Our dust collection specialists are frequently asked to answer the following question: what is the normal useful life of a filtering medium?

In reality, operating parameters vary so widely from one process to another that it is nearly impossible to establish a standard scale. A filter can perform flawlessly after seven years, but it can just as easily come to the end of its useful life after two. It all depends on the context and environment to which it is exposed.

Let’s instead shift our focus by rewording the question like so: what factors determine optimal use of a dust collector?

Ever since the industrial revolution of the 1950s, modernization has been considered the long-awaited salvation enabling manufacturers to substantially increase their productivity. Today, the pervasiveness of technology and electronics in industrial companies is becoming more pronounced at an unbridled pace. However, the introduction of various pieces of advanced equipment is also associated with an operating cost. In fact, manufacturing entities must now deal with the pressure caused by the rising cost of their energy use. That modern day challenge seriously threatens companies’ profit margin and, ultimately, their sustainability.

As noted in an earlier article, in 2015, CNESST inspectors issued 838 intervention reports involving companies whose dust collection systems were found to be non-compliant. 239 of these reports dealt with companies in the metalworking industry. Following an access to information request, we have compiled data from the various reports, which revealed some interesting statistics.