Aberdeen-based North Offshore Ltd, a leading fit-out specialist serving the offshore accommodation, office, hotel and commercial property sectors, has recently invested in new energy-saving dust extraction from Dust Control Systems Ltd.
North Offshore’s joinery workshop has a team of skilled craftsman who operate an assortment of woodworking machinery used in the manufacture of all kinds of bespoke joinery and furniture including desks, bars, doors, screens and wall panelling.
The company decided that it was time to replace their existing extraction equipment with a modern system that would fully comply with the latest COSHH regulations. Lee Garden, Operations Director, says: “We were ready to replace our existing 3-bag filter unit which was housed in the workshop and had to be regularly emptied. Also, we were mindful of changing legislation and were keen to improve the quality of the working environment by efficiently extracting all dust at source. DCS was one of four extraction companies which we brought in to assess our particular needs and to put forward proposals for a new extraction system.”
Melvyn Bathgate, sales director at Dust Control Systems Ltd, carried out a thorough evaluation of the workshop’s dust extraction needs before proposing a scheme that would deal with all dust generated in the workshop and would save on running costs. The DCS proposal centred round a compact yet powerful filter system, located in a small space outside the workshop and complying with the latest ATEX directives. System control would employ ECOGATE® energy-saving ‘on-demand’ technology and the scheme included a vacuum system for use at work benches in assembly and finishing areas where sanders, hand tools and snip saws are used.
Lee Garden adds: “DCS were by far the most professional of the companies we talked to. Every detail and benefit of their proposal was fully explained and we have been very impressed with the way they have managed the project. Installation and commissioning of the new plant was carried out extremely efficiently with little or no disruption to our production.”
The compact DCS filter is an NFSZ modular unit, fitted with high-performance ‘Superbag’ polyester filter bags. It has an airflow capacity of 16,000m3/hr and is capable of efficiently coping with varying loads of wood dust and chips. The filter plant incorporates a rotary valve and waste conveying system which transfers woodwaste directly to a box cart. An ECOGATE greenBOX12 controller, in conjunction with a variable speed drive, automatically adjusts the speed of the main extraction fan as woodworking machines come on line or shut down – resulting in projected power savings of over 50% versus a traditional system.