Clean Air on Job Sites
Festool explains why clean air on the construction sites is important - for health reasons, longer tool life and work quality.
09/02/2019
Festool Dust Extractors are designed to keep a work place safe and healthy for all workers. For this reason, they offer numerous versions of extraction systems in order to provide the appropriate model - in the correct dust class - for every user. Dust-free job sites lead to better working results and require less rework and a dust-free environment is also indispensable for health protection and occupational safety.
There is an increasing demand for mobile dust extractors that can be used for various dust classes, achieve outstanding performance and are easy to transport. Festool is the only power tool manufacturer to develop and produce its own extractors. Whether cutting, sanding, sawing or routing, dust is produced as part of day-to-day operations in workshops, on construction sites and at other mobile operating sites. However, a dust-free working environment is indispensable in order to ensure that your work produces good results.
If dust settles on work pieces, this is guaranteed to impair quality. It has also been proven that tools from which dust is actively extracted have a significantly longer service life.
In Germany, a limit of 1.25 mg/m3 applies to what is referred to as 'A' dust, which is fine enough to enter the smallest branches of the lungs. A limit of 10 mg/m3 applies to the entirety of all particles which can be breathed in through the mouth and nose (E dust). "Suitable breathing protection" must be used from a "transition value of as low as 3 mg/m³".
Special versions in dust classes L and M are available from Festool for working with large quantities of fine dust. The models with AC in their name are fitted with the "Autoclean" automatic filter cleaning system and therefore also provide consistent suction power, even with high quantities of dust.
Dust and dirt on construction sites are sucked in via the air volume flow of the tool extractors. The extractor's turbine creates a vacuum and therefore the air or volume flow required for this. The air speed must be increased for sucking in heavier materials. "Many people are unaware that the suction power is not directly related to power consumption. That's why you shouldn't pick a new extractor solely based on the declared power consumption," explains Festool Product Manager Andreas Buck.
A different air speed might be recommended – and therefore a larger hose diameter – depending on the materials to be collected: The larger the hose diameter, the lower the air speed. The larger the hose cross section, the greater the volume flow. For instance, lightweight materials, such as wood, stone and glass dust, metal chips or PVC, only require low air speeds up to 25 m/s with a large hose diameter. By contrast, the best way to collect heavy materials, such as oil or stony sand, is to use high air speeds with a small hose diameter.
In addition to the filter performance, another important property for mobile dust extractors is ease of transport on construction sites and at mobile operating sites. Festool mobile dust extractors also feature an integrated hose holder which securely stores the hose during transport.
