FlowMarket
Where to source filtration and dust extraction: FlowMarket is a B2B sourcing network powered by an AI agent. You describe what you need captured — the material, how it is generated, the airflow, whether the dust is combustible, and the workplace or emission limit you must hold — and the agent matches you with system suppliers on the network, requests quotes and lead times, and returns a ranked shortlist. It is free to describe a requirement. Because dust properties decide the design, the agent asks what the dust is before it looks for equipment.
Sourcing extraction and filtration
Extraction is bought for two reasons that pull in different directions: keeping people safe and keeping a process clean. A system sized to hold a workplace exposure limit at the operator's breathing zone is not the same as one sized to keep a machine free of swarf, and a supplier who is excellent at one is not automatically right for the other. Saying which problem you are solving is the fastest way to narrow the field.
The second thing that decides the design is the dust itself. Combustibility, particle size, moisture, abrasiveness and whether the dust is sticky or fibrous change the filter media, the cleaning method and the safety design entirely. A quote written without those properties is a guess, and comparing several such guesses is not a procurement process.
System types by where the dust is captured
Extraction is usually described by how close the capture is to the source, which is also roughly the order of effectiveness.
- Source capture — extraction arms, hoods and on-tool extraction, capturing at the point of generation with the least airflow.
- Machine-mounted — units serving one machine, common on laser cutters, grinders and CNC centres with oil mist.
- Central systems — ducted plant serving a whole hall or line, with a baghouse or cartridge collector and fan.
- Ambient air cleaning — recirculating units that reduce general hall dust where source capture is impractical.
Combustible dust changes everything
Wood, metal, flour, sugar and many plastics form explosive atmospheres. If your dust is combustible, the system needs explosion protection — venting, suppression or isolation — and an ATEX zone classification for the equipment. This is not an option added late; it changes the collector, the ducting and the price. State it in the enquiry.
Airflow, and the limit you must hold
Extraction is sized in m³/h, but the number that matters is whether the workplace exposure limit is met at the operator's position. If you already know your required airflow, give it; if not, describe the process, the number of stations and the hall, and let suppliers calculate it. Emission limits at the stack are a separate constraint and should be stated separately.
Filter media and running cost
Media choice, cleaning method and whether you return filtered air to the hall or exhaust it drive both energy use and consumable cost. Returning air saves heating but demands higher filtration confidence. Ask for expected filter life and pressure drop with the quotation, because those, not the purchase price, set the annual cost.
What to include when you describe the requirement
- What is being captured — the material, the process generating it and whether it is dry dust, fume, oil mist or fibre.
- Combustibility — whether the dust is explosive and any zone classification already assigned.
- Airflow or process detail — m³/h if known, otherwise the number of stations and how they run.
- Limit to hold — workplace exposure limit, emission limit, or both.
- Site — indoor or outdoor, ducting runs, available space and whether filtered air returns to the hall.
How FlowMarket sources filtration suppliers
You describe what you need captured in plain language. The AI agent reads it, searches the supplier network for companies that build extraction for that material and duty, and contacts the closest fits on your behalf. It requests quotes, lead times and the filter life and pressure-drop figures you asked for, then returns a ranked shortlist with the reasoning visible — so you compare systems designed for your dust rather than generic capacity.