At BOFA, we never stand still. As a recognised global leader in portable fume and dust extraction technology, we continuously focus not just on meeting the immediate needs of our customers but also on anticipating their future requirements.
At the heart of this ethos is a significant investment in research and development (R&D) that informs future product creation and the refinement of our existing portfolio.
The depth of resource at BOFA’s disposal is unique in the fume and dust extraction sector. It is the collaboration between our renowned team of technologists in the UK and the world-class scientific resource residing across Donaldson, our parent company, around the globe that creates significant value for our customers.
By working together, and sharing expertise in materials science, system architecture and filtration technology, BOFA’s R&D function strengthens our leadership through innovation. This drives true industry ‘firsts’, such as the award-winning Intelligent Operating System (iQ), and the development of market-leading solutions in sectors such as laser, electronics and 3D printing.
This spirit of partnership extends to our customers, notably OEMs, in the new design or modification of extraction systems to satisfy the needs of specific end users or wider market sectors.
Recent examples of industry-leading innovations include:
- The AD Oracle iQ2 – a fume and dust extraction system that transforms performance through advanced onboard data collection and analytics. Speed, efficiency and quality are increasingly key drivers in high-volume manufacturing, particularly in the laser sector, so iQ2 has been designed to optimise data for analytics, provide smart alarm integration and enable easy access to real-time whole system monitoring. This help to ensure optimal filter life and timely exchange to drive productivity.
- Sector-focused products, such as the FireBOX and Spark Arrestor 2, mitigate the risk of thermal events associated with higher temperature processes.
- A range of dedicated portable technologies for additive manufacturing and 3D printing that filter particulate and fume – including nanoparticles – and return filtered air into the environment.
It is through this world-class expertise in materials science, engineering design, analytical modelling, data-driven control and process automation that BOFA meets the needs of its growing customer base and stays ahead of the competition.