Dust Extraction and Fume Extraction specialists. Whether it's Downflow Booths, mobile filter units, or Hood Positioning Devices (Extraction Arms), flextraction have products to suit your dust and fume extraction requirements.

Fume and Dust Extraction System Makes Welding Safer at North Hertfordshire College’s Skills Centre

Posted January 24, 2012

Flextraction Ltd, supplier and manufacturer of Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) has recently installed a welding fume and dust extraction system in the UK’s first specialist foundation level welder training facility at Stevenage Skills Centre, part of North Hertfordshire College (NHC). The system incorporates the Company’s latest totally self supporting Hood Positioning Devices (HPD).

Earlier in 2011, Weldability-SIF entered into partnership with The Welding Institute (TWI), Cambridge and the College, to initiate foundation level welder skills training at the College. This was a first step towards a full apprenticeship programme designed to meet demand and overcome the current skills gaps in the UK welding industry and this was opened by John Hayes MP, Minister of State for Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning on 13th October 2011.

As an approved sponsor to the Weldability-Sif Foundation Charity, which has been set up and registered with the Charities Commission, to specifically encourage the development of new welder training facilities across the UK, Flextraction has installed in each of the 6 welding bays 2m standard telescopic HPD’s, incorporating black polyester coated 100mm diameter PVC 371 hoses with a coated mild steel 100mm diameter flared hood and mesh guard. Each HPD was supplied fully assembled with wall mounting bracket, control damper and with no internal components. Each bay was also fitted with an electronic airflow indicator attached to each hood to monitor the extraction air flow.

In addition to the HPD’s Flextraction also designed, manufactured and installed the spiral galvanised sheet steel ductwork needed to safely extract the welding fumes and dust from the welding bays to a point outside the building. It was designed with inspection/access doors, flexible hose connections and supporting brackets, as well as being sized to give a good conveyance velocity throughout its length.

Flextraction’s HPD’s all use mounting brackets, hoods and hoses specifically designed for the capture and extraction of industrial dusts and fumes including hazardous and corrosive fumes at the point of source in surface grinding, welding, product tipping and drum filling, as well as food processing and all manufacturing applications where dust and fumes are emitted.

David Stevenson, Welding Tutor at NHC said: “The Flextraction equipment is used daily to extract dust and welding fumes from 6 purpose built teaching bays with the latest Weldability-SIF 300A MIG welders and 200A AC/DC HF TIG inverters. At the present time we have 204 welding students and we are looking to double this number in 2012 and we will build additional teaching bays to accommodate this number.

We have very strict Health and Safety criteria and all the equipment we have, including the Flextraction installation, meet these requirements. When we were ordering the equipment we specified that the arms had to be flexible with the ability to keep close the point of extraction, which the Flextraction equipment has met in all aspects.

We have found that the equipment is very easy to maintain and clean as it has no filters, also it is easy to operate and the students have no problems in moving the extraction hood close to the work they are undertaking, making the overall environment in which they are welding very pleasant at the same time keeping their lungs clean.”

The Weldability-Sif Foundation Charity is currently looking for additional complimentary sponsors and further details can be found when you register at www.weldability-sif.org

New Laboratory Fume Extraction System from Flextraction

Posted September 09, 2011

The new Fumex ME extraction system that is capable of being either ceiling or table mounted, and offering a reach of up to 2000mm, is now available from Flextraction Ltd. Flextraction is a supplier and manufacturer of Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) products, and the UK and Ireland representative for the Swedish based fume extraction equipment manufacturer Fumex AB. The Fumex ME system is designed for use in laboratories, education facilities, electronics industry and similar environments.

The ergonomically designed 75mmØ Fumex ME has an energy saving very low pressure drop, producing a number of benefits to the user including, reduced ventilation noise measured in accordance with ISO standard 3643, no need for a larger diameter extractor, and it can be integrated with other extraction systems.

With its unique joint construction this system allows air to pass through the joints without creating any unnecessary turbulence, with the variation in pressure drop between the extractor in the working position and a full retracted extractor being minimal.

This system can be rotated round 360º without the need for special sleeves or double wall brackets. Both the ceiling and wall mounted brackets are made of anodised aluminium for stability and easy fitting. The ceiling bracket, available in 8 different lengths from 0.25m – 2.0m, functions as a duct, thereby avoiding the need for expensive external ducting.

Another feature of the ME system is the internal spring located in the first articulating arm joint to support the weight of the arm and provided stability. For a 2m length arm, the ME system can be fitted with a gas spring to support it.

To meet customer requirements this system is available in a number of configurations, including:

• Standard - with polypropylene joints and aluminium tubes for most laboratory environments

• Polypropylene - with both joints and tubing in polypropylene for use with corrosive contaminants

• ATEX - with joints and tube in conductive polypropylene to meet ATEX directive 94/9/EC, for use with contaminants in explosive environments

• ESD - with joints in conductive polypropylene and aluminium tubes to meet EN61340-5-1 for use in the electronics industry.

A number of hoods are available including:

• suction nozzles • metal hoods incorporating a working light • dome hoods • square hoods • flat screen hoods.

Fume Extraction System Helps Train Rail Welding Operatives

Posted May 09, 2011

Two bespoke fume extraction systems using TEKA extraction equipment, both with four specially designed hoods from Flextraction are helping Network Rail in Bristol to train and certify future operatives in the techniques of aluminothermic welding, manual metal arc (MMA) and semi automatic and automatic flux cored arc welding (FCAW) techniques, as used in rail welding operations.

Network Rail has training facilities throughout the UK, with the older ones being replaced by new modern facilities to create a learning environment that simulates the real world, whilst at the same time is conducive to learning and providing a sheltered area to allow the trainees to maximise their learning potential. At Bristol, Network Rail train and re-certify staff employed in rail welding operations and also in the handling and using of small plant and inspection training.

The system ordered by Track Line Contracts Ltd, a Network Rail contractor, was specially designed for aluminothermic welding. It comprised a TEKA Filtercube 4H filter module with a 100m² filter area that is designed as a central suction unit for several welding points. It extracts polluted air using a ventilator to a filtering section; here any toxic particles are deposited on the surface of filter cartridges, which are de-dusted automatically using compressed air. The toxic particles are then collected in a tank and clean air is recycled to the workplace.

A TEKA ‘Spark Pre-Separator’ uses a water mist curtain to protect the filter device from fire. Two 3-phase centrifugal, single inlet, high pressure fans equipped with silencers were installed to extract the fumes from the point of welding to the filter unit. The four hoods, supported on heavy duty beam trolleys, were specially designed with 1000mm diameter canopies and side screens. The complete system, including spiral galvanised sheet steel ductwork, 48m of hose with light duty beam trolleys to support the hose, was installed by Flextraction Engineers.

Network Rail at Bristol also trains operatives in MMA and semi automatic and automatic FCAW techniques, which is where another Flextraction extraction system comprising a Filtercube 4H filter module with 4 x standard 4m Hood Positioning Devices (HPD) arms, each with 1m extensions and 150mm diameter flared hoods, is also in constant use in the welder training school.

Lee Janczysyn, Training Delivery Specialist (Welding and NDT) said: “Network Rail uses MMA and semi automatic and automatic FCAW techniques, in addition to aluminothermic welding. Both Flextraction systems are used for training purposes and the system for aluminothermic welder training has been very good, easily removing the fumes, whilst the spark box extinguishes all sparks before going through the filtration system. This system was installed in a building that was already constructed, so there were some constraints to its location, which were overcome.

There are two tracks each with two hoods designed to be moved along the track to the correct position for welding with two of them operating at any one time; however, we only ignite one welding portion at any time so that the welding trainer can supervise one activity at a time. In general we find the system easy to use; it has self cleaning filters and only requires the press of a button to start the extraction operation.

The other system in the welder training centre also works effectively and our trainees find the HPD arms easy to position.”

Lee Darton, General Manager Sales at Flextraction commented: “With the system for aluminothermic welding, we made some modifications during the installation to meet the requirements of both the contractors and Network Rail due to the constraints of the building, otherwise the systems was delivered as required. It is self cleaning with the filters occasionally need changing, which will be undertaken by us. It also has a second motor as a back up allowing the system to be used if the primary motor should fail.”

Sales Vacancy at flextraction Ltd

Posted October 08, 2010

Do you have sufficient proven experience in the Dust and Fume Extraction Industry enabling you to hit the ground running to sell Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) products?  Are you a conscientious, hardworking individual who has the self motivation to meet or exceed expectations?

Flextraction Ltd, who specialise in the manufacture and supply of a comprehensive range of LEV products for all sectors of industry, are looking to recruit an experienced Sales Engineer.

The role requires that you assess the needs of potential and current customers, discuss their requirements, recommend the correct solution to their dust and fume problems and sell from the comprehensive range of extraction products on offer.  Whilst you will be pro-active in obtaining sales leads, the administrative support that you receive will ensure that you are regularly supplied with enquiries.

If you feel that you are up to the role then please send your CV to:

Flextraction Ltd
10 Digby Drive
Melton Mowbray
Leicestershire LE13 0RQ

Alternatively, email your CV to recruitment@flextraction.co.uk or call John Lambert (Director) on 01664-410641 to discuss the position.

New HPDs are ATEX compliant for safer fume and dust extraction

Posted September 20, 2010

Most of the new range of totally self supporting Hood Positioning Devices (HPD), including the Articulated HPD, Extended HPD, Mini HPD and Telescopic HPD from flextraction Ltd, supplier and manufacturer of Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) products are now available certified as ATEX compliant.

These HPDs all incorporate new mounting brackets, hoods and hoses for the capture and extraction of industrial dusts and fumes including hazardous and corrosive fumes at the point of source in surface grinding, welding, product tipping and drum filling, as well as food processing and all manufacturing applications, where dust and fumes are emitted.

Being ATEX compliant means that products are coated with an anti-static paint so that they can be used in hazardous area zones, which are based on the frequency and duration of where there can be an occurrence of an explosive atmosphere in which a mixture of air with dangerous substances in the form of gas, vapour, mist or combustible dust is likely to occasionally occur in normal operations. Features of these HPDs include, a rear casing that is fully enclosed giving an improved aesthetic appearance and protection against dirt ingress, a rear boom extension giving a 270° working radius and a new 360° rotating swivel hood enabling more accurate hood positioning, whilst quick release clips are used to attach a range of flexible hoses, including ATEX certified hoses.

Articulated HPDs are suitable for standard wall or stanchion mounting, as well as upward and downward swivel, joist and ceiling mountings and are available in five standard lengths between 1.5m and 4m.

The Extended HPD provides the user with the additional option of a longer reach up to a maximum 8m. The wall or bench mounted mini HPD is available in three standard diameters – 75mm, 100mm and 125mm with either a 1m or 1.5 m reach.

A range of hoods is available in a wide variety of designs including bell mouth, flare, fish tail, flat screen and custom designed.