Installing a robotic welding cell collector above a robotic welder might seem like a great idea. After all, it will quickly remove all the fumes produced by the robot. Also, the collector doesn’t take up any space on your crowded shop floor. What could possibly be wrong with this setup?
Collector Installation Location
A robotic welder is an expensive piece of equipment. It’s certainly a big investment for any company. So the last thing you want to do is put it near anything that might damage it, right?
How about putting it right underneath something that might damage it?
Installing a welding fume collector above a robotic welder does save floor space. Since you mount it above the welder, it’s completely out of the way. There are some hazards with this arrangement, though, and we’ve seen them in action.
Weld fumes are almost always combustible. If the fume collector is located at some distance from the robotic welder, a deflagration that happens inside the collector will not damage the robot and will be contained in the collector. On the other hand, if you have a robotic welding cell collector mounted directly overhead, the deflagration is going to happen right above your very expensive piece of equipment.
Safeguard Your Robotic Welding Cell
A properly designed dust collection system will handle and safely vent an explosion. If the collector is outside the building, there will be minimal risk to people or property. The length of ductwork between the welder and the fume collector gives hot air and sparks time to cool down before they reach the collector.
When robotic welding cell collectors are in use, they’re inside the building and mounted overhead. There is almost no space between the source of fumes and the collector. This greatly increases the risk of a deflagration inside the collector.
This could be a disaster for your robotic welder. First of all, burning material or debris could fall on it and damage it. Also, a fire suppression system could shower your welder with water or fire extinguishing chemicals. You may have to remove your robot welder from service for costly repairs. Some events could even destroy it.
The floor space saved by mounting an extractor above the welder isn’t worth the cost of repairing or replacing a robotic welder. A robotic welding cell fume extraction system with hoods can effectively control fumes from the welder without the risk of damaging it.
Learn more about Robotic Weld Cell Fume Extraction.
