Dust Collection & Industrial Ventilation Summit for Manufacturing Plants

The problem: Front-end loaders filling hoppers with calcium aluminate and limestone threw off dust that an undersized collector could not handle, and that collector exhausted air back into the building above the permissible limit for recycled air.

Published result: An engineered cartridge dust collector with a HEPA stage, a reconfigured existing collector on the conveying line and a bin vent on the final product bins: the Plant Manager confirmed a 90% reduction in airborne dust, clean-up was cut by over 90%, daily cleaning of two to three hours became a biweekly routine, and workers no longer need protective masks (measured by the plant; as reported by Benetech; customer not named).

Invited: Benetech · Read the published case

The problem: Across USG's wallboard and ceiling plants, collectors ran on timers around the clock, pressure gauges were unreliable, ductwork no longer matched the process, and at Fort Dodge, Iowa a baghouse burned through hundreds of filters at a cost running into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Published result: Plant-by-plant inspections, training and redesigns: at River Rouge, Michigan two idle collectors were repurposed and a process baghouse was re-ducted and converted to pleated filters; at Walworth, Wisconsin four baghouse systems were reviewed and redesigned; at Danville, Pennsylvania new cages were recommended for every baghouse; at Fort Dodge the fix included adding a cyclone and switching from timer cleaning to clean-on-demand. No savings figures are given and the page is undated (as reported by Baghouse.com).

Invited: Baghouse.com, with USG · Read the published case

The problem: Quarterly visual filter and solenoid checks took about 40 hours per collector a year and still missed problems, and one collector kept backing up with dust.

Published result: A six-month trial of Donaldson's iCue connected monitoring traced the back-up through pressure-drop data and fixed it with a fan-cycle change; the plant plans to monitor all 23 collectors and projects 75% less preventive-maintenance time, with an estimated nine-month return on the installation and first-year subscription (projected and estimated; page undated; as reported by Donaldson; customer not named).

Invited: Donaldson · Read the published case

The problem: Fifteen welders across eighteen manual booths were exposed to weld fume, the plant is not climate controlled and reaches above 100ºF in summer, so respirators were ruled out, and the old backdraft tables drew only about 200 cfm.

Published result: After testing a sample unit, the plant installed a Miller FILTAIR Centralized 12000 System with ZoneFlow extraction arms that capture fume at the source; installation took two days with two training sessions. No measured figures; the weld engineer calls it a huge improvement (as reported by Miller Electric).

Invited: Miller Electric, with American Seating · Read the published case

The problem: A plant expansion added powder dumping, blending, sifting and bar-kitchen mixing that released visible dust, and lab tests showed the ingredients were combustible, so the dust hazard analysis required both source capture and explosion protection.

Published result: A cartridge collector with custom capture hoods and stainless ductwork, protected by explosion vents, an explosion-rated rotary airlock and a Vigiflap explosion isolation valve; the ingredients tested at Kst 87 to 145 bar-m/s, equipment arrived in about eight weeks and the project was completed toward the end of 2025. No performance figures are given (as reported by Baghouse.com, with an ACT collector).

Invited: Baghouse.com and ACT Dust Collectors, with 1440 Foods · Read the published case

The problem: A new 95-foot-high plant addition making medical-grade absorbent material had to stay positively pressurized to keep contaminants out while exhaust fans cycled and overhead doors opened and closed.

Published result: Four 100,000 CFM variable-volume direct-fired make-up air units against a calculated need of about 265,000 CFM, so three run below full capacity with one on standby, controlled to measured space pressure through a Lynxspring JENEsys Edge 514 controller; the case history reports savings in gas and electricity costs but gives no figures (as reported by AbsolutAire and Lynxspring; customer not named).

Invited: AbsolutAire, with Lynxspring · Read the published case

The problem: Inefficient unit heaters and an aging boiler kept a 126,000 sq ft manufacturing and distribution facility uncomfortable while driving up winter utility bills, and the replacement had to go in without stopping the production line.

Published result: Three Cambridge high-temperature heating and ventilation units (SA 250, S800 and S2200): estimated utility savings of 20%, the thermostat raised from 55°F to 68°F, boiler maintenance and repairs down by over 4 man hours a day, annual boiler inspection fees eliminated, and gas utility rebates (estimated; page undated; as reported by Cambridge Air Solutions).

Invited: Cambridge Air Solutions, with CJ Automotive · Read the published case

The problem: Two adjacent steel manufacturing buildings in Baton Rouge have no air conditioning, and many guidelines still advise against using fans above 95°F.

Published result: UC Berkeley researchers switched HVLS ceiling, wall and floor fans on and off over six weeks with 36 volunteer workers: fans reduced discomfort and perceived effort by the equivalent of a 9°F (5°C) drop in temperature, 79% of workers felt more effective with fans running, and core temperature, heart rate and sweat rate did not differ with or without fans (measured; research study funded by Big Ass Fans; as reported by the UC Berkeley Center for the Built Environment; plant not named).

Invited: Big Ass Fans, with the UC Berkeley Center for the Built Environment · Read the published case