Project: INtegrated Face, Eye and Respiratory PROtection for welding

The EU legislative for PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) based on EC directive 89/686/EEC is very strongly promoting use of protective items during work in environment containing health risks. Some of the items are self evident (shoes, gloves, sunglasses, etc.), some are really necessary (fall and fire protection), but some are not so obvious and are widely not recognized as "really" necessary, so many workers try to avoid to use them. Use of many protective items is avoided due to limitations they impose to the user (additional weight, impaired view, more difficult work, etc), but of course non use of such equipment can lead to permanent health damage and inability to work._x000D__x000D_Therefore PPE should be designed with all above mentioned issues in mind and developer should try to make these items well suited for the purpose they are intended and at the same time as much as possible user friendly in order to promote rather than prevent use._x000D__x000D_The full welding protection of the face, eyes and lungs during welding is the CO goal of this project. For the time being these risks were partially solved by different companies as usually these risks originate from different fields of technology. Therefore they were also solved by different approaches as each field has its own rules and customary solving of the risk problems. By joining expertise from all these areas we decided to develop combined device, where all aspects of protection of face, eye and lungs are considered and the best possible compromise achieved. _x000D__x000D_The project consortium consists of three companies Balder, Clean - air and Speltronic. They are all specialized in certain field of knowledge and expertise. Balder in active eye protection, Clean - air in air filtering and Speltronics in electronic design. They are capable of providing critical mass of resources for completing the project in expected time and introducing products to the market shortly after the project will be finished._x000D__x000D_The final product will consist of the following parts:_x000D_- Welding hood for protecting face_x000D_- Active eye protector – Auto-Darkening Filter (ADF) for welding _x000D_- Filter/blower unit for supplying filtered air_x000D_- Air distribution parts – optimized for low weight and high throughput_x000D__x000D_Welding hood would be designed as light as possible, but mechanically hard enough to withstand all challenges of welding and grinding, while providing highest possible comfort for the wearer._x000D__x000D_ADF should provide state of the art solution in active eye protection, like high speed shuttering, superb UV in IR light protection, high light detection sensitivity to all welding processes. Detection should not interfere with ambient light either natural or artificial. Low power consumption should provide for years of operation without any COtenance._x000D__x000D_Filter blower unit should provide sufficient flow of properly filtered air through the working day, without adding too much weight to the whole unit._x000D__x000D_Air distribution parts should be integrated within all of the above mentioned items in a way to provide optimum operation without decreasing the efficiency of any single part and keeping the overall weight to the minimum._x000D__x000D_At the end of the project optimum solution should be developed and products should be introduced to the market as soon as possible. _x000D_

Acronym	INFERPRO (Reference Number: 6216)
Duration	01/04/2011 - 31/03/2014
Project Topic	Higher level of protection and comfort of use can be achieved by integrating into one device specially developed components for face, eye and respiratory protection for welder. Therefore common praxis of avoidance to use personal protection equipment can be considerably reduced.
Project Results (after finalisation)	CO result is product providing full welding protection for face, eyes and lungs. Welding protection set is fully developed, prepared for production and certified for EU market.
Network	Eurostars
Call	Eurostars Cut-Off 5

Project partner

Number	Name	Role	Country
3	Balder optoelectronic elements and measuring systems d.o.o.	Coordinator	Slovenia
3	Clean - air s.r.o.	Partner	Czech Republic
3	Speltronic s.r.o.	Partner	Czech Republic