What Are Mist Collectors and Why Your Company Needs Them?

Machine shops and metalworking companies rely on industrial mist collection systems to keep the air in their environment clean. But what exactly are industrial collection systems, and how are they beneficial to your business? Let's find out.

The Role of Industrial Mist Collection Systems

Industrial Mist Collection Systems are typically used in CNC machine shops to remove harmful oil mist. Typically, metalworking companies rely on mist collectors to filter the air and maintain indoor air quality. That's because they tend to use a lot of oil-based lubricants and coolants when performing many activities, such as grinding and metal cutting.

These fluids help prevent excessive friction, which prevents machinery from overheating and reduces wear and tear. But when these metalworking fluids come in contact with moving machinery, some of the liquids get dispersed in the air. They produce tiny liquid droplets, and, in addition, oil mist can be converted to oil smoke if exposed to high temperatures under certain conditions.

How Do Mist Collectors Work?

There are two main types of mist collectors, and they are primary control mist collectors and secondary control mist collectors. Primary control mist collectors are designed to remove air contaminants right at the source because they are mounted on the machine.

In contrast, secondary control mist collectors are typically mounted on the ceiling, and it's designed to remove any additional mist that's not removed by the primary control mist collectors. Both types of mist collectors help to remove oil mist and smoke droplets from the air. They do this by gathering the droplets until they become larger droplets. The larger droplets are then collected and drained.

Benefits of Mist Collectors

Mist collectors provide many benefits to manufacturers. For starters, they protect employees from the harmful effects of mist generated from metalworking fluids. By doing this, manufacturers are also protecting themselves from worker lawsuits and increased liability.

Continued exposure to oil mist leads to health problems like skin conditions, respiratory issues, eye irritation, headaches, and fatigue. What's more, oil mist exposure increases the risk of serious illnesses like cancer.

To conclude, mist collectors, keep the air healthy by removing harmful oil mist. According to recent forecasts, the machine tool market is expected to experience an annual growth rate of 4% between 2020 and 2027. Successful companies are those that are concerned with their worker’s health and safety while protecting themselves from lawsuits by ensuring their shop air quality meets OSHA air quality standards.  Learn how easy it is to equip your shop with highly efficient mist and smoke collection systems.