Increase System Performance with On-Demand Dust Collection
Does your dust collection system consistently deliver the performance you need? Are you noticing poor dust capture at workstations? When was the last time you checked the drop design air velocity/air volume to be at or above design value? Ignoring these issues can lead to safety risks and reduced product quality.
Unfortunately, many factories operate with underperforming dust collection systems. Over time, as your facility evolves, machines get relocated, replaced, or removed. These changes directly impact system performance, often reducing dust collection at individual workstations. Traditional dust collection systems struggle to adapt to these changes, but Ecogate's On-Demand Control System offers a solution.
Consequence of Poor Performance
Ignoring the signs of an underperforming dust collection system comes at a high cost – one that goes beyond just increased energy bills.
Health Risks: Wood dust is a known carcinogen, and similar risks exist with other airborne particulates found in industrial settings. Prolonged exposure can lead to respiratory problems, increase the risk of serious illnesses, and compromise worker safety.
Product Quality: Insufficient dust collection hinders product quality across various industries. In woodworking, this means compromised surface finishes. In other industries, it might mean contamination, increased defects, or product recalls.
Workplace Conditions: Excess dust in the workspace also makes it difficult to maintain the level of cleanliness required for quality control in many manufacturing environments.
Compliance: OSHA and NFPA set strict standards for air quality and particulate exposure. Noncompliance can result in hefty fines, production shutdowns, and reputational damage, regardless of your industry.
Whether you work with wood, metal, plastics, or other materials, Ecogate helps you protect worker health, optimize product quality, and ensure regulatory compliance.
How Ecogate Boosts Performance
Ecogate's On-Demand Control System takes an entirely different approach to dust collection, directly addressing the challenges of underperforming systems. Ecogate is currently the only company that provides a system where Smart Gates continuously monitor every drop, providing real-time data. This intelligent system automatically adjusts airflow throughout the entire ductwork, optimizing performance where it matters: at the active workstations.
By redirecting airflow from inactive machines, Ecogate not only saves energy but also provides a boost in suction to active machines, ensuring efficient dust collection even during peak production. This targeted, data-driven approach unlocks significant performance gains, ensuring you always get the most out of your dust collection system.
Workstation Active Utilization, a Key Principle
Workstation Active Utilization refers to how often a machine is actively producing dust that needs to be collected. It's expressed as a percentage – the portion of a shift a machine is actually producing dust. We have observed thousands of factories of all sizes and have extensive data on their Workstation Active Utilization. Our findings show that nearly all factories have an Active Utilization of 50% or lower.
Ecogate's On-Demand Control System is designed to capitalize on this often untapped potential. By focusing airflow only on active workstations, we can free up as much as 30% of your fan's power. This translates to increased performance at the hood, where it matters most, and substantial energy savings for your facility.
Want to calculate your factory's Workstation Active Utilization and uncover hidden opportunities for optimization? Check out this article. If your Workstation Active Utilization is below 75%, you could be missing out on significant performance gains and energy savings by not using Ecogate's On-Demand Control System.
Ecogate gives you increased performance at the hood
Ecogate Smart Gates, a Key Component
Our Smart Gates collect real-time pressure, air velocity, and volume flow data at each drop. This continuous monitoring allows for precise airflow adjustments, maximizing efficiency and ensuring optimal dust capture at active workstations.
The greenBOX control unit analyzes the data from all Smart Gates and automatically adjusts the system to ensure optimal performance across the entire ductwork. In short, air velocities, volumes, and pressures are measured at gates, calculated at branches, and assessed at the system level.
Maintains Minimum Conveying Velocities, a Key Benefit
Increased performance at the hood is an advantage the Ecogate system offers unlike anyone else in the industry - we have the most advanced gates on the market for this. Another key advantage that distinguishes Ecogate from cheaper alternatives is the fact that it maintains minimum transport air velocities throughout the entire ducting. Our system will open and close gates to ensure this and can handle many circumstances.
For example, in the instance where very few machines are active, like one or two, our system will open additional gates to reach minimum airflow. There are cases where this may not be possible, for example opening the gate to a wide-belt sander that's inactive could cause damage. For this case, and many others, our Smart Gates come with advanced functionality that can be programmed to match your exact needs. This granular control enables you to tailor the system's performance to match your unique facility layout, machine configurations, and operational needs.
Proactive Maintenance for Peak Performance
Ecogate's Smart Gates provide an unprecedented level of insight into your dust collection system. With real-time monitoring at every drop, you get a comprehensive picture of performance and active utilization. Access this valuable data anytime through the greenBOX UI or conveniently via a web browser on any internet-connected device. Detailed Monthly and Daily reports delivered directly to your inbox further streamline the analysis process.
This wealth of information arms you with the tools to:
Prevent Downtime: Identify potential component wear, blockages, or performance drops before they lead to costly breakdowns.
Optimize Workflow: Analyze active utilization patterns to pinpoint bottlenecks and make data-driven adjustments to your layout or resource allocation.
Prioritize Investments: Utilize system performance trends to make informed decisions about future upgrades and expansions.
Real-World Success Stories - Using Increased Performance for Expansion
Synsor Retail Innovation: Faced with a maxed-out 200 HP dust collection system and the need for additional production capacity, Synsor Retail Innovation chose Ecogate over a costly new collector installation. Ecogate's solution increased performance, allowing for expansion and avoiding significant capital expenditure.
Hardwood Industries: After optimizing various aspects of their facility, including lighting, compressors, and VFDs, Hardwood Industries turned to Ecogate for dust collection efficiency. Ecogate's system delivered a 25% reduction in energy consumption while also improving performance significantly. This allowed them to eliminate one of four collectors, reducing operational costs and freeing up resources.
Conclusion
The challenges of underperforming dust collection systems are clear: costly downtime, compromised worker safety, reduced product quality, and the constant threat of non-compliance. Ecogate's On-Demand Control System offers the solution. With intelligent airflow management, data-driven insights, and proactive maintenance capabilities, Ecogate empowers you to maximize performance, reduce costs, safeguard your workers, and streamline your operations.
These results aren't just theoretical – businesses like Synsor Retail Innovation, Hardwood Industries and countless others have experienced these benefits firsthand. Are you ready to transform your dust collection system and unlock a new level of performance? Contact Ecogate today to discuss how our On-Demand Control System can elevate your operations.
