Laser cutter fan. We have a cheap Chinese laser cutter that came with a huge extract fan. But the neighbours have had enough with the noise. Do any of you have recommendation as to what to replace our extractor with?
What is your current setup? Pics?
The machine looks exactly like this one. Scroll down there’s a picture of the fan, which is 400mm diameter, 875 m³/hr, 500W tangential thing.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/60W-CO2-LASER-ENGRAVING-CUTTING-MACHINE-CARVING-TOOL-CUTTER-WOODWORKING-CRAFTS/332767386163?epid=17009131286&hash=item4d7a7b5a33:g:q0sAAOSw-zNbdjBb.
Noise level at the exhaust is over 90dBA. However differently we mount it. it’s still a darned noisy fan.
We have an air flow meter coming to see what it’s actually achieving in the 150mm duct. It should be 49 km/hr, and 198 km/hr at the 75mm outlet. We’ll see.
We think a mixed-mode ducted fan should be OK, but we aren’t experts.
Anyone?
Thanks
875m^3 per hour! And what’s the actual volume of your laser cutter?
The one at Leeds is <0.375m^3 so that fan would theoretically be be doing 1350 air changes per hour. I think that’s possibly a little bit OTT
Area of the cut area is 700 by 500 mm. We only cut through 10 mm at a time. I think the bed can move done 250 mm or so from the laser focus.
I was thinking of the size of the case: Leeds’ cutting area is 600 x 400 so your machine is likely to be slightly larger overall. I still think 1000 air changes per hour is way over the top 
We think a mixed-mode ducted fan should be OK, but we aren’t experts.
Anyone?975m^3 per hour! And what’s the actual volume of your laser cutter?
The one at Leeds is <0.375m^3 so that fan would theoretically be-be doing 1350 air changes per hour. I think that’s possibly a little bit OTT https://essaycaptains.com/
Thank you all for your help, we have now replaced the extractor with a new one that makes less noise.
We updated our wiki accordingly.
Do you still have the old fan available? At Leicester Hackspace we are just completing refurbishing our A0 cutter, and the extrator fan seems to have walked.
Tony
If you’re looking for cheap, quiet fans then your local police auctions (of confiscated goods) is a good source. They collect loads of ‘silent’ extraction systems from cannabis farms. http://www.police-auctions.org.uk/police.htm
Bringing back this subject. For those spaces in urban areas, do you put filters? I seem to recall some local regulations requested this but I cannot find it.
I’d be surprised if most makerspace and hackspaces were even following legal requirements to have their existing LEV tested annually.
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Hi bringing this post back from the dead and piggy backing on LEV requirements for completeness.
I got a quote to install an extract for a laser cutter extract to be £3100 to be able to go above a 3 level building (ground, first and second floor). The fan and electrical works not included.
I have tried to attached reference of the 2017 version of the HSE Book and particular chapter of interest. But it seems to be too large a file.
[tl;dr] Page 62-63 shares why it has to be over the roof top, mainly because you do not want it going back inside a window. Directly or via eddies.