Leading the Nation in Fabrication
As you may know from our previous post, we fabricate custom polypropylene fumehoods fitted with Erlab’s top-of-the-line filtration technology. Our hoods are helping police chemists stay safe while testing the increased amount of drug investigations that come through their lab. You’ll see a brief mention of us in this news article. We’re happy to play a small part in the safety and well-being of the people who protect and serve.
Ductless hoods can be a perfect addition to most labs, but sometimes get overlooked because of old EHS concerns over their effectiveness.
Ductless fume hoods (also called filtered fume hoods) have had bad rap because historically some didn’t do what they were intended to do – which is keep the user safe.
This happened because of:
Opinions are shifting and these preconceptions are falling by the wayside thanks to Erlab, Inc. and the steadfast and diligent work they’ve done to create state-of-the-art filtration method using their proprietary filtration substance. They’ve also designed a user-interface that works together with the user and lab manager to keep hoods working at their optimum level at all times. The technology helps users know if a breakthrough is detected, if the airflow is insufficient and when it’s time to change the filter.
These developments have allowed for:
If you have steered away from ductless hoods for any of the reasons above – it’s time to take another look. Recent developments have allowed for ductless hoods to be a viable option in many labs.
As you may know from our recent blog post, Plastic Concepts is a manufacturer partner with Erlab, and we make custom polypropylene hoods fitted with their proprietary equipment. Here is one we recently did for our customer…
Ducted vs. Ductless – what’s the best choice?
If you read our previous post about the preconceptions of ductless fume hoods, and why that’s changed, you will likely find yourself asking – “What is the right choice for my lab?”
Here are some things to ask yourself when choosing between ducted and ductless hoods…
Before you purchase your ductless hood, be sure to collaborate with the vendor of the filters so they can ensure that the chemicals you’ll be using in the hood are suitable for filtration and that you’ll use the correct filter(s).
Although ductless hoods save a lot of money on heating and cooling costs for your building, the price of replacement filters is something to consider. If your usage will require constant replacement of the filters, you’ll want to make sure this is in your budget. (Your filter vendor should be able to help you determine this). Our partner, Erlab creates filters that typically require replacement in 12 to 18 months.
If you are in need of a renovation but your building space won’t allow for HVAC alterations, then ductless hoods are the way to go. They can go anywhere in your lab where there is an electrical outlet.
If so, consider Erlab’s ductless hoods. Erlab’s hoods are installed in many LEED-certified labs in the U.S. and can “green-up” your lab because: the used filters are completely recyclable, filtering lab air means the energy used to heat and cool the building decreases tremendously, and lastly, if you’re filtering the chemicals rather than exhausting them into the atmosphere, you’re decreasing the amount of pollutants in the air.
In summary:
PROS
CONS
PROS
CONS
Plastic Concepts has many hood options as part of our catalog and we’d be happy to help you determine which is the best fit for your lab.
Plastic Concepts has recently partnered with Erlab, Inc. the leader and creator of ductless fume hood technology. We make custom polypropylene hoods fitted with Erlab’s 
proprietary equipment -which is the best filtration technology available in the market.
This is the fume hood of the future, and there’s a good reason why! They are economical, convenient, environmentally friendly and are safe for use with approved process applications validated by Erlab’s own chemists.
If you are unfamiliar with ductless or filtered hoods and traditional ducted hoods, here is a quick overview. A filtered hood takes ambient air from the lab environment through the cabinet opening at an average velocity of 100fpm (creating negative pressure), air flows into the hood, then through filters at the top, and then recirculates clean air back into the lab.
A ducted fume hood takes ambient air from the lab environment in through the cabinet opening at an average velocity of 100fpm (creating negative pressure) and exhausts it through the top of the hood, out through ductwork and outside of the building into the outdoor air.
Our products include:
For the following applications:
Clients:
Call us at 978-663-7996
