Working conditions in welding and automotive workshops

Nederman installed a complete solution of extraction units in the workshops for welding and auto mechanics in VTI Bruges Campus in Belgium, allowing a healthy work environment for the students.

The VTI Bruges Campus fits into the ‘Scholen van Morgen’ (Schools of Tomorrow) project by the Flemish government. It´s the third largest construction project of its type in the Flanders region and becomes the model for modern vocational education, both in the field of new and sustainable techniques and in the educational vision. The technical school is located on a former industrial site, which has a total area of 17,500m² and offers space for classrooms as well as mechanical, electrical and automotive workshops. With more than 30 welding stations, several automotive workshops and a CNC machining center, the campus was in need of a complete extraction solution to provide a healthy work climate for their students. Both welding fumes and vehicle exhaust are known carcinogenic and exposure can lead to several kinds of cancer as well as lung diseases, damage to the central nervous system, and other hazardous health problems. When machining metal with CNC devices, coolant is added which creates oil mist, which is harmful to human health and has to be extracted and filtered. Measures to remove the hazardous particles from the air had to be taken in all workshops.

What solution for welding fume and vehicle exhaust extraction were chosen?

Nederman installed extraction units above all welding stations. Nederman’s flexible extraction arms enable extraction at the source, which is the most efficient solution for welding and cutting fumes, and allows the students to weld in a closed environment without being exposed to harmful fumes or gases. All extraction units were connected to a welding fume extraction solution, MCP SmartFilter, with a separate fan, Combifab, in a sound enclosure.

- For us, it was very valuable to work with one partner who has been able to provide a solution that covered all technical aspects we needed, says the Project Contractor

The flow rate is automatically controlled by frequency control which reduces the energy consumption. The school’s grinding tables are also connected to the same frequency controlled extraction system. In addition to the welding fume extraction, Nederman was also able to supply exhaust extraction, oil mist filtration and compressed air hose reels. In the automotive workshops, where practical time is spent with students working on functioning engines, the students use exhaust extraction nozzles that are linked to the vehicles. The extraction nozzles are mounted on a 920-exhaust rail system. The oil mist in the CNC machining centre, is extracted and filtered by our NOM4 filters which were installed on each device.

By investing in a clean and healthy workplace for students, the Flemish government not only protects students, but creates awareness among the next generation of mechanics. Clean air in the workplace becomes more and more of a focus area and employers who take clean air seriously are becoming more attractive and will keep attracting mechanics in the future. The ones that don’t, will not survive. The future generation is conscious and will demand clean, breathable air at work.

What´s the benefits with an extraction system from Nederman?

• Complete solution covering all technical aspects in different workshops
• Extraction directly at the source
• Energy savings with automatic frequency control

What´s the customer value of the extraction system?

• Clean and healthy work environment
• Higher efficiency
• Knowledge about the importance of clean air among future mechanics
• More attractive school