For a space mission to Mars, NASA had to come up with a system to manage all the dust on the Red Planet.

That’s right, they get ready to conduct a high-stakes mission that’s literally like 249 million miles away from planet earth and they still have to be concerned about dust particles clogging up their equipment and spacecraft.

In a previous article written on our blog, we talked about this NASA space mission to Mars.

In short, since there is so much dust on the Red Planet, the NASA team was concerned about the accumulation of dust on spacecraft surfaces because this could greatly impact the outcome of missions.

To address this challenge, NASA has engineered an Electrostatic Dust Management (EDM) system, utilizing electrostatic precipitator technology to actively deter and eliminate dust particles from vital surfaces. This innovative approach helps counteract the detrimental effects of dust during space missions, thus enhancing mission success.

Electrostatic precipitation technology, which NASA originally developed for managing dust in space exploration, has also been instrumental in powering industrial dust collector products for decades.

In fact, since Diversitech was established in 1984, the company has effectively utilized this and similar technologies to eliminate hazardous dust, oil, mist, and smoke from various industrial and manufacturing environments. Their solutions cater to industries engaged in welding (including robotic welding), grinding, deburring, laser and plasma cutting, sanding and finishing, painting and coating, soldering and brazing, and numerous other air purification applications.

"There’s gold in them thar hills.”

Famous words that were coined by Mark Twain, in his 1892 novel, “The American Claimant.” The words were inspired by someone during the 1849 Gold Rush.

Fast-forward to today, we’re still trying to strike it rich by digging for gold. The location is the Cadia gold mine near Orange in central west NSW.

Throughout history, there is probably nothing more alluring than gold. Oil, another famous millionaire-maker, is called “liquid gold.” When a person spots a nugget of gold in the ground, I wouldn’t doubt that their pupils practically transform into dollar signs, their heart pumps out of their chest, and images of magnificent wealth race through their mind. It must be an intoxicating experience to see such a thing.

But two workers, digging for the mining giant, Newmont, have recently received the worst kind of news they could hear. The processes they have executed in the course of their daily work routines have exposed them to silica dust. Both men now have silicosis.

HOW welding schools ensure student & staff safety with welding booths

It is believed that welding dates all the way back to 4000 B.C., during the times when Egypt was the center of the world. We’re talking ‘Moses at the Red Sea’ days.

It’s proven to be an irreplaceable technology for making things stick together because the industry, fast-forward thousands of years to today, is still growing like clockwork. In fact, one estimate reports that the, “welding products market (welding machines and sundries) is worth $30.5 billion and is projected to grow to $37.2 billion by 2025.” Welders can earn between $40,000 and $80,000 a year, and up to $43 an hour in Alaska, so it’s a good way to make a living.

You see, welding is an essential process that many huge industries depend on, including automotive, construction, and aerospace. These industries drive the need for more skilled welders to produce the products and equipment that the world needs.

Five workers were killed in an explosion that occurred at a Sun Prairie-based milling company, Didion Milling Inc. The company’s CEO, Riley Didion, has been sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay a $1 million fine and $10.25 million in restitution for the company’s guilty pleas to two felony charges related to the deadly explosion at its Cambria mill.

According to a report by the Wisconsin State Journal, this explosion took place in 2017.

This catastrophic accident demonstrates the high cost that is to be paid when manufacturing plant managers and leadership don’t take enough safety measures to ensure that hazardous dust, particles, and contaminants are collected and filtered.

Professionals working in industrial environments, such as CNC milling, machining and metalworking shops have to be careful.

These and many other industrial work environments produce hazardous substances, including oil mist, smoke, and fumes. These contaminants can seriously harm the health of workers and cause damage to machinery.

An alarming statistic reveals that up to one million workers in the United States encounter hazardous oil mist every day.

We will outline some of the risks of these dangerous airborne fumes and, most importantly, reveal the best fume extractor solutions that safely and effectively remove these toxins. By taking action, industrial companies will meet their goal of manufacturing products while protecting the health and safety of workers, machinery, and facilities.

Demand for products and goods goes up and to the right each year. That means more raw materials are being manufactured to meet growing demand. Downdraft tables are an essential tool every industrial shop needs when welding, sanding, grinding, deburring, spray painting, plasma cutting, and soldering.

You see, all of these manufacturing processes produce hazardous particles that may hurt the health and safety of industrial workers. Dust, oil, mist, and other dangerous contaminants have been documented to cause serious long-term injury to workers. In some cases, even death.

We’ll look at some of the hazards produced by various industrial operations and then take a closer look at how downdraft tables have become a breath of fresh air for smart companies doing their best to protect what matters most - their people.

Choosing the Best Welding Fume Extractor for the Job

Welding fume extractors are critical to the health and safety of welders. That’s why it’s important to choose the best welding fume extractor for the job. What follows is an overview of the various extractors in search of the single best solution for your unique circumstances.

NASA’s Electrostatic Approach to Dust Management Could Have Implications That Are Out of This World 

NASA, the renowned space agency, planned a trip to Mars. Now that’s a job easier said than done, but we are talking about the smartest space exploration team on planet earth.

There are a vast array of challenges astronauts encounter as they plan, prepare for, and launch a spacecraft beyond our blue skies into the outer limits. The movie, Gravity, starring Sandra Bullock, comes to mind as I imagine the endless number of things that can go wrong and cause the best laid plans to spiral out of control.

We just don't imagine dust management to be one of them. But it is. 

Industry Spotlight: Hazards of Food Industry Particulates (Why Popcorn Lung isn't as Delicious as it Sounds) 

Industrial food production has become one of the largest manufacturing industries in the US, as of September 2023 employing just over 1.7 million people in the US alone, contributing to a global industry that nets over 3.2 trillion dollars annually, making food production one of the largest industries worldwide.

Employees of this industry have in the last decade, begun to see some long-term health effects related to airborne particulates from chemicals and materials utilized in the industry, a problem that if properly managed, can be almost entirely eradicated. These less than savory health issues can range from mildly inflammatory to life-threatening, depending on the type, classification, and amount of particulate exposure, but regardless of severity, knowing they are preventable leaves us with a sour taste.

In the industrial world, dust poses a constant threat to machinery and personnel alike. Dust can cause equipment malfunctions, decrease productivity, and even pose health hazards to workers. That's why the development of dust resistant surfaces is a game changer for industrial materials that can benefit countless industries