MIG welding of aluminium produces a lot of welding fumes. Leon Verbugt uses approx. 4.5 tons of welding wire per year. Due to the large size of the workpieces and the relatively large distance between the welds, source extraction was impossible. Using a welding helmet with overpressure might have been sufficient protection for the welder, but the welding fumes would still pollute and accumulate throughout the workshop.
Ventilation gave no satisfactory result; it caused draught and a considerable heat loss in wintertime. Leon Verbugt tried to find a solution by building a movable hood over the workpiece, but that wasn’t a proper solution. Installing a push-pull system as a general filtration system was not possible because they often weld high vehicles and constructions, which would disturb the laminar airflow.
