Oil Mist Filtration: Die-casting Manufacturer
The Client
A global manufacturer of precision, engineered metal components, who utilise proprietary die-cast technologies to manufactures parts for the automotive, consumer electronics, and healthcare industries, invited Auto Extract Systems back into one of their three UK-based manufacturing sites. The invitation was to help provide and help manage the over-spray and excess oil mist filtration generated in their manufacturing processes, but also to provide a safer, pollution-free workplace that strictly worked following HSG 258: Controlling Airborne Contaminants at Work: A Guide to Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV).
The Challenge
The company had previously worked with Auto Extract Systems to provide a comprehensive LEV solution for their new manufacturing facility, which included 10 die-cast machines. It was found that the two at-source extraction systems (found in the ‘Residual Fume and Heat Case Study’) were very effective, however, operators of the machinery were being too generous with a spray of oil used to line the die-cast mould – something that wasn’t anticipated to be an issue when specifying the two initial systems. As a result, the excessive oil mist was being caught at each point in the system and pooling, which lead to additional Lev Maintenance and downtime in the manufacturing process.
The Solution
A solution was proposed to retrofit 10 oil mist filtration units to each of the points in the two existing systems. The filter recovers oil mist that’s captured and cleanses the air before returning air into the workplace. The units require very little maintenance and come complete with built-in gauges to show that a filter may need changing. The centrifugal fans that were specified and installed as part of the initial LEV system already had the capability to provide good at-source extraction with the oil mist filters added.
Auto Extract Systems continue to maintain the LEV system installed with an annual LEV test. LEV testing is a legal requirement and should be tested at least once in a 14-month period for compliance with HSE standards; they often form part of a company’s insurance requirements too. We also recommend that LEV equipment should be serviced at least every 14 months and more frequently if its usage is high (find out more about LEV servicing), so it operates within its required benchmark performance and reduces hazardous substances exposure.
