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Dust Collectors for Laser / Plasma Cutting

Sizing Recommendations

Plasma self-cleaning downdraft table

Plasma self-cleaning downdraft table.

Two of the most important factors in sizing the collector is the expected amount of smoke particulate being collected and the material being cut.

Several things affect the amount of particulate being collected or loading. First is the amperage of the plasma cutter itself. A 300 amp plasma will cut much faster and have a much higher loading than a 100 amp plasma. Also some tables may have two heads operating at the same time.

A zoned table will have a much higher loading due to the lower airflow for the amount of material being collected. It can be compared to source capture verses general ventilation on non zoned tables.

The air to cloth ratio for cutting carbon steel can be as high as 1.5:1 on light loadings and heavy loadings should be at no more than 1.0:1 on HemiPleat® cartridges.

We are very happy with the Farr Gold Series. The GS36 was purchased for our CNC plasma cutter to replace a horizontal cartridge dust collector due to short filter life. The current filters have been in for over a year and still look great and are operating at less than 3" pressure drop. Also, the Farr people have been a pleasure to do business with..
-Dan Schuler, Schuler Mfg.

If aluminum is being cut, than the air to cloth ratio should also be lowered. The air to cloth should be no more than 1:1 on lighter loadings and as low as 0.5:1 on very heavy loadings. The Gold Series HemiPleat Fire Retardant cartridges should be used in this application at the above referenced air to cloth ratios.

Laser Cutting

Laser tables use a different technology for cutting than do plasma tables, but the applications are very similar. The particulate from laser is much smaller and more spherical. Even though the loading is much lighter, the air to cloth ratio should be from 1:1 up to a maximum of 1.5:1 on Gold Series HemiPleat cartridges. Same precautions as above on aluminum cutting.

GS24 on Plasma Cutting at E&E Metal Fab GS24 on Plasma Cutting at E&E Metal Fab