Design and comparison of a suitable dust separation technique during the machining process in a CNC machining center

Abstract

Design and comparison of a suitable separation technique during the machining process in a CNC machining center. The paper deals with the issue of chip extraction from the milling process in a CNC machining center. The paper aimed to compare the particle size distribution of dust generated in the milling process of natural wood (beech, oak, and spruce) and MDF on a 5-axis CNC machining center. The particle size distribution was evaluated using sieve analysis of samples from the total weight of the captured dust. The results showed that the processing of natural wood is mainly characterized by the formation of coarse dust fractions (2 mm - 1 mm sieves), while the processing of MDF was associated with the formation of fine dust fractions with a size below 100 μm. Another of the objectives was to compare the separation values on the fractional separation curves of selected mechanical separators and filters with the size distribution of dust particles and to propose a suitable separation technique that meets the criteria of "best available technique" (BAT) in the processing of natural wood and MDF, as well as to point out the creation of and the production of harmful dust fractions, which arise mainly during the processing of MDF. We intended to assess whether the introduction of the given technology with the given material mix will also require modifications on the side of the extraction device.