In the context of increasingly stringent occupational health and safety requirements, the testing of welding fume separation systems is of significant importance for the safeguarding of occupational health and environmental protection. Welding fumes contain a complex mixture of particulate and gaseous hazardous substances, including metals and metal oxides such as manganese, nickel, and chromium (VI). These substances pose a significant toxicological risk, the extent of which depends on the material and welding process. This is particularly pertinent in context of the recent reduction in occupational exposure limits for A-dust and specific metals.

The effectiveness of high-performance collection and separation systems can only be reliably assessed using standardised test methods. The welding fume test is performed on a dedicated test bench with an integrated chamber for the separator system. After system commissioning and setting the airflow according to manufacturer specifications, welding fumes are generated under controlled and reproducible conditions. The test consists of defined welding phases, during which raw and purified gas samples are taken to determine the filter separation rate.

The ILK Dresden has developed and validated a test method for these high requirements to meet the provisions of DIN EN ISO 21904-2, while also determining the separation effect of welding fume separators for manganese.

A key problem in welding fume testing arises from the low concentration range and the very low limit values for individual hazardous substances (especially for manganese), particularly in the case of welding high-alloy steels. The clean air concentrations derived from this are sometimes in the low end of the analytical detection range, meaning that both the measurement technology and sampling procedures must meet high standards The poster will provide a comprehensive overview of the reliable implementation and solutions of welding fume tests, as well as information about the danger of manganese in processing areas.