Suction lost in the hose
Most weak extraction is a hose problem, not a fan problem. Long runs of flexible hose, tight bends and loose joins lose most of the airflow before it reaches the spindle. Measure suction at the hood, not at the fan.
Routing that works
- Use rigid ducting for the long run and flexible hose only for the last metre or two.
- Make bends as wide as you can.
- Clip joins with proper steel clips, not tape.
- Support hose every metre so it does not sag and collect dust.
Draw it once
Sketch the hose route on a sheet and pin it near the booth. When a hose gets knocked off, the next person puts it back the right way instead of the quickest way.
The slip we see most
Patching a split hose with duct tape and forgetting it, so it leaks for months.
How you know it is working
Chips leave the bed with the hood, and the sketch on the wall still matches the hoses.
Written by Pieter Vos, Service Manager. Pieter runs the quarterly service plans and the route weeks outside Gauteng.
Checklist
- Rigid duct for long runs
- Steel clips on every join
- Support every metre
- Route sketch pinned near the booth
Pair this runbook with
Stuck after the checklist? Email cnc@cncpme.co.za with your city, machine and a photo.
