How to make the most out of your
fume extraction system

At Alfex Laser, we pride ourselves on delivering the highest level of care and support to all our customers. From helping you to understand your legal obligations through to advising you on selecting the right system and ensuring that it is installed correctly.

But we don’t stop there – our nation wide service network means we’re on hand once your machine is up and running, whenever you need us.

It is important to look after your fume extraction unit and make sure that it is thoroughly examined in order to protect the ongoing health and safety of you and your employees, and to ensure you don’t experience any unplanned downtime or unexpected maintenance.

8 WAYS TO best look after your BOFA FUME EXTRACTION unit

1. Ensure you have the right system for you process – If you are ever unsure about the compatibility of the extraction and filtration system for your specific application, we have an expert team of specialist engineers to help you decide which BOFA machine will fit your process and give the best results.

2. Regularly service your unit – Guidance varies by country but it’s good practice to implement a regular maintenance schedule. In Australia, Safe Work Australia (SWA) has established workplace exposure standards for approximately 700 substances and mixtures. More information on your exposure standards and you obligations can be found here.

Our support team can come to you anywhere in Australia. Click here to book your next service.

3. Inspect the installation to ensure extract devices/nozzles/enclosures/hoses are correctly fastened into the optimal position to ensure there is no leakage or uncaptured contaminant.

4. Once a month, disconnect hoses and check for blockages, and make sure that the fan is running smoothly.

5. Log filter changes and regular visual inspections in a ‘Log-Book’. This is the most effective way to ensure the machine is working optimally and after some time, you will be able to calculate the average filter lifetime for your specific application by noting the increasing blockage rate during production. For more information on what the ‘Log-Book’ should consist of, refer to Australian or your specific state guidance.

6. For production environments, we would always recommend having a small stock of replacement filters on site so you can quickly change in the event of an unexpected blockage. Did you know you can now shop BOFA replacement filters online?

7. Make sure to run your extraction unit at the lowest possible speed that is still effectively capturing and filtering contaminant, as this will reduce wear on internal components and can increase filter life.

8. Check that the staff using the unit are adequately trained and supervised.