Stewart Warner South Wind Corporation

Background

Stewart Warner has been designing and manufacturing heat exchangers for the defense, transportation, and aerospace industries for more than 60 years. The company, manufacturing equipment out of Troy, IN, has been a pioneer in research and development of new technology that plays a vital role in manufacturing heat exchangers.

Issue

The company contacted DualDraw regarding their manufacturing process for heat exchangers specific to jet engines. Jet engines are complex machines with highly refined and articulated parts and heat exchangers are no different. The exchangers are manufactured in a production line, going through many steps and different processes. Specifically, DualDraw was contacted regarding the deburring process. Under current conditions, the deburring process generated airborne particulate that could not be contained and therefore was making it very difficult to stay efficient throughout the manufacturing process. Given the nature of these parts, strict codes and standards are in place to ensure quality. In order to keep the parts within code and remain in appliance with established regulations, employees had to go back and re-clean the parts and contaminated workspace due to the loose particulate created during the deburring process.

Solution

After working with engineers from Stewart Warner to fully understand the problem, DualDraw proposed a solution of two (2) 48” downdraft tables. Each was a table design, with the patented DualDraw downdraft surface in addition to its signature vented back stop to further contain any particulate generated. Stewart Warner also chose to have the units powder coat painted in their corporate signature green. Although both downdraft tables had the same dimensions, there was one vital difference. When DualDraw learned that one of Stewart Warner’s processes of concern dealt only with aluminum parts, they knew that the downdraft tables needed to be specified for use to capture aluminum dust. When aluminum dust is generated, it is extremely combustible and dry aluminum downdraft tables need to be completely non-sparking to ensure operator safety. Addressing aluminum dust collection on a regular basis, DualDraw knows that the working surface, the fan wheel, the vented back stop, and the side wings have to be non-sparking as part of compliance with national fire codes.

DualDraw’s solution regarding the deburring process has increased the manufacturing safety of the company’s operators while also enabling management to operate a more efficient work environment. Stewart Warner has incorporated the downdraft tables into their production process and now operators no longer need to go back and clean the parts or the work space. Thanks to DualDraw’s expertise, Stewart Warner is saving time and money and better protecting their employees from harmful and potentially explosive aluminum dust particulate.

For questions about this project or our manufacturing safety equipment, please call 1-800-977-2125 or submit your information electronically on our product quote form.

Two (2) BG3048-AL 48″

Downdraft Tables for

Aluminum Dust Collection