Detect welding demand
A dry contact, voltage signal, current sensor, local control, or industrial timer tells the assigned gate that the workstation requires extraction.
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Welding Fume Extraction That Responds to Active Workstations
Central welding fume extraction systems often run every booth at full airflow even when only a few welders are active. Ecogate detects welding activity, opens extraction at the appropriate workstation, and adjusts collector fan speed to current demand.
This creates a responsive welding ventilation system designed to reduce wasted fan electricity and conditioned make-up air while maintaining configured airflow at active extraction points.
SealedAirflow paths using Butterfly Gate bodies for fume, mist, and lower-particulate applications.
24V DCElectronic gate actuation without compressed-air cylinders.
25+ yearsMore than 40,000 automatic gates sold globally.
Most Welding Stations Do Not Need Full Extraction All Shift
Welders stop to position parts, change consumables, inspect work, move between setups, and prepare the next weld. Training facilities also have demonstrations, instruction periods, and staggered activity. A conventional central system may continue moving the airflow required for every connected station through those intervals.
When actual workstation utilization and expected peak concurrent use are considered, the same dust collector may be able to serve more installed welding guns while maintaining the required airflow at each active gun. This can help avoid or defer the capital cost of a larger collector and related equipment.
Weld booth 01
34%
Weld booth 02
51%
Weld booth 03
27%
Weld booth 04
43%
Robotic MIG cell
68%
Manual TIG bench
39%
Plasma table
46%
Grinding station 1
28%
Grinding station 2
19%
Training booth A
31%
Training booth B
23%
Rework station
16%
Illustrative only. Workstation utilization should be measured or documented for the actual process, shift, and production schedule.
Active Workstation Utilization
The percentage of operating time that a workstation produces fumes or material requiring extraction. It is a key input when evaluating on-demand savings.
Learn more about Active Workstation Utilization
From Welding Activity to Fan Response
Ecogate coordinates the extraction response from the first activity signal through the end of the configured collection period.
Open the extraction path
The assigned automatic Butterfly Gate opens. Gate bodies are available down to 2 inches for small-diameter connections.
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Calculate required airflow
The greenBOX coordinates active extraction points and calculates the airflow required by the current combination of welding stations.
Explore the greenBOX
Match fan speed to demand
A Power Master VFD changes collector fan speed as the combination of active welding stations changes.
Explore Power Master VFD
Document performance
System data makes workstation demand, airflow, pressure, fan power, utilization, events, and operating trends visible.
Explore Ecogate Analytics
Live source-capture welding demonstrationSee extraction activate with welding demand and remain available through the configured operating period.
One Control Strategy for Different Welding and Fabrication Processes
The correct local exhaust ventilation capture device and airflow requirement depend on the process. Ecogate coordinates demand after those engineering requirements have been established.
Source-capture welding guns
Small-diameter connections collect fumes close to the welding arc. A Butterfly Smart Gate can automate the connection to a shared high-vacuum or central extraction system.
Movable extraction arms
Operator-positioned arms can be activated by a local switch, timer, equipment signal, or other suitable input. The assigned gate opens when extraction is requested and closes when the configured operating period ends.
Welding booths and training stations
On-demand control is especially useful when many booths share one collector but only a portion are active at the same time.
Robotic welding cells
Equipment controls or dry contacts can provide a predictable extraction request as automated production cells cycle.
Plasma cutting and grinding
Ecogate can coordinate other fume and light-particulate extraction points when the gate body, capture method, airflow, material loading, and collector are appropriate for the process.
Know What the Ventilation System Is Doing
A running fan does not, by itself, confirm what is happening at each extraction point.
Ecogate Smart Gate Actuators measure pressure, air velocity, and air volume at the gate and send that information to the greenBOX over Modbus. An Averaging Air Velocity Sensor can provide additional clean-side measurement where included in the engineered system.
Workstation extraction requestsGate position and communication
Configured and measured airflowFan power and system pressure
Utilization and operating historyWarnings, events, and trends
Systems overview in Ecogate software
Variable Frequency Drive settings in Ecogate software
Get warnings and events with 'how to resolve' instructions
Airflow data is not worker-exposure monitoring.
Ecogate measures and controls ventilation-system conditions. It does not measure airborne contaminant concentration in a worker's breathing zone or replace industrial hygiene assessment, exposure sampling, capture-device design, filtration, respiratory protection, or other required controls.
Reduce the Cost of Moving and Replacing Air
The financial opportunity comes from matching welding fume extraction airflow to actual production demand.
50–65%COMMON FAN ELECTRICITY SAVINGS RANGE FOR METALWORKING AND WELDING APPLICATIONS
Actual results depend on workstation utilization, fan horsepower, operating hours, system condition, and other project-specific factors.
A calculator result is preliminary. A project-specific analysis should use measured baseline fan power, design and working airflow, operating hours, electricity rate, workstation utilization, conditioned make-up air, and the actual fan and duct system.
Fan electricity
When fewer stations require extraction, the Power Master VFD can reduce fan speed. Fan power changes roughly with the cube of fan speed.
Conditioned make-up air
Reducing unnecessary exhaust may also reduce the energy required to heat or cool incoming replacement air.
Utility incentives
Many utilities offer custom incentives for qualified industrial efficiency projects. Availability, calculation, approval, and funding vary, and incentives are not guaranteed.
Operating environment
Lower fan speed can reduce ventilation-system noise during lower-demand periods. Actual sound reduction depends on the installed system and operating condition.
Portland Community College Built for One Active Booth or All 75
Rock Creek Campus welding shop
On-demand welding ventilation
Project system equipment
Portland Community College specified an energy-efficient exhaust system for its Rock Creek Campus welding school that could respond whether one booth or all 75 booths were operating.
The project uses Ecogate Optimized Cascading Fans mode and closed-loop fan control. Fan capacity comes online in stages as more booths request extraction. The Honeywell Tridium building automation system also reads Ecogate data, including measured ventilation air volume, to coordinate the make-up air system.
75welding booths served by the ventilation system
96%reported fan electricity savings when one booth operates
61%reported fan electricity savings when 30 booths operate
Those figures are specific to the Portland Community College system and operating scenarios described in the published case study. The project also reports make-up air savings, automatic system start and stop, and reduced shop noise.
Read the Portland Community College Case StudyCan Ecogate Work With Your Existing Fume Extraction System?
In many cases, yes. Ecogate can be evaluated as an upgrade to an existing central dust, mist, or fume collection system, or included in a newly designed system.
The first step is an engineering review. If the collector, fan, ductwork, and capture devices are performing appropriately, demand-based control may be added without replacing the entire extraction system. Existing airflow, pressure, duct, collector, or capture problems should be identified and addressed as part of the project.
01Number and type of welding or fabrication extraction points
02Source-capture guns, arms, booths, cells, and other capture devices
03Required airflow for each extraction point
04Fan motor horsepower, voltage, and existing controls
05Collector, filters, duct sizes, layout, and available drawings
06Shift schedule and simultaneous workstation demand
07Available sensing signals and conditioned make-up air
08Known airflow, capture, noise, or maintenance concerns
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Welding Fume Extraction Questions
Ecogate is the demand-based airflow-control layer. It coordinates activity sensors, automatic gates, the greenBOX controller, fan-speed control, and system-performance data. Capture devices, ductwork, collectors, filters, fans, and other safety controls remain part of the complete engineered system.
The activity signal can come from a dry contact, suitable voltage signal, current sensor, local switch, industrial timer, or another engineered input. The correct method depends on the welding equipment and how the workstation is operated.
Yes. Smart Gate systems provide a configurable Off Delay that can keep the assigned gate open after the activity signal ends. The delay is established during configuration or commissioning for the workstation's operating needs.
Yes. Ecogate Butterfly Gate bodies are available from 2 through 26 inches. The 2-inch body is suitable for small-diameter fume extraction connections when correctly selected and engineered for the application.
Smart and Precision Airflow Gate Actuators measure pressure, air velocity, and air volume at the gate. Standard Gate Actuators provide automatic open and close operation with limit-switch confirmation but do not provide gate-level airflow measurement.
No single control component proves facility-wide compliance. Ecogate can document configured ventilation airflow and system performance, but worker exposure also depends on the process, materials, coatings, capture design, equipment positioning, filtration, work practices, personal protective equipment, and exposure assessment.
Often, yes. Ecogate reviews the collector, fan, motor, ductwork, capture devices, airflow, pressure, controls, and operating pattern to determine what can remain and what needs to change.
Savings are estimated from project-specific inputs including measured baseline fan power, required and working airflow, operating hours, electricity rate, workstation utilization, fan performance, and conditioned make-up air.
Make Your Welding Fume Extraction System Respond to Production
Share your workstation count, extraction methods, collector and fan information, operating schedule, and current challenges. Ecogate can help determine whether demand-based airflow control fits your existing system, expansion, training facility, or new ventilation project.
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