Downdraft Table requires minimal maintenance.

Press Release Summary:



Adaptable to any gas or dry plasma torch, cutting machine, or dust collector, downdraft table uses drive mechanism that operates outside of cutting area. Self-cleaning system employs cables that continuously cycle during cutting process, keeping table clean from slag and waste. Fixture-built to 65 x 24 ft, table features construction with ¼ in. plate and tubing. It cuts metal up to 8 in. thick and incorporates air-operated draft doors.



Original Press Release:


Bowlin Downdraft Table Cuts Costs and Downtime


Bowlin Engineering introduces adaptable downdraft table requiring minimal maintenance

FORT WORTH, Texas, April 19, 2004 - Bowlin Engineering's collection of table designs focused primarily on one thing - cutting metal - until now. Its latest downdraft table cuts where it counts most - in time and money spent on maintenance.

The Bowlin downdraft table's maintenance-friendly design is unmatched in the cutting table industry. Arriving pre-tested and completely assembled, each table features an innovative, hassle-free self-cleaning system. The tables are adaptable to any gas or dry plasma torch, cutting machine or dust collector, according to the company.

"The Bowlin table makes the metal-cutting process as efficient as possible," said Bob Bowlin, president of Bowlin Engineering. "Our unique design represents the latest evolution in sophisticated metal cutting."

Before the Bowlin breakthrough, most downdraft cleaning systems relied upon a rack-and-pinion drive mechanism or chain-conveyor resting inside the cutting area (the area which collects slag, dust and debris during the cutting process). Constantly exposed to extreme torch temperatures and abrasive dust, these drive mechanisms often need cleaning and repair, requiring disassembly to reach the drive machinery inside the cutting zone.

The Bowlin table is different. Using a proprietary cable system, its drive mechanism operates outside of the cutting area. Easy to operate and inexpensive to replace, these cables can continuously cycle during the cutting process to keep the table clean from slag and waste. A user can clean and maintain the table without the hassle of disassembly inside the cutting area.

Even after the cleaning takes place, the Bowlin downdraft table delivers a simple alternative to waste disposal - an important consideration for metal cutting. While other tables require labor and expense to dig a disposal dump in the floor for a dump pan, Bowlin's cable drive unit pulls a slag scraper to the drive-end and up an elevated ramp. Instead of disposing into the ground, the elevated ramp allows the dump pan to rest conveniently on the floor at the end of the table ready for quick and easy waste disposal.

The Bowlin downdraft table is fixture-built up to 65 feet long and 24 feet wide. Heavy, durable construction using a minimum of quarter-inch plate and tubing, combined with a full-length fixture, makes the table straight and level over its entire length and enables it to cut metal up to 8 inches thick using oxyfuel or dry plasma torches.

In addition, air-operated draft doors create 5-foot downdraft zones along the length of the working surface. Dust, smoke and other fine particulate are pulled down and away from the cutting area through the air ducts and into a dust collector.

"At Bowlin, we believe our customers should not have to spend time and money on startup assembly or excessive maintenance," Bowlin said. "From start to finish, the Bowlin table has been designed with our customers' needs first. Anything less won't cut it."

About Bowlin Engineering Co.

Bowlin Engineering is a Fort Worth, Texas-based manufacturing company specializing in the design and construction of downdraft, water and dry cutting tables for steel service centers and manufacturers around the world. Bowlin Engineering was founded in 1966, and through the years, the family-owned firm has designed and manufactured a variety of industrial products, including gearboxes, hoists, bridge cranes (some spanning more that 125 feet), cantilever storage racks capable of holding 180,000 pounds of steel and specialized machinery for the food processing industry. For more information about Bowlin Engineering, visit www.bowlinengineering.com.

All Topics