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In the world of modern manufacturing, safety and compliance go hand in hand. From CNC machining to finishing operations, maintaining a clean and healthy workspace is an essential part of industry regulation compliance.
For more than 30 years, AirBench has been helping machining companies across the UK. As Britain’s leading manufacturer of downdraught benches and specialist dust, fume and mist extraction systems, we continue to set the standard for effective and reliable workplace solutions built around real machining needs.
© Unai Huizi Photography / Shutterstock
Computer Numerical Control machining refers to the automated control of tools such as lathes, mills, or grinders by means of a computer. This precision manufacturing process is at the heart of virtually every modern engineering and manufacturing sector, from aerospace to automotive.
CNC machining inevitably produces airborne contaminants: coolant mist, oil smoke, fine metal dust and fumes. Left unchecked, these pollutants not only compromise the quality of your finished parts, but they can also have serious employee health and workplace safety consequences. Offering a complete suite of extraction and filtration solutions, Airbench protects both employees and equipment.
Manufactured to order in our East of England factory; each extraction system is assembled from stock components, ensuring short lead times for bespoke configurations to suit specific applications.
Whether you’re looking for a downdraught bench, a high-capacity mist extraction unit, or a wet filtration system for flammable dusts, every AirBench solution is designed to integrate seamlessly into your workflow. Our approach combines modularity with precision engineering, ensuring every system is both effective and adaptable.
This flexibility extends to our imported ranges too. AirBench is the UK distributor for the AOF range of oil mist filters, manufactured by our trusted partner Dormatec in the Netherlands. These units complement AirBench’s own OMF coolant mist filters, which were brought in-house in 2014. By supporting both OMF and AOF ranges, we offer access to a complete and energy-efficient mist filtration solution, whether for a single CNC machine or a centralised system.
In machining, compliance is a legal and moral obligation. AirBench designs every system to meet or exceed key health and safety requirements, including HSG258, COSHH and aerospace-specific standards. These regulations govern the control of substances hazardous to health and ensure airborne contaminants are effectively managed to protect employees.
By incorporating H13 HEPA final filters into many of our systems, our products ensure the air returned to your workspace is clean and safe. This is particularly vital in machining environments, where fine oil mist or metal dust can easily spread through ventilation systems, creating health hazards and settling on sensitive equipment.
COSHH compliance requires employers to demonstrate they are controlling hazardous substances effectively. We help machining companies meet these obligations through proven extraction performance, comprehensive documentation and pre-sale demonstrations that show the system works as intended. By achieving and maintaining compliance, businesses not only protect their staff, but they also strengthen their reputation for professionalism and safety.
Our products are in service at almost every major manufacturer in the UK – and with more than 10,000 downdraught benches sold worldwide, our expertise is proven in real-world conditions every day.
The company, founded in 1993, has grown steadily, expanding our product range and building a team that maintains the personal service and accountability that have always defined our business. We offer a complete portfolio of extraction systems designed specifically for machining environments, from compact workbench units to large-scale mist filtration systems.
For centralised extraction, the OMF range of coolant mist filters provides efficient removal of oil and coolant mist across multiple CNC machine tools. These units are built for heavy-duty industrial use and can be tailored to the airflow and pressure requirements of complex machining cells. With H13 HEPA filtration, the OMF range ensures the air recirculated back into your workspace is free of contaminants.
For point-of-source extraction, our AOF range of oil mist filters offers a flexible, machine-mounted solution. Compact yet powerful, AOF units are ideal for individual CNC machines and can handle both coolant mist and oil smoke extraction. They are extremely energy efficient; the mid-range AOF20 model operates at only 400 watts, far below comparable centrifugal systems, making them a sustainable choice for modern facilities focused on reducing energy consumption.
Our BD blowdown bench is another popular choice in machining environments. Featuring an integrated airline, this allows operators to safely clean down machined parts while capturing coolant mist and swarf at source. For workshops that carry out manual finishing, polishing, or deburring operations, the AirBench FN model is designed to capture fine dusts such as aluminium, while the wet filtration system is recommended for reactive or flammable materials like titanium.
Each product in our range shares a common goal: protecting people, safeguarding equipment and ensuring compliance without compromising efficiency.
We regularly demonstrate our extraction systems on site before purchase, allowing decision-makers and operators to see the products in action. For smaller systems, such as AirBench downdraught benches, demonstration units can be brought directly to your facility. Larger systems, such as VertEx cross-draught booths, can be viewed in operation at AirBench’s own factory, or at a reference site.
Supplying more downdraught benches than any other UK manufacturer, we provide one of Europe’s most respected mist filtration units and take personal responsibility for every installation. Self-contained and designed for ease of use, downdraught benches require no installation; VertEx booths can be set up quickly in-house; and OMF units can be fitted in less than a day by our trained teams. This means minimal downtime and immediate benefits to your machining environment.
At a time when regulatory compliance and sustainability are more important than ever, AirBench offers solutions that will protect your workforce and enhance operation efficiency. Our reliable systems help businesses to maintain the highest air quality standards, while staying competitive in an increasingly demanding market.
AirBench Ltd are the UK’s leading manufacturer of downdraught benches and cross draught extraction systems. We have more than 10,000 extraction systems in service in the UK and overseas. Along with our range of coolant mist filters and air cleaning systems, we are actively helping businesses across many industries solve their workplace dust and fume issues.
If you'd like to try an AirBench product for FREE simply book a demo and we'll bring one to you.
If you’d like to try an AirBench product for FREE simply book a demo and we’ll bring one to you.