High-End Restoration and Construction of Historic and Classic Wooden Boats

Situation

A U.S.-based company that specializes in high-end restoration and construction of historic and classic wooden boats was moving to a new shop that was designed to accommodate the workflow of hand-built operations. The painting and coating functions of the manufacturing process needed to be performed onsite and in an enclosed facility where various boat components were being built. Conventional air make-up doesn't allow for such a cellular manufacturing model, while dust control in a woodworking environment is a major issue. Plus, some of the finishes used on hand-crafted vessels require airflow to be supplied at very low volumes in order to ensure proper adherence.

Solution

Duroair suggested the use of its patented, fully portable, non-vented DuroPure™ indoor air purification system in combination with a custom-designed DuroRoom™ retractable enclosure that has swivel and lock casters installed so that the enclosure can be moved in any direction, and then locked into place for straight retraction and extension. The DuroPure™ unit does not require air makeup and its air handling capacity is dictated by the area of the retractable enclosure, while the patented Taper Draft Airflow Technology balances the air with horizontal tapered airflow that creates an "air envelope" impervious to contamination from dusty floors. All Duroair systems are equipped with Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) that provide complete control of required airflow so that any finishing conditions can be met. The DuroRoom™ enclosure retracts to 20% of its extended length when not in use.

Results

The Duroair system can be conveniently inserted into the cellular manufacturing model as needed. It provides the flexibility to produce a wide variety of lower volume components while maintaining the high productivity of larger-scale production. The finishing quality is uncompromised, while the use of existing floor space is maximized. Duroair provides the possibility of a historical craftsmanship environment within a financially viable business model.