The acceptance of extraction torches is still very low among welders. Many accept the harmful fumes just to avoid having to give up the familiar ease of use of their tools. The fact that a considerable progress has been made in the further development of fume extraction torches in the meantime is proven by a sports science study based on special strain tests, carried out by an independent institute. Client: ABICOR BINZEL.
How much strain do welding fume extraction torches put on the muscles? What changes in the strained muscle parts occur when weight-reduced extraction torches are used? What effects do different grip sizes have on grip strength? To what extent can an extraction torch be compared to a standard welding torch in terms of muscular strain and handling? In order to find out, ABICOR BINZEL, in cooperation with the department of sports medicine at the Justus Liebig University in Gießen, carried out a study with weight-reduced ABICOR BINZEL extraction torches in comparison with standard extraction torches.
For the study, various measuring points were placed on the body of the participating test persons of different ages and genders – namely on the muscle areas such as the arm, shoulder and back, which are mainly strained during welding. The strain on these muscles was then measured by means of so-called electromyography (EMG) during simulated welding in a bent-forward position as well as in a standing overhead position. The results were absolutely clear: the weight-reduced extraction torches showed significantly lower strain values in all measured muscle groups than the predecessor models or extraction torches from other manufacturers.
What is particularly striking: The study showed no significant differences in any of the measured muscle groups compared to a comparable standard welding torch with a light cable assembly.
The result clearly shows that there is no longer any reason to reject fume extraction torches nowadays.
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The daily work of a welding specialist is like a sporting challenge. The musculoskeletal system is challenged differently depending on the task. Of course, manufacturing companies carry out their own tests for their products. ABICOR BINZEL does the same in its in-house research laboratory ARCLab. On an area of approx. 1200 m2, highly qualified test engineers and test technicians perform tests on the company's own products as well as those of competitors. However, physical strains on welders cannot be tested there.
A specialised institute was needed to meet the demands in terms of strain on the welding workers. The department of sports medicine and performance physiology at the Justus Liebig University in Gießen fulfilled all the necessary requirements for a meaningful study.
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