The manufacturing industry is facing growing challenges due to stricter occupational safety regulations and a widespread shortage of skilled workers. One thing is clear: welding fumes are extremely harmful and must be removed from the breathing zone of those working nearby. To demonstrate the smart solutions currently available to address this critical issue, the xFUME® Day celebrated its premiere at the ABICOR BINZEL headquarters in Buseck. More than 50 industry professionals – including both distributors and end users – came together for the eventful day. Their shared goal was to gather comprehensive information on current solutions for a highly topical issue: efficient, on-torch welding fume extraction.
The pressure is growing. Companies are becoming increasingly aware of occupational safety, as a pollutant-free workplace has become a decisive criterion for finding and retaining qualified personnel. However, the transition from conservative methods – such as the classic extraction arm, which is often not consistently repositioned during everyday work – to modern extraction at source is difficult for many companies. Yet on-torch extraction is the safest and cleanest solution. It captures the dangerous welding fumes exactly where they are created: directly at the arc. This benefits not only the person welding, but the entire workforce.
The fact that this topic has top priority across all industries was also confirmed by the in-depth theoretical part of the event. Following the welcome address by Jörg Lehnhäuser (Director Sales D/A/CH at ABICOR BINZEL), the expert presentations provided valuable insights for practice. Thomas Götz from the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA) spoke about the "Holistic analysis and optimization of welding fume extraction at the VW plant in Baunatal". In addition, Dr. med. Lutz Schinke gave deeper insights into the requirements of modern occupational medicine. Josef Ramsenthaler, Head of Quality Management & Occupational Safety at HUBER SE, finally summed it up in his best-practice presentation: "The decisive goal is to minimize welding fumes. So that not only the welding professional, but also other people in the hall are protected. After all, we want everyone to stay healthy."
After the technical part, the guests went straight to the five practical stations. Especially in manual welding, there are often still prejudices against extraction torches. They are said to be too heavy and unwieldy. At two of the stations, guests were able to see live in action just how much progress has been made in the further development of on-torch extraction: the xFUME® PRO for MIG/MAG welding and the xFUME® TIG for TIG welding.
Both torches are characterized by a noticeable weight reduction and excellent ergonomics. The xFUME® PRO feels like a standard torch in your hand, and its slim front end always provides an unobstructed view of the welding process. With the xFUME® TIG, a patented combined protection and extraction nozzle ensures that highly toxic fumes are safely extracted even during demanding stainless steel welding, while the shielding gas coverage is fully guaranteed at all times.
Michael Mücke, Sales Representative at Grützmacher Schweißtechnik, summed it up perfectly: "Veteran welders are often skeptical and say: 'That's too bulky, too heavy, too unwieldy.' But as soon as they have the torches in their hands for the first time and actively test them on the component, they realize: Oh, they may look big, but they are actually light and you can get everywhere you need to go."
Another major shortcoming in everyday work is the lack of reach. Anyone who welds massive components, large structures, or vehicles faces a double challenge: The wire feed must smoothly cover long distances while the extraction must be carried along at the same time. With extreme lengths, this combination often compromises freedom of movement.
The guests were able to experience the solution to this with the FreedomDrive push-pull system. This system acts as a kind of intermediate drive in the cable assembly, feeding the welding wire smoothly to the process even over very long distances. Combined with an impressive 16-meter cable assembly, it was demonstrated live that complete freedom of movement around the entire component and highly efficient welding fume extraction are absolutely not a contradiction.
Occupational health and safety in the sense of fume-free air is just as relevant in the action area of cobots and welding robots. The compact xFUME® COMMANDER fume extraction system demonstrated how clean air works in automated manufacturing. It combines the advantages of a compact, mobile unit for tight workshops with a powerful extraction system. With its intuitive operating concept via a large display and filters that can be changed without tools, it offers safety at the highest level.
Guests saw live how easily existing systems can be retrofitted using the xFUME® ABIROB® robotic extraction torch, which was specially developed for extraction at source directly at the robot arm. Extraction can also be easily integrated into modern collaborative robots such as the iBOTone® welding cobot. Fabian Schmitt, Team Leader Plant Construction at KASPAR SCHULZ, was enthusiastic: "It was fascinating to see how uncomplicated the conversion to an extraction system is and how much welding fumes are actually captured."
In order to not only promise the highest quality and safety standards, but to scientifically prove them, ABICOR BINZEL operates the ARCLab. Behind the name lies a highly modern, globally unique in-house research laboratory, which brings together around 100 special test and analysis systems on 1,200 square meters, at the Buseck site alone. At the corresponding theme station, the guests gained exclusive insights into this extraordinary testing environment.
Among other things, in-depth emission tests are carried out at the ARCLab, filter technologies are tested, and torch components are put through their paces under the most extreme conditions. Because only those who understand exactly how microscopic welding fume particles behave in the air can develop extraction systems that reliably banish this invisible hazard. Exactly this knowledge gained at the ARCLab can be directly applied in practice – to make xFUME® solutions a bit safer for everyday welding.
The first xFUME® Day made one thing clear above all: The classic reservations about on-torch extraction are now outdated. Live demonstrations reinforced the experts’ message that modern extraction technology does not interfere with the welding process but instead makes it fundamentally safer – while consistently maintaining high weld quality. Workplace air-quality regulations will undoubtedly become more stringent in the years ahead, but the appropriate, proven solutions are already available today.
For manufacturing companies, this means: The health of welding professionals and all people working in the vicinity can be effectively protected today without disrupting everyday production processes. The path to fume-free manufacturing may initially seem like a major hurdle, but it can be overcome. With years of experience from development and practice, ABICOR BINZEL provides support in smoothly integrating the right extraction solution into everyday workshop life.
Don't miss the latest developments in the welding industry with our free news subscription. Choose what you want to learn about and get exciting e-books, blog posts, videos and product news delivered straight to your inbox.