-copper alloy top for welding tables is they have a very high thermal conductivity that minimizes adhesion of spatter. The welding process is consequently quicker and cleaner.

modular-3d-welding-table-home

But it isn’t just the material that counts; a well-designed welding table is also essential when welding aluminum.

Aluminum-Copper Welding Tables From Forster America

Forster America specializes in cutting edge welding tables, including 3D modular tables that enable welders to complete projects in the quickest, most efficient way possible. Made with slats that can be moved to accommodate jigs and other invaluable accessories, these tables have unlimited options that be used to create a myriad of custom welding solutions. Better still they can accommodate Forster America’s innovative frame welding and railing welding fixtures too.

Ultimately, aluminum is a relatively expensive material and it is paramount that work is done correctly. Forster’s welding tables with Al-Cu tops incorporate the T-slot system that allows for 3D clamping, making it easier for welders to get their work right first time around.

So if you work with aluminum, there is no doubt that Forster America’s Al-Cu welding tables will help to improve quality and productivity. Call us today for more information and pricing.

How Modular Welding Tables Save Money

Posted on July 15, 2016 by ismuser

Efficiency is one of the key factors to any profitable business. This relates to the way the business is run, the way employees operate, and to the tools and equipment used.

In the welding sector, down time rather than production time is the mostly costly factor. In a nutshell, this is because time is money, and by spending longer than necessary on a job is going to impact on profits. So by reducing down time, employees are able to complete job tasks more quickly and more efficiently, and ultimately save money.

Down Time Associated With Welding Jobs

Professional welding jobs must be accurate. Work pieces must be measured and cut according to the specified design, and then correctly aligned so that angles are right and welding (or even just initial setup) doesn’t have to be redone. This might sound like a no brainer, but it’s not unusual for welders to have to mechanically rework parts, if not all of a job, because setup was done incorrectly.

Benefits of Modular Welding Tables

Modular welding tables have taken welding efficiency to a whole new level. Instead of working on a static surface, modular welding tables have surfaces that move and can be adjusted for precision welding.

There are various types and designs, the best of which support a number of additional table combinations including vertical turntables, lift tables, and horizontal rotary tables. Used with high tech railing fixtures, jigs, and other welding fixtures, modular welding tables can be used to create any possible custom solution for a job.

Additionally, innovative 3D modular welding tables and welding fixtures are easy to set up and use with clamping parts. T-slot tracks will allow the table to be used on two axes at the same time.

Modular Welding Tables From Forster America

Forster America offers modular welding tables as well as multi-functional welding tables that are used with various clamping systems, jigs and welding fixtures.

Modular welding tables incorporate surface rails that are spaced 100 mm (just under 4 ins) apart. The value of these is that they can be opened and adjusted to accommodate the full range of accessories, including welding fixtures and jigs. Their 3D welding tables feature a T-slot system that enables an infinitely flexible solution.

There are two types of welding table, one that is made of grey cast for processing mild steel, and the other made from an aluminum/copper alloy for welding stainless steel.

Multi-functional welding tables are used on their own or together with modular welding tables. These work hydraulically and have tops that move, tilt, rotate and swivel, and can be customized. Like the stationary modular welding tables, these multifunctional tables can be used with the full range of Forster America clamps, jigs and accessories. If used on their own, they can fulfill the need for a mobile solution, because they are on wheels.

Of course the decision of which type of welding table to use will depend both on the size of your workspace and the welding jobs you or your employees normally tackle. There are options from relatively small to very large, and they can also be used together with movable table bridges if very large metal structures are going to be welded.

If you are in the market for modular welding tables and welding fixtures, contact the friendly professionals at Forster America for more information, or chat to a consultant online.

Ergonomic Welding Fixtures for Modular Welding Tables

Posted on June 15, 2016 by ismuser

There is absolutely no doubt that professionally designed, high tech modular welding tables improve capacity and offer welders the capability to speed up any welding process. But when it comes to creating custom welding solutions, it’s the welding fixtures you have available that will make all the difference.

The very best welding fixtures are designed to be ergonomic, so that welders have to use minimum effort when doing basic yet precise activities liking measuring the metal work piece, working out precise angles and dimensions, aligning sections of a work piece, and correcting or mechanically reworking the materials required to complete any job. Instead of laboriously made jigs, scroll benders, and individual clamps, ergonomic welding fixtures include innovative lift tables, vertical turntables, horizontal rotary tables, ingenious clamping elements and 3D clamping systems that minimize the typical downtime associated with custom projects.

How Modular Welding Tables Differ From Traditional Welding Tables

The simplest welding table provides a metal surface for the welding process. Like any other worktable, it is completely flat and has static legs that keep it level. Modular welding tables can be adjusted to accommodate any design and a number of 3D welding components. Some can turn and tilt, and interchangeable rails improve accuracy. Slot systems enable free positioning so that every angle of a work piece can be accessed with ease.

For example, Forster America’s ingenious 3D modular welding table has been designed using a T-slot system that enables workers to open and adjust the slats that form the table’s surface. Furthermore, this particular welding table can be adjusted and readjusted throughout the welding process, to accommodate additional components that need to be added. The company’s unique welding fixture tables have the same slat formation and specially designed holes in these allow the use of clamps, jigs and other amazing accessories.

In addition to their ability to accommodate ergonomic welding fixtures, Forster’s modular welding tables are available in a number of guises:

Grey cast iron that is resistant to the spatter that normally sticks to welding tables and has to be chipped off.
An aluminum-copper (Al/Cu) alloy surface, that is ideal for use when welding stainless steel. These have a low surface hardness, and high tensile strength that eliminates ferritic scratching or pitting.
Carbon steel, which is ideal for welding mild steel.

Additionally, swiveling welding tables and several lifting, rotating and turning welding tables are available to accommodate jigs. All are perfect for ergonomic welding operations.

Versatile Welding Fixtures for Modular Welding Tables

No matter how simple or complex a welding job is, all welders rely on welding jigs and clamps. But instead of relying on multipurpose clamps and jigs that are made for specific projects, the ergonomic welding fixtures designed for professional modular welding tables offer a host of custom solutions for every possible welding job.

For example, clamps come in the form of:

Arms that extend horizontally, and some of which provide additional support
Wider clamping jaws
Quick release clamps that incorporate a flat stop section
Flange clamps that are positioned on a column or tower

Stops and squares are also varied, and include:

Try squares of various sizes
Edge stops of different heights
Flat stops
Accessories that are intended for welding four-sided angles
Accessories that can be used to weld infinitely adjustable angles
V-block supports of varying sizes

Forster America offers a number of different equipment sets that include the best combination of welding fixtures for different jobs including those used for:

Manufacturing frames
Tube manufacturing
Rack and case manufacturing
Universal manufacturing

To learn more about Forster’s ergonomic solutions, contact us by phone or email.

How Forster Welding Tables Save Time and Money in Industries That Need More Welders

Posted on May 19, 2016 by ismuser

The welding industry is suffering from a critical shortage of skilled welders at a time when welding job opportunities are increasing annually. For this reason it is vital for employers with welding workshops to ensure their equipment is cutting edge, with the potential to put them ahead of their competitors. And one of the most innovative ways to do this is to use high tech modular welding tables that enable one skilled welder to do jobs that would normally require at least two pairs of hands.

Skilled Welder Shortage in the US Manufacturing Economy

Welding Fume Hazards | Forster America The American Welding Society (AWS) has predicted that by 2024 the welding industry will have a shortage of around 400,000 welding operators. This is not surprising since data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that from 1988 to 2012, the number of welders in the US reduced from 570,000 to 360,000. Coupled with this, the manufacturing industry in general, and oil and gas industry in particular, has grown exponentially since mid-2009, adding more jobs for specialist welders than anyone would have imagined was possible.

Another BLS stat indicates that during the decade from 2010 to 2020 (which of course we are more than halfway through) will show a 15 percent growth in welding-related positions, which is higher than those for most other occupations. This, they say, indicates that by 2020, there will be around 50,000 more welding positions available than there were six years ago.

Coupled with the fact that properly trained career welders are in greater demand in manufacturing than ever before, welders can pick and choose where they work. Proper AWS certified training enables a career welder to cherry-pick jobs in a wide range of manufacturing industries, particularly when they have training and have experience in the latest technologies, together with the opportunity to use cutting edge equipment.

How a Forster America Welding Table Can Save Time and Money

It stands to reason that any company hiring welders will want to ensure the quality of workmanship is tops. However, manufacturing and other businesses hiring welders need to ensure that not only are the welders properly trained to use the latest welding techniques, but the welding equipment is also innovative and cutting edge. By using equipment that can cut down on downtime and enable one welder to do the same job two or more welders would normally be expected to do, in the same (or shorter) period of time, will save any business both time and money.

There are not a lot of elements that comprise the ability to complete the welding process, other than the appropriate welding machine and the bits and pieces required for the specific process chosen.

So what gives our welding table the cutting edge?

In a nutshell, if a welding table is modular, easy-to-clean, easy-to-maintain without having to splurge on replacement parts, and it’s efficient, then it’s going to save you time and money. That’s what Forster America has to offer with all of our specialty and modular welding tables.

An easy-to-clean welding table will have worktable-tops and rails that have been innovatively designed and then soaked in an oil formula that enables you to get rid of spatter instantly. What this means is that spatter simply pops off the surface while the welders are working. Then it can be cleaned very easily without any grinding or elbow grease. That feature saves a lot of time when it comes to cleanup, and time translates to financial savings.

Easy cleaning takes time and money savings to another level too. Because there is no need to grind off spatter, welding workshops will save the integrity of tabletops and they will last a lot longer. Furthermore, if one rail of a well-designed cutting edge modular welding table is damaged, all the welders need to do is replace the rail and not the whole tabletop.

Ultimately, the best modular tables available today don’t only make it easier for welders to work, they improve uptime too, because one welder can do the job two (or more) welders would normally do in the same time. When a well-designed modular table is available, a well-trained qualified welder seldom needs assistance manipulating a work piece in the middle of a project.

How Forster America’s Cutting Edge Welding Tables Work

3D Welding Table

Once upon a time a welding table was simply a table with a flat surface made of metal – commonly mild steel, but ultimately depending on the metal being welded. To weld different components that had to be positioned at different angles, welders had to use jigs and clamps and other quite basic, but often custom-made aids to get the job right.

And then technology saved the day, and 3D modular tables were designed that enabled welders to tackle any job using a proprietary T-slot system. These contemporary welding tables incorporate modular parts with slots that can be opened and adjusted to accommodate different metal parts within the design of the item being welded.

The best modular tables can be tilted, moved and customized with built-in jigs in a fraction of the time any regular, quite old-fashioned welder would need to set up a mid-job position for welding. Better still, one skilled worker can do it alone, which is good news in an industry that has fewer workers than it did a decade ago. The “secret” about so-called cutting edge welding tables is that they can hold a full range of 3D welding components and accessories required to complete an amazing range of welding tasks.

Whether you are a welder or a business that employs welders, cutting edge equipment is available to take your business to the next level. You might need to hire more staff, but you should also look at what upgraded equipment can do for you, particularly a welding table that’s going to minimize your downtime.

3D Modular Welding Tables for Infinite Flexibility

Posted on May 18, 2016 by ismuser

Next time a welder tells you he (or she) is flexible in terms of the work they can do, double check what they mean. Infinite flexibility doesn’t mean that a welder can necessarily tackle every type of welding process or work successfully in every welding environment. Infinite flexibility means they can do the job they do exceptionally well – and usually because they have a good advantage in terms of the equipment they are using.

All welders use welding tables because they are part of the basic equipment welders need. But not all welders use 3D welding tables – and that’s what enables for infinite flexibility. You could say it’s one of the best-kept secrets in the field of contemporary welding.

Think About It

The highest cost factor recorded by those in the welding industry as a whole is down time. This is caused by welders spending (and wasting) time measuring, aligning, correcting the position of work pieces, finding precise dimensions, and often having to rework materials mechanically when they find that alignment, dimensions and so on aren’t correct.

But if a welder has a welding table that doesn’t just provide a static flat surface, but rather changes form to meet the needs of the job, the entire process will be quicker, easier, and considerably more cost effective.

3D Modular Welding Tables

Cutting-edge 21^st century modular welding tables bear very little resemblance to the welding tables our fathers and grandfathers used to have in their welding workshops. Perfectly flat, the old-time types enabled welders to get their horizontal and vertical surfaces level and plumb. They could also be used for custom-made jigs, to make all sorts of different designs. But they didn’t help at all when it came to angle assignments and the precise dimensions required for professionally designed projects that are never, ever the same. And in the world of welding, this is a daily reality, unless welders are working to only one particular design.

Today’s welding tables are in a word, amazing. Because they can be easily moved and adjusted to any position, they enable welders to change the position and angle of work pieces. And when they add just a few components, they can create custom solutions for just about any possible welding job.

The best 3D modular welding tables are able to support lift tables, vertical turntables, and even horizontal rotary tables. They can also support large loads of different metals, some up to five tons. This kind of design really does take welding to a new level, and it enables infinite flexibility in a way our fathers and grandfathers would never have dreamed was possible.

The good news is that Forster America 3D welding tables do just this and more. Created using an ingenious T-slot system, they incorporate metal slats that can be opened and adjusted to fit various accessories and of course the work piece. Available in grey cast for steel processing, and an aluminum / copper-based option, the tables vary in size from 3 m to 1 m in length, and 1.5 m to 1.3 m in width.

The beauty of the Forster modular welding table system is that they can be adjusted right in the middle of the welding process – and by just one person on their own! This saves time and money, and adds value to the bottom line. End of story.

Optimizing your welding process with ventilation, tables

Posted on March 14, 2016 by ismuser

WWW.THEFABRICATOR.COM MARCH 2016

MARCH 14, 2016 BY: BENJAMIN HOWELL

Is there room for improvement in your welding operation? Choosing the right ventilation system along with flexible worktables can go a long way toward optimizing your welding process

Figure 1 - CleanAir Tower — Figure 1 – CleanAir Tower

The best way to optimize any welding process is to use up-to-date, well-designed equipment in a safe, properly ventilated environment. Not only does this enable you to work accurately and cleanly, but it also helps you speed up the production process and ultimately reap cost benefits as well.

Of course, the tools and equipment you choose must meet the requirements of the welding job to be done. The ventilation system you select is determined, to some extent, by the location in which you are working.

When working in a welding workshop or industrial warehouse, the best option is to use a system that delivers full-room ventilation. In addition, modular welding tables that can be adjusted are ideal for most workshop environments, particularly those that accommodate a full range of welding tasks.

Welding Workshop Ventilation

Health and safety are vital issues for welders who, by the very nature of their jobs, face daily health risks from exposure to fumes, smoke, and welding dust. Protective safety gear and clothing are essential, but it isn’t enough. Effective ventilation is paramount, because bad ventilation contributes to polluted air, employee illness, and decreased productivity.

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has minimum health and safety regulations that relate specifically to ventilation and protection in welding, cutting, and heating. Mechanical ventilation must meet these requirements.

Specifically, the regulations state that mechanical ventilation must consist either of a local exhaust system or a general mechanical ventilation system. The standard states that:

General mechanical ventilation should have sufficient capacity and be arranged so that it can produce the necessary air changes to ensure that welding fumes and smoke are maintained within safe limits.
Local exhaust ventilation should incorporate hoods that are freely movable so that the welder can place it very close to the workpiece to get rid of fumes and smoke at the source.

But both have their challenges.

For example, even when exhaust systems are in place, pollution concentration levels can exceed OSHA’s exposure limits, exposing all employees in the building to poor air quality. Welding creates smoke, fumes, and heat. Warm, polluted air rises to the ceiling; as it cools and then sinks, it distributes contaminants, negatively affecting workers on the production floor.

When the traditional push-pull ventilation system is used, the inevitable air turbulence it causes (however slight) results in some pollutants getting into what should be clean air. This type of system relies on pipes that push clean air into the workshop and pull the contaminated air out. Essentially a duct system, it works reasonably well where dust and smoke levels are quite low, but it certainly isn’t foolproof.

Additionally, this is a minimum OSHA specification. Ideally, a local exhaust system should be used in conjunction with a good, general mechanical system for maximum protection. In any case, when local extraction doesn’t work adequately, or at all, good general mechanical ventilation is the answer.

Figure 2 - Partially covered welding table — Figure 2 – Partially covered welding table

Full-room Ventilation

The best system for ensuring that the air in the welding workshop really is clean and pure is a device that works according to the principles of displacement ventilation, such as a freestanding air tower (Figure 1) that takes advantage of the natural convection cycle.
These energy-saving, general indoor ventilation systems are designed to release fresh air throughout an entire production facility. Quick to set up, easy to move, and self-cleaning, they use source-capture fume-extraction technology that is fully OSHA-compliant.

A clean-air tower works by pulling warm, contaminated air into its filter system through a 360-degree intake at the top of the tower. It then releases cool, clean air from the bottom of the tower to ensure welders are able to breathe fresh air all the time. The polluted air is filtered through an internal filter cartridge, and dust particles are captured in a container for easy removal and contamination-free disposal.
Thermic flow is fully supported without creating any air turbulence, so it’s virtually impossible for dust and gases to pollute the purified air.

Adjustable Welding Tables

You have many choices when it comes to welding tables, including those that are partially covered, movable, have steel support surfaces, and can incorporate their own tool racks. But for anyone working with mild steel and stainless steel, a 3-D welding table with a T-slot system is ideal (Figure 2). Modular, these adjustable designs are able to hold accessories and 3-D components for most welding tasks.

A quality 3-D welding table with a T-slot system allows the welder to access all sides of the workpiece, which increases overall efficiency and improves productivity. The size of the table can be changed, and the slats opened and adjusted to accommodate accessories required for the job. Additionally, the table slats can be adjusted at any time during the welding process.

To further speed up the process and make it even more cost-effective, an adjustable 3-D welding table can be used with a 3-D clamping system, which eliminates the need for the welder to move or change position to access the workpiece.

With the right ventilation and fixtures, you can optimize your welding process and work quickly and cost-efficiently.