Advanced Filtration for Production Lines
While the initial costs of this approach are typically less, the need for replacement air significantly drives up the HVAC energy expense.
Localized Fume filtration can not only help you reduce your overall running costs, but it can also reduce the tonnage required.
Each time a new piece of equipment is added to a line or production floor, central systems should be balanced to insure proper air flow. If the volume of air changes, so can your oven profiles. Dedicated filtration provides you better process control by eliminating balancing issues associated with central systems.
With every production floor there comes a time when equipment must be relocated. The faster you can return to producing product, the faster you can return generating revenue. Dedicated Fume Filtration provides you plug and play flexibility significantly reducing down time.
Finally, with today’s restrictions on emissions along with an ever growing desire for corporations to be environmentally friendly or green, Fume Filtration is an obvious choice. If a facility is ISO-14000 certified, the addition of fume filtration can be documented as continuous improvement.
Whether it be fume filtration for your wave solder machine, reflow oven, batch oven, conformal coating equipment, selective solder machines, or dispensing equipment, IP Systems has a full range of solutions.
Why Do You Need Fume Extraction For Your SMT Equipment?
Soldering any electrical component onto a PCB releases potentially harmful fumes. These fumes are created as a result of the high heat generated by the soldering equipment. As the air heats up, it expands, allowing the particles coming off of the metal to be released into the air as fumes. Workers can be exposed to their fumes, causing potentially hazardous health effects.
But that’s not the only risk. The fumes can also transport aerosols that stick together and build up in the soldering machines and potentially even the products. This could cause serious damage to products and equipment. Getting rid of fumes is paramount to reducing manufacturing waste and preventing health issues in workers.
Fumes consist of two elements: smoke particles and gases/vapors. Smoke particles are sticky, and are similar to cigarette smoke in terms of how well they cling to surfaces. Gases, on the other hand, are content to float in the air. Both types of particles can cause serious health risks, and the only effective filtration system deals with both. Our fume extraction and filtration systems effectively deal with both problems that are present in soldering fumes.
Our fume extraction systems for SMT come in a wide range. We’re sure you’ll be able to find the perfect fume extraction system for your application, whether you run a small shop or an enterprise-level manufacturing operation. Our fume filtration systems work well for wave solder machines, batch ovens, coating equipment, selective solder machines, reflow ovens, dispensing equipment, and much more.
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Technical Papers & Data
Electronics SMT Equipment
In electronics production facilities solder flux fumes, vapors from IPA and other chemicals such as Toluene or MEK are present every day. With a workforce spending 40 hours or more a week in this environment there is a need to prioritize air quality.
With production line equipment such as reflow ovens, waves, selective solder machines or conformal coating systems, you can either vent to the exterior using your facilities air handling system or you can use localized fume extraction in lieu of venting to the exterior.
Advantages of Using an SMT Fume Extractor
Some advantages of using an SMT line smoker absorber from IP Systems include:
Flexibility and Reduced Downtime-
when installing or relocating production lines our filter units can be set-up within hours. Requires only electrical connection and a short duct or flexible hose connection. No planning and installation of long duct runs and roof fans.
Reduced Energy Costs-
Recirculating the filtered air reduces the amount of “make-up air” needed from the outside. This reduces the air conditioning capacity and energy requirements that lead to significant operating cost reductions.
No Duct Cleaning and Improved Process Control
Very often central ducting serves multiple reflow ovens. This causes “balancing” problems and results into inadequate exhaust on the process equipment. When the flux fumes are not properly vented, increased maintenance is required to keep the oven clean.
Flux may even drip onto boards causing quality problems.
ISO14000 Certification- The filtration of flux fumes eliminates air pollution and thus can be used as a tool for ISO14000 certification or continuous improvement documentation.
Cleaner Air: This one is obvious, but it must be stated. When hazardous fumes are removed from the air, it provides a cleaner and healthier workplace.
Increased Productivity: Another way your profit is increased with air filtration many of the annoying odors from the flux and other chemicals are removed. When workers breathe easy and feel better, they get more done in fewer hours.
IP Systems has been supplying fume extraction units for the SMT line since 1992 with great success. Let us guide you to a more economically and environmentally sound way to vent your equipment and protect your employees.
PRODUCTS
FAQ’s on SMT Fume Extractors
How does an SMT line fume extractor work?
- SMT fume extractors eat up fumes that are created in the process of soldering small components and filter the toxic chemicals out of the air. These systems are essentially vacuum and filtering systems made specifically for SMT workstations.
These extractors come in several different forms, generally made for different sizes of SMT lines. Sizing is an important consideration, as SMT fume extraction systems that are too small will not be able to effectively capture all the fumes.
SMT fume extractors capture fumes at the source. They can be captured from the tip of the soldering iron, from a cabinet overhead, from a bench top plenum, or from an extraction arm. As the worker solders, the fumes that are generated get sucked up into the SMT fume extraction system. The fumes then travel through the ducting and through filter media. The filter media removes the dust and other particles from the fumes. This particulate matter is then collected into a storage drum where it is kept until it is time to safely dispose of them.
To learn more about how SMT fume extractors work, check out this PDF on fume extraction for the SMT line.
How do I know which SMT fume extractor to use?
- The SMT fume extractor you choose will be a function of several factors. The most important factor, and the one you should consider first, is sizing. How large should your fume extractor be? The proper size will depend on factors including the power used, the size of the SMT line, the material that’s being soldered, fumes generated, and whether or not the machine is programmed to run without workers present.
You also want to choose the right fume extractor based on what you’re doing. Not all filter media is equally effective at trapping every compound. If your application is hand solder fumes, reflow, wave solder with alcohol-based flux, conformal coating, or curing, you’re going to want to use a filter with activated carbon. However, if you only do wave solder with a water-based flux, you don’t need the activated carbon.
Another important factor for choosing a SMT fume extractor is how well it controls the noise. Some extractors are more powerful and are thus much more noisy, which can create an unsavory work environment. If the machine is running without workers present, however, then this is less of a consideration.
Ultimately, you’re going to want help choosing the right fume extractor. Our air filtration experts will help you choose the right SMT fume extractor for your business. Call us today!
Do SMT fume extractors help in reducing facility maintenance costs?
- Absolutely, especially for large enterprise-level facilities. In a large electronics production facility, maintaining ductwork can easily occupy a full maintenance department. Common maintenance problems when using central exhaust systems are: air-balancing problems; inadequate ventilation of remote process equipment; not enough HVAC capacity for make-up air when adding new lines; cleaning of clogged ducting from dross dust and rosin settlements to maintain adequate airflow; and repairing roof leaks at duct penetrations of the roof.
But facility maintenance costs are not the only benefit of using SMT fume extractors. The ability to move an assembly line in a short period of time at a low cost is critical. At the time of a layout change, filter units move with the line. No additional cost is incurred due to the relocation of an assembly line. The alteration of fixed ducting can require days or weeks, and represents a substantial cost and delay each time a line is relocated.
Not only that, but filtering and recirculating exhaust actually decreases the HVAC costs, despite what many might believe. This is because recirculated air only needs to be cooled, rather than cooled and dehumidified. As a result, air condition capacity goes down, allowing for lower HVAC operating costs.
Are your SMT fume extractors ISO-14000 certified?
- The ISO-14000 family of standards deals with environmental management systems and how companies implement them. Organizations that use these standards are able to benefit from reduced energy and water consumption, a more reliable approach to legal compliance, and a lower overall carbon footprint.
Our SMT fume extractors have many benefits for companies using the ISO-14000 family of standards. The electronics industry has been using ISO14000 standards for years, and they were one of the first industries to take them on aggressively. These standards call for the management and reduction of environmental pollutants, predominantly in water and air. Filtration and recirculation has become a major stepping-stone for achieving ISO14000 certification.
Our filter systems eliminate air pollutants and can help companies achieve “zero” discharge facilities. ISO14000 certification and the philosophy of being an environmentally friendly company significantly improve the corporate image.
