Laboratory Furniture Corrosion Resistance PP Stainless Steel Universal Retractable Fume Exhaust Extraction Arm for School Hospital Chemistry Research Institute

An extraction arm is called by many names including flex arm, weld fume extractor, laboratory fume extractor, fume arm, flexible fume collector, weld smoke extractor, articulating arm, boom arm, fume extractor, and just plain extractor. They are typically coupled with a duct or dust system to collect a "contaminate" or pollutant at its source.

These "arms" are comprised of a hose of optional diameters, a rigid member (s) such as a rod or tube, either on the inside or outside of the flex and trunk. There are sections of pipe along the hose, booms to extend the reach of the arm, dampers, hoods, lights, switches for a fan, and a fan or exhauster. Extraction arms are selected for the airstream temperatures and constituents, explosive materials, oils, etc. Many of the explosion rated designs come with ATEX approval, having been checked, tested, and approved for use in those rated spaces.

Arms are rated by airflow and the amount of static pressure loss when used in an extended or retracted position. They have an extended work radius or reach option, but it will cost in static resistance and horsepower. Where applicable and used responsibly, they are an invaluable tool for a clean air solution.

Extraction arms are the most commonly used equipment for welding fume extraction. The correct handling is decisive with regards to effective capture of welding fumes. A high coverage rate and thus the effectiveness of occupational safety largely depend on this. We explain which standards apply for the use of extraction arms and what you have to consider during handling.

Many welders know this situation: The extraction arm of the extraction system is very stiff for welding processes using local extraction. Tracking is often cumbersome and one may tempted to quickly work on some areas without first moving the extraction arm into the right position. However, correct usage and quality are important for welding fume extraction.

▪ Optimal efficiency and low noise provides safe and quite working environment
▪ Ceilings, walls and floors or fixed to worktops mountings and cut2fit extension profile gives maximum installation flexibility
▪ The two outermost arm joints can rotate and swivel through 360°, which gives the unique maneuverability
▪ The lean, smooth and aesthetic design allows arms to fit well in any environment without compromising its durability and reliability
▪ Highly integrated products that save time and costs, as well as providing the reliability and functionality to deliver a better performance

Source capture is a ventilation design option where the collection of a particulate, fume, odor, mist, or airborne pathogen is at its' source and a hood on the extraction arm is positioned close to the source of the contamination. There are optional hood designs available to maximize collection efficiency while minimizing interference to the work procedure or operation.

Importantly, the arm allows movement of the hood to a neutral position when access to a source is required. When used in a ventilation system, source capture removes the minimal amount of air to capture a contaminate, thus requiring the minimal amount of make-up air to be brought in to balance the building pressure. If air filtration is part of the ventilation design, smaller amounts of air require less air filter capacity.

To maximize capture efficiency, flexible extraction arms with specialty hoods are the best solution available. They have extended reach or can be easily repositioned and moved out of the way to save space. The goal with an extraction arm is to capture as much contamination as possible within the positioning, workflow, and operatory procedure constraints

How do fume extractors work?

Extraction filters
Most extraction units have a variety of filters depending on their requirements. These can separate fumes and dust from the normal air particles. Sparks that may be captured (in welding processes) are filtered away from any dust via gravity filters and spark arresters.

Mobile and stationary extraction units
The units can be mobile or stationary - again depending on the requirements, and are in many cases installed with a 'plug and play' set up meaning there will be no configuration problems. Simply switch it on and point.

How to use extraction units
Once the unit is installed and switched on simply point the suction head of the extraction arm within a few feet of the fume / dust source and this will suck up the fumes which will go through the filtration process, separating the fumes and dust and releasing the clean air back into the environment. The dust will be collected in a tray which should be emptied at regular intervals to keep the unit working effectively.

Changing extraction filters
The filters the extraction unit uses have a sensor in them that will inform you when they need to be changed. Changing the filters is a process that typically needs to be done within a twelve month time frame for the equipment to maintain full capacity. This is an easy process with the instructions to change your dust and fume extractor filter being very simple to follow.