Welding smoke

Industrial plant for extracting welding fumes

Airborne particles that are generated during the welding process are referred to as welding fumes . The same name is also used for the airborne particles produced during thermal cutting.

background

All welding processes and related processes are associated with the creation of substances that are hazardous to health . These occur in both gaseous and particulate form. Gaseous substances are usually created from the gases used and around them, particles from the welding consumables and any workpiece coatings.

The following have an influence on the welding fumes that form in the arc process:

Welding speed
Welding voltage
Welding current
Material , in particular its surface condition and coating

If electrodes that are not consumed are used, no particles can arise from them.

Welding fumes consist largely of particles with an equivalent diameter smaller than one micrometer . Even ultra-fine particles are contained in them in considerable orders of magnitude.

Tungsten inert gas welding is significantly lower in emissions than metal active gas welding .

A low level of welding smoke is often associated with increased ozone formation .

literature

VDI / DVS 6005: 2018-02 Hazardous substances and ventilation systems for welding workplaces. Beuth Verlag, Berlin, ( summary and table of contents online )

Individual evidence

↑ DIN EN ISO 15012-4: 2016-11 Occupational health and safety in welding and allied processes; Devices for collecting and separating welding fumes; Part 4: General requirements (ISO 15012-4: 2016); German version EN ISO 15012-4: 2016. Beuth Verlag, Berlin, p. 8.
↑ VDI 3405 sheet 6.1: 2018-06 (draft) Additive manufacturing processes; User safety when operating the production facilities; Laser beam melting of metal powders. Beuth Verlag, Berlin, p. 3.
↑ VDI / DVS 6005: 2018-02 Hazardous substances and ventilation systems for welding workplaces. Beuth Verlag, Berlin, p. 4.
↑ ^a ^b ^c Vanessa Kunde: Are workplace limit values for particle concentrations feasible? In: Hazardous substances - cleanliness. Air . 77, No. 10, 2017, ISSN 0949-8036 , pp. 421-426.
↑ Johannes Pelzer, Martin Lehnert, Anne Lotz, Carsten Möhlmann, Rainer Van Gelder, Arno Goebel, Markus Berges, Tobias Weiss, Beate Pesch, Thomas Brüning: Measurements of the number concentration of fine and ultrafine particles in welding smoke. In: Hazardous substances - cleanliness. Air. 71, No. 9, 2011, ISSN 0949-8036 , pp. 389-392.

[1] DIN EN ISO 15012-4: 2016-11 Occupational health and safety in welding and allied processes; Devices for collecting and separating welding fumes; Part 4: General requirements (ISO 15012-4: 2016); German version EN ISO 15012-4: 2016. Beuth Verlag, Berlin, p. 8.

[2] VDI 3405 sheet 6.1: 2018-06 (draft) Additive manufacturing processes; User safety when operating the production facilities; Laser beam melting of metal powders. Beuth Verlag, Berlin, p. 3.

[3] VDI / DVS 6005: 2018-02 Hazardous substances and ventilation systems for welding workplaces. Beuth Verlag, Berlin, p. 4.

[q1-4] Vanessa Kunde: Are workplace limit values for particle concentrations feasible? In: Hazardous substances - cleanliness. Air . 77, No. 10, 2017, ISSN 0949-8036 , pp. 421-426.

[5] Johannes Pelzer, Martin Lehnert, Anne Lotz, Carsten Möhlmann, Rainer Van Gelder, Arno Goebel, Markus Berges, Tobias Weiss, Beate Pesch, Thomas Brüning: Measurements of the number concentration of fine and ultrafine particles in welding smoke. In: Hazardous substances - cleanliness. Air. 71, No. 9, 2011, ISSN 0949-8036 , pp. 389-392.