The value in buying BOFA technology
Total cost of ownership. It’s a key consideration uppermost in the minds of manufacturers looking for efficiency and productivity gains.
Industry is increasingly an automated environment, where equipment reliability, technical support and supplier responsiveness are key to maintaining production schedules.
Unplanned downtime can be hugely costly for any business operating 24/7, which is why when it comes to fume and dust extraction systems, BOFA invests significantly in ‘wrap-around’ customer support as well as market-leading filtration and system control technology.
Of course, total cost of ownership captures both capital expenditure and operating costs, incorporating the initial outlay, energy consumption, maintenance, replenishment of consumables and more. In the case of fume and dust extraction, which removes airborne contaminants with the potential to be harmful to human health and damaging to equipment, reliability and filtration performance are among the most critical considerations. That’s why BOFA has developed a comprehensive, wrap-around customer ethos covering everything from design and installation to ongoing maintenance and technical support.
“Our focus is on delivering excellence at every customer touchpoint – from initial specification and architecture design through to filtration performance and system control,” says Arran Morgan, BOFA Senior Product Manager.
“Each system is tailored to deliver the required extraction performance as a result of a thorough understanding of both the process and the associated emissions. We have a team of engineers designing technology as well as scientific and chemical experts who identify the type, volume, size, shape and velocity of particles being emitted. This combination ensures that the filtration architecture, typically comprising a pre-filter, HEPA filter and carbon layer, helps deliver optimal performance and longevity for any given process.
At the same time, we also test and inspect every unit before despatch through a rigorous 8-stage SureCHECK program that verifies fabrication, electrical components and filtration effectiveness. This means that reliability is ‘baked in’.”
Once the technology is operational, BOFA also makes it easy for operators to view their extraction system performance in real-time, through innovations such as the Intelligent Operating System (iQ).
“iQ is an industry ‘first’, offering independent filter status monitoring and remote diagnostics, which are key contributors to lowering the overall cost of ownership,” says Richard Heard, Technical Manager at BOFA. “The system provides intuitive visual management, quickly alerting users to filter condition and any performance exceptions out of scope, thereby ensuring timely maintenance scheduling and optimal productivity.
In addition, once an extraction system has been installed by BOFA, a whole range of support is then available to the customer to maintain the optimal performance of the technology. With the support of our parent company, US-based Donaldson Company, Inc., a global leader in the industrial filtration market, we offer class-leading R&D. We also provide the peace-of-mind that comes from a comprehensive warranty and an easy-to-contact Technical Helpline in the unlikely event that any issues arise.”
It’s not just the combination of system monitoring, smart airflow management, extended filter life and bespoke design that makes BOFA technology ideally suited to today’s manufacturing environment. BOFA units are also portable, meaning that they can easily be maneuvered to support an agile manufacturing environment – a benefit that is becoming increasingly important as companies seek to flex opportunities in new markets and satisfy fluctuating customer demand.
This portability also offers energy consumption benefits because it returns filtered air into the workplace rather than expelling air outside via a fixed vent-to-air system and then having to reheat the factory space – which is another important contributor to lowering the total cost of ownership.
