Dust extractor: how to reduce the risks of dry sanding

The process of dry sanding before painting is the best smoothing method for automobile bodywork. However, in spite of its qualities and its worldwide popularity, this method produces dusts that must absolutely be removed by a suitable dust extractor, to ensure the high quality of the work and to eliminate suspended dust that can spread and deposit on vehicles and on all the equipment and machinery present in the workshop.

How does a sanding dust extractor work?

An effective dust extractor ensures the punctual and localized extraction of dust produced by dry sanding. In other words, these dusts are extracted before they can disperse in the environment, passing through the sanding machine itself, to make sure that the area being treated is completely free of these particularly fine and potentially dangerous particles.

The centralized dry extraction of these dusts is extremely effective, resulting in an ultra high-quality paint job without cumbersome machines in the work area. In addition, as it takes place simultaneously with the sanding itself, operators waste no precious time: one single action gives a double result.

Preventing the risks of stucco dry sanding

Metallic stuccos are widely used to buffer or finish imperfections on a vehicle, and the patched areas must be sanded in order to look smooth. However, powdered stucco suspended in the air is toxic and puts workers at a higher risk for cancer, in particular when it comes to the kinds of stucco used in the automotive industry.

Risks are obviously higher for those subject to prolonged exposure, such as the technicians who work at the workshop, often exposed to levels of these substances that exceed the critical threshold. A good dust extractor reduces to a minimum all risks of this kind, ensuring the removal of these elements resulting from the working in the same moment they're produced.

Prevention of risks of explosion in case of potentially risky dusts.

Dry sanding done on a some automobile models made of very light alloys and materials often creates residues of pyrophoric (potentially explosive) substances, whenever these powders build up in closed containers with possible sudden increase in temperature. European legislation intervened a while ago to regulate potentially explosive environments through a specific regulation called ATEX, (ATmosphères EXplosibles), which imposes increasing safety levels according to the risk associated to each work environment.

In risky situations such as those described above, an ATEX certified dust extractor is both necessary in order to adhere to the regulations in force and a precious ally for the safety of the entire workshop.

Do you want to discover all models of dust extractors produced by WORKY? Download our catalogue!