Smoke extraction technology for partially automated welding.

In addition to accurate results and a high-quality finish in every welding process, today a great deal of attention is also paid to the health and safety of the welder. For example, the risk of inhaling harmful welding fumes must be minimized or preferably avoided completely. Abicor Binzel has been developing and manufacturing welding technology for over fifty years to make life better and safer for the welder. The latest innovation is xFUME AUT, a fume extraction torch for simple, partially automated welding processes in series production.

Welding fumes are dangerous. Companies connect their automated welding guns according to safety regulations and use a fume extraction system to extract the welding fumes at workstations. But the fine dust particles that still get into the environment pose an acute health hazard to the employee who must load the welding gantries or the automated welding systems. The same is true for the welder when operating and monitoring a welding tractor. 

Slim design

"Anyone permanently exposed to welding fumes during their shift can become seriously ill. A room exhaust system, which in most cases is installed at the ceiling, does not adequately protect workers. That is why authorities recommend explicitly removing welding fumes at the source, for example by using fume extraction guns," states Nathalie Van Grembergen, team leader back office and marketing at Abicor Binzel. "We know that welders are not very fond of such guns because they are usually quite heavy and cumbersome. That's why we developed our xFUME PRO line, a range of fume extraction guns with a slim design that do make them easy to handle and do not restrict welders' view of the process. The air control slider, integrated into the handle, allows the extraction capacity to be adjusted."

Smoke extraction for partially automatic welding processes

There are manual welding spots and fully automated processes with welding robots that are automatically controlled and deliver the finished welded part or pass it on to the next stage in the production process. However, partially automated processes are also often chosen, with humans taking over the assembly of the automated welding system. And that is exactly where the danger to the employee's health lies. The latest development from Abicor Binzel fits into that picture: the automatic fume extraction guns xFUME AUT. This innovation combines all the strengths of the manufacturer's well-known xFUME PRO series with the compact design and robustness required for use in series production. 

Optimal positioning

"This further development of our well-known AUT-RAB series stands for excellent welding fume extraction thanks to optimal positioning in the automated welding process. Improved laminar flow results in more efficient extraction and better cooling of the gun. It is characterized by a robust design and a grip diameter designed for almost all clamping systems used in partial automation. These fume extraction guns are also suitable for applications with welding tractors and robots and can be connected to all standard MIG/MAG power sources," Van Grembergen explains. "During development, we also considered the stock of different parts and the associated costs for the user. This xFUME AUT is designed so that the wear parts, such as the contact tip, gas nozzle and extraction nozzle, are identical to those for the xFUME PRO welding guns. You can also easily combine these welding guns with our fume extraction systems xFUME ADVANCED for up to two and the xFUME PRIME for applications with a maximum of four fume extraction guns." 

Wide scope, safe working

The xFUME AUT is the ideal fume extraction gun for simple, partially automated welding processes, where larger numbers of one type of part need to be welded. "Typical applications are the welding of tubes, beams and plates, for example for the food sector, installation technology, shipbuilding," Van Grembergen concludes. "With all products of the xFUME fume extraction technology, you can work safely because they are developed in accordance with all specifications of ISO 21904 regarding health protection during welding. The guns absorb more than 90% of welding fumes at the source and 99.76% of the absorbed dust particles are collected in the filter of an xFUME fume extraction unit."