Non-Ferrous Room

[Leecapri83]

We currently have 4 welding bays in pretty much constant use with purely mild steel MIG and TIG work.
We are now starting to look at doing some job samples in non ferrous, mainly Stainless steel and aluminium.
I'm going to construct a room specifically for the non-ferrous work. Has anyone got any suggestions as to things to bare in mind when doing this?
Obviously I'm doing this to keep the work and material as clean as possible with the best lighting possible but I'm interested in any other suggestions to bare in mind.

 

[Brad93]

We currently have 4 welding bays in pretty much constant use with purely mild steel MIG and TIG work.
We are now starting to look at doing some job samples in non ferrous, mainly Stainless steel and aluminium.
I'm going to construct a room specifically for the non-ferrous work. Has anyone got any suggestions as to things to bare in mind when doing this?
Obviously I'm doing this to keep the work and material as clean as possible with the best lighting possible but I'm interested in any other suggestions to bare in mind.

Aluminium table for starters. Segregated abrasives and files.
Proper Extraction

 

[Parm]

In addition to the above, get some proper advice on extraction if you need to, will pay dividends in the long run. Make sure anyone giving advice has P601 and P602, if they don’t know what this is walk away

 

[Brad93]

In addition to the above, get some proper advice on extraction if you need to, will pay dividends in the long run. Make sure anyone giving advice has P601 and P602, if they don’t know what this is walk away

This

TIG Aluminium isn’t too bad to weld in open workshops, the level of O3 quickly disperses and reacts with other particles fairly quickly.
GMAW aluminium creates lots of fume and fine dust. The O3 generated is a lot higher than tig due to a small portion of aluminium and magnesium vapourising as it transfers across the arc.
O3 is highly oxidising damaging living tissues and causing mutation. Is it a free radical? I can’t remember now but it’s a probable carcinogen.

Stainless fume is a known carcinogen.
Again tig not so bad but I’d still be wearing a half mask at minimum in an open space.

Confined room, that needs full extraction and probably forced ventilation.

 

[Bladevane]

Depending on your customer base, the level (quality, integrity) of work you will be doing and whether you require ISO 9001 certification, you should consider separation of items used in the preparation of stainless. Such as material storage, handling items like slings, wire brushes, grinders, work benches, cutting equipment, test fluids (NDE) etc. In short anything that might bring cross contamination from ferrous into the stainless arena should be eliminated. Maybe even consider a pickling and/or passivation system, but this could be sub-contracted out.

 

[Brad93]

Depending on your customer base, the level (quality, integrity) of work you will be doing and whether you require ISO 9001 certification, you should consider separation of items used in the preparation of stainless. Such as material storage, handling items like slings, wire brushes, grinders, work benches, cutting equipment, test fluids (NDE) etc. In short anything that might bring cross contamination from ferrous into the stainless arena should be eliminated. Maybe even consider a pickling and/or passivation system, but this could be sub-contracted out.

Why should passivation be contracted out?

You can pick up an electro/chemical passivator for a few grand off @Jim Davey. Get a passivation tester or have an NDT company conduct such if you need Cerys. Not rocket science.

 

[Bladevane]

I said “could be” not should be. Depends on the budget available.

 

[Hitch]

Think about how you handle material too, are you sliding it along guilly beds with steel arms? Press tooling, bandsaw blades...

A totally separate room, or just walls?
The amount of dust that settles in a busy workshop can be surprising.

 

[Yamhon]

Would someone mind giving me cliff notes on when such measures are necessary for separating mild from stainless works; is it just minimizing contamination of the weld pool or are there other hazards such as the formation of thermite from the mixing of mild and alloy/stainless dusts? Thanks.

 

[Revs1972]

Think about how you handle material too, are you sliding it along guilly beds with steel arms? Press tooling, bandsaw blades...

A totally separate room, or just walls?
The amount of dust that settles in a busy workshop can be surprising.

Tell me about it, my plasma table is filthy, and it’s not all my making
Going to give it a good clean next week if I get a spare day ( and finally cut some 3mm parts for a fellow forum member )

 

[Leecapri83]

Thanks for the replies, some that I had thought of others I had not.
Aluminium table - I understand the table top being aluminium to prevent damage/contamination but are there any other reasons i.e. conductivity etc?
We take Health and safety very seriously so will be doing further work on the ventilation side of things as well as hoping to maintain our ISO9001 status.
Thanks again

 

[Davek0974]

This

TIG Aluminium isn’t too bad to weld in open workshops, the level of O3 quickly disperses and reacts with other particles fairly quickly.
GMAW aluminium creates lots of fume and fine dust. The O3 generated is a lot higher than tig due to a small portion of aluminium and magnesium vapourising as it transfers across the arc.
O3 is highly oxidising damaging living tissues and causing mutation. Is it a free radical? I can’t remember now but it’s a probable carcinogen.

Stainless fume is a known carcinogen.
Again tig not so bad but I’d still be wearing a half mask at minimum in an open space.

Confined room, that needs full extraction and probably forced ventilation.

o3 is Ozone just in case anyone wondered and yes its bad in high concentrations and/or long exposure periods.

Also watch out for hexavalent chromium from working stainless, just as if not more dangerous in moderate concentrations, certainly take precaution if working it all day.