At the heart of Auckland city lies one of New Zealand’s premier shipyards, Titan Marine. Since 1993, this 100% New Zealand-owned operation has built a sterling reputation for delivering skilled, efficient, and professional marine and industrial engineering services to clients from across New Zealand and the South Pacific. When facing challenges with workshop air quality, they turned to Egmont Air for a comprehensive centralised extraction solution.
The Challenge: A Workshop Under a Cloud
Titan Marine’s fabrication expertise is legendary. With certified technicians and welders skilled in MIG, TIG, arc, gas, plasma, aluminium, and submerged techniques, they tackle projects of all complexities with precision. But their workshop faced a significant challenge—inadequate fume extraction.
The team was relying on a single mobile extraction unit that they wheeled around the workshop as needed. This solution was not working for them, especially when they considered the serious health hazards associated with welding fumes. These fumes produce toxic metal oxides and gases in microscopic particles that can cause severe respiratory issues and long-term lung damage, including chemical pneumonitis, metal fume fever, pulmonary fibrosis, and even lung cancer.
On days when weather conditions forced the workshop to close the roller doors, a hazardous cloud of fumes would accumulate inside, creating an unhealthy work environment.
Recognising the need for a comprehensive and practical solution, that would improve the work environment for their staff and increase productivity. Titan Marine contacted Egmont Air for a consultation to determine their requirements and explore the best options for a centralised extraction solution that would serve the entire workshop.
The Solution: Capture at Source
Above: Welder using an Evolution Extraction Arm connected to a centralised extraction system
After conducting a thorough site visit, Egmont Air recommended a centralised extraction solution that would provide effective “capture at source” fume extraction—the safest and most efficient approach for removing dust and fumes from the workplace.
The key components of the centralised extraction solution included:
Evolution Fume-Extraction Arms
Four Evolution Fume-Extraction Arms were installed, designed to operate with up to three arms running simultaneously. These state-of-the-art arms feature:
- Large capture hoods that can be positioned closer to the working area
- Carefully calibrated airflow that doesn’t disturb shielding gases or create nuisance drafts
- External articulating mechanisms that provide smooth, balanced movement while remaining free from abrasive wear and airflow restriction
- Butterfly dampers to regulate airflow for sensitive processes like TIG welding
The Evolution Arm’s high airflow performance allows the hood to be positioned centrally at a greater distance, providing flexibility without compromising effectiveness.
CDC Cartridge Dust Collector
To handle the high volume of dust and fumes produced during heavy steel fabrication, Egmont Air installed a PRM 7.5Hp Fan Egmont CDC1-4 Dust Collector System as part of the centralised extraction solution. This cartridge filtration system offers:
- High-efficiency filtration even for micron-sized particles
- Generous high filter-surface-area ratio to prevent quick blockage
- Automatic reverse-pulse cleaning using compressed air to maintain optimal cartridge condition
- Fan placement on the clean side of the filter to prevent abrasive wear
- Downflow air pattern for proper dust particle collection
Modular Ducting and Variable Speed Drive
The centralised extraction solution included a modular ducting system connecting the Evolution Arms and centralised main duct to the Fan and Dust Collector, following a custom layout designed for Titan Marine’s specific workshop configuration.
An IP55-rated Variable Speed Drive (VSD) was also installed, allowing the fan to automatically adjust suction power based on the number of extraction ports in use. This smart system uses a pressure transducer to measure live suction in the ductwork and adjust fan speed accordingly, resulting in significant power savings—a small 20% reduction in airflow can provide a remarkable 50% power savings.
The Results: Clear Skies Ahead
Above: Egmont Air Cartidge Dust Collector System installed at Titan Marine’s workshop
The impact of the centralised extraction solution was immediately noticeable. Ram Parshu, Fabrication Supervisor at Titan Marine, expressed his satisfaction:
“We’re very pleased with the way Egmont Air came in, did all the calculations and worked out the layout of the workshop, and then took all of our feedback and how or what process we were doing, what sort of welding process and all that. Then they went back and did their homework and came back with a perfect result.”
The most visible improvement came on days when weather conditions required the workshop to be closed up. Where once a hazardous cloud of fumes would accumulate, now the air remains clean and clear thanks to the comprehensive centralised extraction solution.
By eliminating hazards before they enter operators’ breathing zones, extracting air from immediate work areas rather than attempting to filter the entire workshop, and maintaining carefully controlled balanced airflow, Titan Marine has dramatically improved both workplace safety and operational efficiency.
Is Your Workshop Under a Cloud?
If your operation is struggling with dust or fume control, Egmont Air’s expertise in centralised extraction solutions could be the answer you need. Our team provides comprehensive consultations, custom system designs, and professional installation services backed by ongoing local support.
Don’t compromise on workplace health and safety—contact Egmont Air today to discuss how we can help you clear the air in your workshop with a tailored centralised extraction solution, just as we did for Titan Marine.