As the march of automation continues across industry, all the enabling elements that contribute to an overarching productivity strategy need to align…including fume and dust extraction.
Central to this new era is ‘Industry 4.0’, a much-heralded pathway to a transformation in productivity. This new industrial revolution is founded on the development of cyber-physical systems that integrate processes, such as lasering, with computation and networking capabilities. The result is smarter and more efficient manufacturing that reduces waste and increases productivity.
So how does fume extraction, which plays a vital role in multiple manufacturing processes, such as laser, 3D printing and electronics, fit into this new era of automation?
A few years ago, Donaldson BOFA was the first in the industry to introduce remote extraction system diagnostics and dynamic control through its Intelligent Operating System (iQ). This provided data log downloads from the physical machine.
Now though, in what is thought to be another industry ‘first’, the company has developed an operating system capable of delivering a two-way real-time data stream that satisfies the requirements of a fully automated, end-to-end manufacturing control process.
This new solution – Pro OS – can supply a data feed of production-critical fume extraction information across a local area network, providing end users with real-time visibility of filtration performance. And because the data is customizable, it offers the potential for manufacturers to run multi-scenario analytics focused on a production area or process.
In short, it’s a control system perfectly aligned with the vision for Industry 4.0.
What does this mean for industry?
Investment in portable fume and dust extraction technology helps keep production lines moving and workplace environments safe for people by contributing to effective atmosphere management.
Filtration of airborne contaminants has an important role to play in keeping equipment free from debris, thereby helping operators maintain the flow and quality of products. As manufacturing processes become more automated, data for each part of an end-to-end process become ever more valuable in the drive for productivity gains.
Laser technology is a case in point. Lasers play a key role in multiple processes, whether that’s the labeling and coding of fast-moving consumer goods, marking electronics components, cutting materials for packaging, or providing the energy for powder bed fusion in 3D printing.
It’s also the case that innovation in lasering continues apace, with fiber lasers capable of very fast speeds, meaning that the rate of production of goods in, say, the food and drink industry, continues to accelerate.
This technology evolution makes the role of fume and dust filtration even more important. With faster processing speeds comes a requirement for particle filtration innovation to keep pace to help production lines work at optimal efficiency and quality.
For laser lines, Industry 4.0 automation enables the integration of lots of complementary systems to create one holistic solution. This can help reduce downtime, optimize maintenance through predictive analytics, safeguard quality and create flexibility to meet changes in demand. Fume extraction technology is an essential element in this architecture.
Now, with Donaldson BOFA’s Industry 4.0 solution, operators can gain access to system-critical extraction data remotely in real-time, contributing to visibility of the entire manufacturing process. This offers the potential not only to monitor performance more effectively but also to influence productivity through automated functionality, whether for a single production line or in a multi-process, multi-line environment.
Get in touch to find out more about Donaldson BOFA’s fume and dust extraction technology.
