Downdraft Benches
ICAN™ Project Photos:
Downdraft bench collects chromium dust.
Downdraft bench for steel dust collection.
Downdraft bench collects lead dust.
Application photos are used by permission of members of the Industrial Clean Air Network and are copyrighted by their respective owners. All rights reserved.
Every member distributor of the Industrial Clean Air Network offers a complete selection of downdraft tables and benches. Please ask your regional supplier about the product lines offered.
Even if a specific product is not available, your supplier may still be able to assist you with the needed service, or provide a comparable or even upgraded system.
Uses of Downdraft Benches
What Makes a Downdraft Bench a Bench? How does a downdraft bench differ from a downdraft table? A downdraft work station may be identified as a bench if it has one or more of the following three features: (1) Backdraft added to the downdraft for extra source capture; (2) A full containment enclosure with integral lighting and optional regain air, enhancing capture velocity and pushing contaminants away from worker's breathing zone and line of vision; (3) Knee-room below, allowing workers to comfortably sit at their tasks. As with downdraft tables, downdraft benches are available to fit a range of industrial needs with various filter options, including heavy-duty cartridge filters, multi-stage panel filter systems, and wet-type filters.
Types of contaminants collected by cartridge filter downdraft benches include fine to medium sized particles of wood dust, composite dust, fiberglass dust, marble dust, plastic dust, aluminum dust, other metals, and also welding and soldering smoke and fume. Panel filter downdraft benches are well-suited for collecting fine dust and smoke, including wood sanding dust, powders, and welding smoke and fume. Wet filter downdraft benches safely collect fine particles of aluminum, titanium, and other potentially explosive or combustible dust.
Industrial processes that benefit from the use of downdraft benches include sanding, grinding, deburring, buffing and finishing, polishing, mixing, welding, and soldering. Panel filter downdraft benches are especially useful for fine sanding and finishing processes in the manufacture of wood products, as well as dental appliance/denture finishing, inspection and QC/QA, medical device manufacturing, jewelry polishing and soldering, powder processing, and small parts surface finishing. Wet filter downdraft benches are suitable for grinding, sanding, and polishing on aluminum and other hazardous dust.
Advantages of Downdraft Benches
- Dual Source Capture: Downdraft Plus Backdraft. Dust is pulled down and away from the worker's breathing zone and line of vision.
- Dust Containment and Regain Air. Many downdraft benches feature containment enclosures with re-gain air and integral lighting.
- Leg Room for Sitting. Workers can be more comfortable and productive with the ergonomic advantage of sitting at the work bench.
- Single or Double. Many downdraft benches are also available in back-to-back, double work table configurations.
- Available in Many Sizes and Filter Choices. Downdraft benches range in size from small, single stations for close hand work to extra-long benches accommodating large parts and / or multi-task operations. Filter options include disposable pleated panel filters, heavy-duty self-cleaning cartridge filters, wet-type collectors for potentially combustible or explosive dust, and optional HEPA and carbon after-filters.
- Energy Savings. Downdraft benches with integral dust collectors recirculate clean, tempered air back into the shop, saving on costs of heating and cooling. (See our DustSpot Energy Savings Calculator to estimate annual energy savings for re-circulating filtered air.)
The Industrial Clean Air Network exists to help industries and commercial interests throughout North America find local access to quality air services. ICAN™ Distributors sell, install, and service dust collectors, air cleaners, mist units, fume extractors, vehicle exhaust systems, and other industrial ventilation products. Each ICAN™ member is an independent distributor who represents various manufacturers, offers personal service, and individually guarantees air quality satisfaction to every customer. ICAN™ Distributors provide industrial air filtration equipment throughout the contiguous United States, Canada, and Mexico.