Kubota Materials Corporation, located in Orillia, Ontario, is a world-class manufacturer of high quality alloy-steel castings and assemblies. The company was looking for a solution for dealing with welding smoke and grinding dust being generated from their finishing work on sand-cast products. To better protect workers, it was critical to find a way to eliminate the dust and fumes produced by grinding and welding stainless steel pipes.
Many of these products are used throughout the Oil & Gas, Steel & Aluminum fabrication and the Mining industry. For Kubota, it was critical to find a way to eliminate the dust and fumes from grinding and welding stainless steel pipes to better protect workers.
Kubota has earned world renown in its manufacturing of high-quality steel and alloyed castings and products assembled from these castings. Many of these products are used throughout the Oil & Gas, Steel & Aluminum fabrication and the Mining industry.
Diversitech visited Kubota’s facility and spoke to operators and engineering to develop a custom solution for their unique application. A custom downdraft table was chosen as the optimal solution to remove welding fumes and grinding dust from the workspace.
After careful evaluation, Diversitech’s engineering group designed a reinforced 3′ x 6′ downdraft table rated for heavy parts (1000 lbs.). The machine was equipped with a low-profile table having a height of 32” for ergonomic operation along with an electronic height adjustment system including 4 hydraulic pistons. These actuators allow workers to operate the table at the preferred height, depending on the dimensions of their work-pieces. A custom side-shroud was incorporated to capture and direct grinding sparks and dust down into the table. Two front cut-outs provide suction – even when work is performed above the ventilated table surface.
After initially installing two of these 3′x6′ custom downdraft tables, Kubota realized an improvement in plant air quality as well as an increase in operator comfort. So that more operators could benefit from such improvements, they ordered an additional four 3′x6′ downdraft tables for their other workstations.