Yesterday I visited a small for-profit Makerspace outside of Chicago. Due to landlord restrictions on roof and wall penetrations they are using a filter unit instead of a true exhaust.
I don’t know anything about the cost, noise or relative effectiveness but it looks like an interesting solution if we ever want to put one laser in a separate location.
We are definitely planning on buying a portable filter for the Zing.
The intent is to make it mobile for purposes of instruction in a classroom and showcasing at an event for PR purposes.
Jury is out on the filter as a long term solution.
PS. What you can’t tell from this photo is that this sucker is a floor-standing unit about 4’ tall.
They have a single 50-watt Epilog with an 18” x 24” bed.
It looks like this model, ~$3,300 base price before any add-ons.
http://www.airpurifiersandcleaners.com/bofa-ad-oracle-iq-laser-fume-dust-extractor
the filters are the biggest cost. they have to get rotated quite often.
Basically it is a big HEPA filter with a carbon pre-filter for volatiles. I remember seeing MIT’s Fablab trailer at the International Science & Engineering Fair in DC with a self made one. Had a big hopper of pelletized charcoal. They said it was still fairly expensive to fill it.
I got a quote from BOFA back in 2014 the filter was $6,100ish for our laser.
I do have a Trotec fume extractor that came with my laser engraver. It currently is not usable until the activated charcoal pellets and HEPA filters are changed out. Not cheap… I do hope to get it running someday though.
I don’t think the filters are very effective for carbon monoxide (effective for a short period of time). This is an issue when people throw things like polycarbonate instead of acrylic on the laser.
A laser cutter was the suspected cause of the deaths on the case linked above. I just don’t think it’s worth messing with being more expensive and potentially more dangerous (or less effective).
I didn’t know the cost, but this discussion has clarified that for me.
They also use the same type of “solution” for their welding area. Sure made me nervous …
At least with welding, there is a smaller list of materials you are working with, and a fairly short list of concerns.
Hexavalent chromium from working stainless steel
Zinc oxide from galvanized materials, or attempting to weld (but not braze) brass
Cadmium if you are silly enough to try welding yellow plated bolts or parts
Phosgene gas from heating metals that have been cleaned with clorinated brake cleaners any time in the last couple of months.
Everything else is generally vaporized oils and fumes from the welding flux, and all those are selected by the manufacturers knowing they will be used in the field with minimal PPE and often severely inadequate ventilation.
With laser, you never know exactly what a user will drag in, or what uncommon contaminants this particular piece of material actually contains.
Exactly. We had 466 different users on our lasers over 365 days.
Filtering the Zing for purposes of teaching classes in a quiet classroom setting and representing DMS at off-site events, where our instructors control the materials and access, is a better application. The upfront cost and filter consumables would be borne by the laser usage fee and not the General Fund.
One of the specific purposes of buying the HEPA filter in the welding area was so SS can be welded.
