You can minimize ventilation requirements in the printing shop through judicious utilization of solvents. Some solvent use, however, must be done. Proper ventilation is important to minimize exposure not only to yourself but also to your colleagues as well.
Ventilation system set up
It is important to understand that it is more effective to pull air than to push it. It means sucking is more efficient than blowing. When you set a fan so as it blows to a form, you are cleaning, it only pushes the solvent fumes all over the room. The pollution is more. On the contrary, when you pull air, through shop from the open window and then exhausting it outside the room will actually lower the place's fume concentration. There is another advantage to pulling air- it results in a straight or laminar line flow. This is much more efficient when it comes to removing the contaminants. Pushing leads to turbulence. This is much less effective when it comes to moving air.
A few points must be remembered when the ventilation is to be set up:
- Efficiency is decreased by turns and bends in duct work
- Exit vent must exhaust within your property. It must not discharge on public space
- Exterior screening is advised as vents are popular as nesting house for insects
- If possible, you should give the outside duct work a slight slope. In case of a storm, there should be some kind of rainproof cowling on outside end. During storms, the water which blows into the cowling will not enter the insides of the building.
- Do use aluminum foil tape for the sealing of duct work joints. There is no point in getting cloth duct tape. It will not hold the job.
- Do consider constructing a dedicated and targeted ventilation. To give an example, pull the air across and also out of the area where the forms are cleaned post coming off the press.
- Ensure that an automated lever or dampers are present in the system. They will seal when the machine is idle.
- In case you use in-duct fan, do not forget to permit maintenance access. Place fan near the system's terminal end. This will assist in quieter installation.
Although smaller printing presses have fewer problems, the ventilation work for a larger shop must be done by a professional. There are lots of issues around air flow and make up air. This is beyond the skills of maximum shade tree ventilation designers.
