There are a wide variety of contaminants that can be produced by processes such as turning, cutting and multi-operation machines. This can range from oil mist produced by turning with emulsion to heavy oil smoke generated by Swiss-type lathes. Effective oil and mist filtration is critical not only to protect the health and safety of people working in these operations, but also the equipment and fixtures in the area.
Traditionally, short filter life has been an expensive issue with oil and mist filtration systems. Frequent filter changes amount to extra expensive, more downtime, and lower productivity. We are often asked if there is actually a solution for short oil mist filter life, or if this is just a problem facility managers have to live with.
Which Type of Filter is Best – Oil Mist or Smoke Mist?
There is a common misconception that the difference between oil mist and oil smoke is based on whether neat oil or emulsion is used. There are actually many factors that must be taken into consideration when deciding which type of filter unit to install, such as spindle speed, the type of metal that is processed, as well as the coolant pressure. The size and concentration of the particles are critical factors. While the size of the machine is not really an issue, the higher the spindle speed and the coolant pressure, the smaller and more dense the particles will be.
Absolent Offers A Versatile Filter Line to Manage Both Oil & Smoke
The ideal filter solution for these applications will eliminate both mist and smoke problems. Absolent understands this, and has developed innovative filter solutions that deliver long service life at an affordable price.
A•mist Oil Mist Filters
CNC machines running at a moderate speed and with a moderate coolant pressure will start to leak oil mist into the atmosphere. Installing an A•mist filter solves the problem at a low cost. The A-mist series also offers an optional metal mesh pre-filter, which is washable.
A•line Oil Smoke Filters
A•line is a unique filter that is suitable for both small, tough machines and larger machines that generate a moderate amount of oil mist into the factory. If you change the coolant, cutting speed or coolant pressure in the machine, A•line handles the task. It features a smart monitoring system that allows you to get precisely the right amount of air where and when you need it.
A•smoke Oil Smoke Filters
CNC machines that run at high speed and with a high coolant pressure, as well as die casting / hardening operations produce a lot of thick smoke consisting of tiny particles. These particles penetrate everything and can even reach a person’s bloodstream The same issue occurs during minimal quantity lubrication (MQL). The A•smoke filter gets rid of this type of pollution.
Glacier has Your Absolent Oil Mist Filter Solution
For machining centers using either oil based coolants or water based coolants, Absolent has affordable and dependable solutions. Below is a video of the Absolent A-10, the A-10 is a smaller collector (600 CFM) built specifically for oil smoke.
The Absolent filters are at their best when they’re wet, so in applications with dust involved, we install a spray system in the ductwork just before the inlet. The spray system is on a timer, both for volume and frequency of liquid going into the filters. Every collector manufactured by Absolent has HEPA final filtration, fans are built into the cabinet for very quiet operation (68 – 72 dB).
Contact us to discuss your oil mist filtration needs.
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