Glasswool, Rockwool, Polyiso PIR, EPS, XPS, Polyurethane PUR Insulation and Sandwich Panel Manufacturing HVAC Duct Engineering Guide

1. Why insulation and sandwich panel manufacturing HVAC ductwork is unlike any other industrial sector

An Australian insulation or sandwich panel manufacturing facility sits at the most demanding intersection in industrial HVAC engineering. The plant runs a glass melting furnace or rockwool cupola at 1,500 °C on one side of the building, a phenol-formaldehyde or bio-based binder spray line and a 250 to 300 °C heat-set tunnel oven through the middle, an EPS pre-expander discharging pentane vapour into a Zone 1 atmosphere, an XPS extruder running polystyrene melt with HFO blowing agent injected at 200 °C, a PIR or PUR double-belt sandwich panel laminator with isocyanate exotherm peaking at 180 °C, a polyester needle-punch and heat-set line, a spray foam in-situ booth, and a packaging hall covering 5,000 to 60,000 square metres under one roof. The HVAC duct package is asked to serve every one of these duties simultaneously, with material specifications ranging from galvanised G90 on the packaging extracts to 316L stainless on the laminator exhaust and 309 or 310 stainless on the furnace exhaust.

The fibre exposure alone separates this industry from any other manufacturing sector. Synthetic mineral fibre, also known as Man-Made Vitreous Fibre (MMVF), is generated at every cut, trim, profile and rework operation across glasswool and rockwool product lines. The Safe Work Australia workplace exposure standard for respirable synthetic mineral fibre is 0.5 fibre per millilitre as an 8-hour time-weighted average for fibres with diameter under 3 micrometre, length over 5 micrometre and aspect ratio over 3:1, plus 5 mg per cubic metre respirable dust and 10 mg per cubic metre inhalable dust. Modern Australian Manufactured Mineral Fibre (AMMF) is biosoluble — in vivo dissolution in lung fluid is rapid enough that the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified current MMVF as Group 3 (not classifiable as to carcinogenicity), distinct from the chrysotile asbestos legacy that drove the original exposure standards and the amphibole asbestos forbidden in Australia since 2003. The fibre capture and conveying strategy is engineered around AMMF biosolubility for current product, with separate provision for legacy refractory ceramic fibre and special-application high-temperature fibre where biosolubility does not apply.

The chemical load includes the full polyurethane chemistry portfolio (polyol, methylene diphenyl diisocyanate or polymeric MDI, amine and tin catalyst, surfactant, water as co-blowing agent in some formulations, HFO blowing agent, flame retardant), the EPS chemistry (polystyrene bead, pentane impregnation as blowing agent, recycled regrind), the XPS chemistry (polystyrene melt, HFO blowing agent injected upstream of die), the glasswool chemistry (silica sand, soda ash, limestone, dolomite, alumina, feldspar, recycled cullet 50 to 70 per cent, phenol-formaldehyde or bio-based binder, ammonia carrier, organosilane coupling agent), the rockwool chemistry (basalt rock, blast furnace slag, coke as cupola fuel, phenol-formaldehyde or urea-formaldehyde binder), the polyester chemistry (virgin and recycled PET pellet, needle-punch and heat-set), the vermiculite and perlite (raw ore expanded in a furnace at 1,000 °C), and the spray foam chemistry (closed-cell and open-cell formulations with HFO blowing agent and aerosol isocyanate). The Safe Work Australia STEL for TDI is 0.005 ppm, for MDI is 0.02 ppm, for formaldehyde is 1 ppm, for styrene is 50 ppm, for pentane (n-pentane and cyclopentane) is 600 ppm, for HFO (R-1233zd, R-1234ze) is 1000 ppm and for HF (released during glass batch handling where fluorspar is used as flux) is 1.8 ppm STEL. The combined chemistry across one insulation manufacturing facility exceeds what most fine-chemical plants handle.

An Australian insulation and sandwich panel manufacturing facility is typically 5,000 to 60,000 square metres under one roof. CSR Bradford Insulation operates Australia's largest glasswool footprint with manufacturing sites in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne supplying the Bradford, Gold, Optimo, Anticon and Buildex ranges across glasswool, polyester, rockwool and the broader ceiling, wall, underfloor, roof, acoustic, commercial and industrial insulation segments. Knauf Insulation Australia (German parent) supplies the Earthwool, Naturepro, Roxul and Heraklith ranges with ECOSE bio-based binder positioning. Owens Corning Australia (operating under the Owens Corning master brand) supplies Pink Batts glasswool and Foamular XPS in the local market from Adelaide and Melbourne. Fletcher Insulation (Auckland NZ parent with Sydney and Melbourne operations) supplies the Sisalation, Permastop, Permastop Plus and Buildex ranges of building wrap, sarking and reflective foil. ROCKWOOL Australia (Danish-owned global parent) operates Australia's only rockwool factory at Dandenong VIC, supplying the Roxul, Conlit firestop, Marine Firebatts, Conrock, Acoustic, Cavity Batts, Soffit Liner, Curtain Wall, Marine, Industrial Insulation and Heraklith wood wool ranges. Kingspan Insulation Australia (Irish parent) is Australia's biggest PIR and sandwich panel manufacturer from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane sites, supplying Kooltherm PIR, Therma PIR, Polyiso TR26, Trupanel, Thermaboard, Ekodek and Aerolite ranges. Bondor (Bondor Australia Pty Ltd, Australian-owned with Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth sites) supplies the InsulSpan PIR, InsulRoof, InsulWall and EquiTherm panel ranges. MetecnoInsulated Panels (Brisbane, Australian-owned) is Australia's biggest sandwich panel manufacturer for the cold chain sector, supplying InsulWall, ColdPLUS, TempaPLUS, TopWall, TopRoof, ColdBox and Multi-Coloured panel ranges. Sahbox Industries (Brisbane) and Crane Composites (Brisbane, supplying Trupanel and Aerolite into the panel market) complete the local sandwich panel landscape.

EPS production is fragmented across Sumo Group EPS, InsulFoam EPS (Australian-owned), Foamex Industries Australia, Polystyrene Australia, Foam Manufacturing Australia (FMA), Pratt Industries EPS, Foamex, Greenfoam and the Knauf Earthwool Polystyrene line. XPS is dominated by Owens Corning Foamular and the Dow Styrofoam Australia legacy (and the Dupont Styrofoam legacy ahead of the Dow-Dupont realignment). Polyester acoustic insulation is led by Autex Industries (Auckland NZ parent, Melbourne operations) with the Quietspace, Wave, Symphony, Lattice, Frontier and Cube acoustic ranges built on recycled PET fibre with Cradle to Cradle certification — Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum tiers depending on product formulation. Vermiculite, perlite, cellulose and wood wool insulation is supplied through Pyrotek Acoustic Engineering Australia (acoustic, insulation and vermiculite firestop), Australian Mineral Industries (vermiculite) and Promat Australia (calcium silicate firestop and passive fire). Reflective foil, sarking and building wrap is Fletcher Sisalation, Bradford Buildex, Anticon, Air Cell Insulbreak and Air Cell Insulshield. Aerogel for cryogenic and ultra-low-conductivity applications is Aspen Aerogels Australia (Pyrogel and Cryogel ranges with conductivity 0.013 to 0.020 W/mK serving liquid natural gas at minus 152 °C, aerospace and industrial applications). Sandwich panel for cold chain, refrigerated truck body, cool room, freezer and walk-in coolroom applications is dominated by Bondor, Kingspan, Metecno, Sahbox, Crane Composites and Foamex Industries — with the truck body conversion volume flowing into Maxitrans, Vawdrey and Krueger reefer trailer body fabrication. Marine and offshore insulation is supplied by ROCKWOOL Marine Firebatts, Promat and Pyrotek. Spray foam in-situ application is led by Demilec Australia (NZ-owned), Polyglass Australia, ICP Adhesives, SES Sprayfoam and the ROCKWOOL spray product line.

The HVAC duct run lengths across these operators range from 100 to 300 metres at a small EPS converter to 2,000 to 6,000 metres at an integrated glasswool, sandwich panel or rockwool plant, with 30 to 80 capture branches converging on six to twelve mid-size and large dust collectors at the integrated scale. The regulatory frame is shifting hard. In 2025 the United States National Fire Protection Association consolidated NFPA 484, NFPA 654, NFPA 655 and NFPA 664 into the combined NFPA 660 standard for combustible particulate solids. Australia's native AS 3957 (Dust Hazard Assessment) was published in 2024 as the local equivalent of the NFPA 660 DHA process. AS 1530.4 fire resistance requirements were strengthened across the National Construction Code after the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 and the Australian aluminium composite panel cladding crisis exposed by the Lacrosse and Neo200 fires in Melbourne and the Opal Tower investigation in Sydney. The Insulation Council of Australasia (ICA) as the peak industry body has coordinated industry response on AS/NZS 4859 wool insulation product compliance, AS/NZS 4858 wool insulation installation, AS/NZS 4200 acoustic compliance and AS/NZS 1859 reconstituted wood (the panel-adjacent standard governing the sandwich panel substrate). The joint NFPA 660 / AS 3957 / AS 1530.4 framework is the current compliance reference for any insulation or sandwich panel manufacturing facility SBKJ engineers in 2026.

This guide is the reference our engineers use at our Box Hill North VIC office when we quote a duct package for this sector. We will be exhibiting at ARBS 2026 in Sydney this May where the insulation and sandwich panel manufacturing supply chain converges with the broader HVAC, refrigeration and building services sector — and the Australian Made Campaign positioning for locally-manufactured product runs alongside our Australia Ducting Pty Ltd presence at the show. Read alongside our Mattress, Bedding and Foam Manufacturing HVAC Duct Engineering Guide for the parallel polyurethane chemistry, our Automotive Paint Booth HVAC Duct Engineering Guide for the spray finishing parallel, and our Welding Methods HVAC Duct Fabrication Guide for the stainless construction methods that underpin the furnace, laminator and isocyanate exhaust ductwork.

2. The Australian regulatory framework — insulation manufacturing HVAC duct compliance

Eighteen standards govern HVAC ductwork in Australian glasswool, rockwool, PIR, PUR, EPS, XPS, polyester, vermiculite, perlite, aerogel, spray foam and sandwich panel manufacturing facilities. Six are mechanical ventilation and ductwork codes, five are combustible dust and fire codes, three are flammable liquids and spray finishing codes, two are toxic substance and hazardous area codes, and two are insulation-specific product compliance codes that drive substrate chemistry. The number of overlapping standards is higher than any other manufacturing sector SBKJ engineers.

2.1 AS 1668.2 — Mechanical ventilation

AS 1668.2 is the umbrella industrial mechanical ventilation standard for Australia, setting minimum outside air per occupant for office and showroom areas, capture velocity targets for industrial process exhaust hoods and referencing the Safe Work Australia workplace exposure standards. For insulation and sandwich panel manufacturing the capture velocity targets are 1.0 to 1.5 metres per second at a glasswool or rockwool cut and trim station, 1.5 metres per second at a binder spray station, 1.0 metres per second at an EPS cutter enclosure, 1.5 metres per second at an EPS regrind station, 1.0 metres per second at a XPS trim hood, 1.0 metres per second at a sandwich panel cut-to-length station, 1.0 metres per second at a polyester needle-punch trim, 1.5 metres per second at an isocyanate decanting station, and 0.5 metres per second at a downdraft spray foam booth grating. Dilution ventilation is 6 to 10 ACH across general production, 10 to 15 ACH in the fibre cutting hall and EPS conversion area, 15 to 25 ACH in the polyol-isocyanate day-tank room and PIR/PUR mix room, and 20 to 30 ACH in the spray foam in-situ booth.

2.2 AS 1668.1 — Fire and smoke control

AS 1668.1 covers fire and smoke control in buildings, complementing AS 1668.2. For an insulation manufacturing facility AS 1668.1 governs the smoke control ductwork separating the panel manufacturing hall from the warehouse, the supply air shutdown logic at fire alarm activation, the fire-rated duct penetration through fire compartments and the smoke exhaust capacity over the high-fire-load PIR sandwich panel laminator and the EPS continuous block line. SBKJ supplies fire-rated dampers and the matching duct collars sized to the building fire engineer's drawing under AS 1668.1.

2.3 AS 4254 — Ductwork for air-handling systems

AS 4254 is the Australian ductwork fabrication standard. AS 4254.2 sets the gauge schedule for galvanised steel duct, the joint and seam standards, and the leakage classification by pressure class. For insulation manufacturing fibre dust extraction the standard pressure class is Class C (medium-pressure positive 500 to 1,000 Pa or negative 250 to 500 Pa at suction side of fan). Furnace exhaust and laminator exhaust ductwork is also Class C with stainless construction. The heat-set tunnel oven exhaust runs at Class B or Class C depending on the regenerative thermal oxidiser pressure drop. AS 4254.2 conformity is the SBKJ default for every duct package.

2.4 AS 1530.4 — Fire resistance of building elements

AS 1530.4 is the Australian fire resistance test standard, and the critical reference for insulation and sandwich panel manufacturers. Following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 and the Australian aluminium composite panel cladding crisis exposed by the Lacrosse and Neo200 fires in Melbourne and the Opal Tower investigation in Sydney, the National Construction Code Section C strengthened the fire performance requirements for external wall systems, insulation materials and sandwich panels. Sandwich panel manufacturers — Kingspan, Bondor, Metecno, Sahbox, Crane Composites — produce panels that must satisfy AS 1530.4 fire resistance level (FRL) ratings ranging from 30/30/30 for cool room applications to 240/240/240 for commercial fire separation. The PIR core chemistry has shifted to higher isocyanate index (polyisocyanurate rather than polyurethane) and higher flame-retardant loading to satisfy these targets. SBKJ HVAC ductwork passing through fire-rated separation between panel manufacturing and warehouse must satisfy AS 1530.4 FRL ratings matched to the building fire engineer's drawing — SBKJ supplies fire-rated dampers and the matching duct collars sized accordingly.

2.5 AS 1530.3 — Flammability of materials

AS 1530.3 covers ignitability, flame propagation, heat release and smoke index of duct lining and insulation. Insulation and sandwich panel manufacturing facilities are BCA Class 8 industrial occupancy with substantial Class 7b storage volume, with duct lining required to meet Group 1 or Group 2 fire classification under AS 5637. The SBKJ default is Group 1 ductwrap and ductliner on every fire-rated duct run and on supply and return ductwork through occupied production volume, adding approximately 8 to 12 per cent to the lining cost while reducing smoke yield in any unintended duct fire.

2.6 AS 3957 — Dust hazard assessment

AS 3957 was published in 2024 as the Australian equivalent of the NFPA 660 DHA requirement. Every facility processing combustible dust above the threshold quantity (around 12 kilograms per shift, easily exceeded in any production fibre cutting, EPS regrind, PIR/PUR trim or polyester needle-punch operation) must complete a documented DHA covering ignition sources, dust accumulation locations, engineered controls and residual risk register. The DHA is refreshed every 5 years and re-issued at any process change. The DHA findings drive the bonding scheme, the spark detection, the explosion vent sizing and the isolation valve specification. For glasswool and rockwool plants the DHA flags the boundary condition where the combustible binder residue elevates the heat-set tunnel oven exhaust and the fibre trim dust into combustible classification — the boundary moves with the binder formulation (legacy phenol-formaldehyde versus bio-based ECOSE versus formaldehyde-free).

2.7 NFPA 660 — Combustible particulate solids (formerly NFPA 484, 654, 655, 664)

In 2025 the NFPA consolidated four prior standards into the combined NFPA 660. The pre-2025 NFPA 654 (combustible particulate solids), NFPA 664 (wood processing and woodworking) and the broader NFPA combustible dust portfolio — the principal references for EPS dust, PIR/PUR trim dust, polyester lint, wood wool dust and binder-contaminated mineral fibre — are now folded into NFPA 660. Australian insurers, fire engineers and operator safety teams reference NFPA 660 as the current global benchmark. Headlines: settled combustible dust deeper than 1.6 mm anywhere in the facility is a housekeeping failure requiring immediate correction; dust collectors must have deflagration vents sized to NFPA 68; isolation valves between machinery and the dust collector are mandatory; and continuous dust deposition monitoring is required under any insurer's policy.

2.8 NFPA 86 — Industrial furnace exhaust

NFPA 86 is the de facto international standard for industrial furnace exhaust ducting, referenced by Australian regulators as a complement to AS 1668.2. The standard governs gas-fired regenerative glass melting furnace exhaust at 1,500 °C peak melt temperature, rockwool cupola exhaust at 1,500 °C peak coke combustion zone, heat-set tunnel oven exhaust at 250 to 300 °C, PIR/PUR cure section laminator chamber exhaust at 60 to 80 °C platen with 160 to 180 °C exotherm peak, EPS expander steam exhaust at 100 to 110 °C, XPS extruder exhaust at 200 °C melt temperature, panel laminator cooling section exhaust at 150 to 180 °C, and vermiculite and perlite expansion furnace exhaust at 1,000 °C. Each duty has its own NFPA 86 minimum duct gauge, slope-to-drain, explosion relief sizing and pressure-relief device requirement.

2.9 NFPA 68 — Explosion venting

NFPA 68 sets the design rules for deflagration venting — vent panels that direct an in-progress dust explosion to a safe area outside the building. Kst values across the insulation manufacturing dust portfolio: EPS dust 100 to 150 bar·m/s, polystyrene regrind 110 to 160, PIR/PUR trim 110 to 180, polyester fibre lint 100 to 150, wood wool 120 to 160, vermiculite (binder-contaminated) up to 80, mixed sandwich panel edge profile dust 100 to 140, MMVF fibre with cured binder residue 80 to 120. Dust collector vent panels for a typical sandwich panel plant cyclone-plus-bag-filter combination are 3 to 8 square metres aggregate vent area. SBKJ supplies the duct package with vent panel mounting flanges welded in at the factory.

2.10 NFPA 69 — Explosion prevention

NFPA 69 covers explosion prevention where venting is not feasible — dust collectors located within a building envelope without external wall access, or pentane-handling silos and EPS pre-expander internal volumes. Options include inertion (nitrogen blanketing of EPS silo headspace is the dominant approach), oxidant concentration reduction (continuous LEL monitoring with auto-shutdown at 25 per cent LEL), deflagration suppression (sodium bicarbonate or monoammonium phosphate discharged within milliseconds of detection) and pressure containment. Insulation and sandwich panel applications typically combine inertion (EPS silo and pre-expander), LEL monitoring (XPS extruder and PIR/PUR mix head) and chemical suppression where venting is impractical, with the suppression supplier coordinating to the SBKJ-supplied isolation valve flange.

2.11 NFPA 33 — Spray application using flammable and combustible materials

NFPA 33 is the de facto international spray finishing standard, referenced by Australian regulators as a complement to AS 4114. Key requirements for insulation and sandwich panel manufacturers: binder spray station exhaust ductwork of metal construction (aluminium and plastic prohibited), exhaust velocity sufficient to prevent solvent vapour above 25 per cent of the lower explosive limit, exhaust ductwork electrically continuous and bonded, fan of spark-resistant construction. SBKJ designs to a 10 per cent LEL working margin to allow for transient peaks at the binder spray manifold and the spray foam in-situ booth.

2.12 AS/NZS 60079 — Hazardous areas

AS/NZS 60079.10.1 covers flammable vapour hazardous areas — Zone 0 (continuous), Zone 1 (likely in normal operation) and Zone 2 (unlikely but may occur). AS/NZS 60079.10.2 covers combustible dust hazardous areas — Zone 20, Zone 21 and Zone 22. For insulation manufacturing the layered hazardous profile includes Zone 1 interior of the EPS pre-expander and silo headspace (pentane), Zone 1 interior of the XPS extruder die and shaping section (HFO blowing agent), Zone 1 interior of the PIR/PUR mix head and laminator chamber during foam rise (isocyanate, polyol, HFO blowing agent), Zone 1 interior of the spray foam in-situ booth (isocyanate aerosol), Zone 2 around bulk polyol and isocyanate storage and bulk pentane storage, Zone 22 interior of every dust extraction duct serving EPS cutting, PIR/PUR trim, polyester needle-punch, wood wool and binder-contaminated mineral fibre, and AS 4332 ammonia hazardous volume around the binder spray ammonia carrier and the rockwool slag-water quench. All electrical equipment must carry Ex e or Ex d certification in Zone 1, Ex tD in Zone 22, and all metal ductwork must be electrically bonded under 10 ohms to plant earth.

2.13 AS 1940 — Flammable and combustible liquids storage and handling

AS 1940 sets quantity thresholds for flammable liquid licensing, bunding and spill containment requirements, separation distances and ventilation rates for solvent storage. For an insulation manufacturing facility AS 1940 governs the polyol day-tank room (polyol is Class C2 combustible with flash point above 93 °C), the isocyanate day-tank room (MDI and TDI have low flash point and require Zone 2 classification at the decant station), the bulk pentane storage (Class 3 highly flammable liquid with flash point minus 49 °C), the HFO blowing agent storage (low flammability A2L refrigerant classification, Zone 2 around decant), the binder ammonia carrier storage and the spray foam isocyanate decant room. Exhaust ventilation 10 ACH minimum for combustible-liquid stores, 15 to 25 ACH for flammable, low-level extract for heavier-than-air vapour (pentane), high-level extract for lighter-than-air vapour (ammonia).

2.14 AS 4072 — Fire-stop sealants

AS 4072 covers the fire-stop sealants and penetration systems used at fire-rated duct penetrations through compartments. For insulation manufacturing facilities the standard governs the duct collar seal at every fire-rated separation between the panel manufacturing hall, the chemical storage, the warehouse and the office. SBKJ supplies the duct collar with the AS 4072-compliant penetration system selected to match the AS 1530.4 FRL on the host wall.

2.15 AS/NZS 1715 and AS/NZS 1716 — Respiratory protective equipment

AS/NZS 1715 (selection, use and maintenance of respiratory protective equipment) and AS/NZS 1716 (respiratory protective devices) are the dominant occupational health standards for insulation manufacturing operators. Fibre exposure at glasswool and rockwool cut and trim, EPS expansion vapour, isocyanate spray foam aerosol and binder spray ammonia carrier each require RPE specification matched to the operator task. SBKJ HVAC ductwork is engineered to reduce the ambient exposure such that RPE selection sits at half-mask or full-face air-purifying respirator for routine task and supplied-air SCBA only for confined-space entry — the ductwork doing the heavy lifting on operator protection.

2.16 AS/NZS 4859 and AS/NZS 4858 — Wool insulation product and installation

AS/NZS 4859.1 sets the material and product compliance requirements for thermal insulation for buildings, covering glasswool, rockwool and polyester insulation product specification, batt density, R-value, dimensional tolerance and labelling. AS/NZS 4858 covers the installation requirements. Neither standard governs HVAC directly, but both drive the binder chemistry, the fibre dimension range and the heat-set cure schedule — which in turn drive the heat-set tunnel oven exhaust chemistry and the fibre dust profile in the cut-and-trim line. SBKJ specifies the heat-set tunnel oven exhaust duct material to match the worst-case binder chemistry on the operator's planned product range.

2.17 AS/NZS 4200 — Pliable building membranes and pliable bulk thermal insulation

AS/NZS 4200 covers the pliable building membrane product specification for reflective foil, sarking and building wrap (Fletcher Sisalation, Bradford Buildex, Bradford Anticon, Air Cell Insulbreak, Air Cell Insulshield). The standard drives the laminated aluminium foil, kraft paper, polyester and HDPE woven substrate specification. The product manufacturing process introduces minor solvent adhesive exhaust at the laminating press — captured by SBKJ in 304L stainless local exhaust at the press head.

2.18 NCC Section J and Insulation Council of Australasia ICA

National Construction Code Section J sets the building energy efficiency requirements that drive insulation product demand in the construction market. The Insulation Council of Australasia (ICA) is the peak industry body coordinating manufacturer compliance with AS/NZS 4859 product certification, AS/NZS 4858 installation guidance, NCC Section J energy efficiency requirements and the EnerScore, NABERS and Green Star rating schemes. The Australian Made Campaign positioning for locally-manufactured insulation product runs alongside the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute certification scheme (Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum tiers — Autex polyester product is certified at Cradle to Cradle Bronze and Silver on selected ranges). The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) Green Star rating scheme references insulation product Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for embodied carbon. None of these schemes directly govern HVAC duct specification, but all drive the substrate chemistry which drives the duct exhaust chemistry that SBKJ specifies.

3. Process zones in an Australian insulation and sandwich panel facility

A typical Australian glasswool, rockwool, PIR, PUR, EPS, XPS, polyester, vermiculite, perlite, aerogel, spray foam or sandwich panel manufacturing facility is a sequence of process zones, each with a distinct HVAC duty. We walk through them in production order, calling out the duct duty, the material selection and the SBKJ specification.

3.1 Raw material storage — silica sand, basalt, polyol, isocyanate, polystyrene bead

The raw material warehouse holds silica sand, soda ash, limestone, dolomite, alumina, feldspar and recycled cullet (50 to 70 per cent on modern glasswool batch formulation) for glass batch; basalt rock, blast furnace slag and coke for rockwool batch; bulk polyol, isocyanate, catalyst and surfactant for PIR/PUR; polystyrene bead, pentane and recycled regrind for EPS; polystyrene pellet and HFO blowing agent for XPS; virgin and recycled PET pellet for polyester; vermiculite and perlite ore for expansion lines; and aluminium foil, kraft paper, polyester woven, HDPE woven and steel skin coil for finishing lines. Ventilation here is dilution only — air change rate 4 to 6 per hour driven by occupant thermal comfort and minor off-gassing. Galvanised G90 supply and return duct, no special considerations. Bulk pentane storage is the exception — AS 1940 mandates 15 ACH bunded ventilation with low-level extract for heavier-than-air pentane vapour, 304L stainless extract ductwork, Ex e or Ex d motors and AMCA 99 Type B spark-resistant fan.

3.2 Glass batch handling and glass melting furnace — glasswool fibreglass furnace 1500C

The glasswool fibreglass furnace handles glass batch from raw material silos through a continuous weigh and mix system into the gas-fired regenerative melting furnace. The melt zone operates at 1,500 °C peak temperature with regenerative heat recovery on the combustion air. Exhaust handles NOx (thermal NOx formation at melt temperature is the dominant atmospheric emission), SO2 (from soda ash and trace sulphide in feedstock), HF (where fluorspar is used as flux at 0.5 to 2 per cent of batch), batch dust carry-over (silica, alumina and feldspar fines from the weigh-and-mix), and combustion products. NFPA 86 governs the furnace exhaust ducting. SBKJ specifies 316L stainless on the primary stack near the take-off (1.5 mm 316L spiral, 800 to 1,500 mm diameter, TIG-welded longitudinal seams, external refractory lining where temperature exceeds 250 °C at the duct wall), transitioning to 304L stainless downstream where chemistry has cooled below 200 °C. The fluorspar flux is the critical chemistry that drives 316L rather than 304L — HF attack on 304L is rapid at elevated temperature. Discharge through SCR for NOx abatement, wet scrubber for SO2 and HF, plus electrostatic precipitator for batch dust. Stack discharge to EPA Victoria, NSW EPA, Queensland DES or WA DWER licence limit.

3.3 Glasswool spinner and fibre attenuation

The molten glass from the furnace forehearth feeds the rotary glasswool spinner (also called centrifuge) which atomises the melt into fibres 1 to 30 micrometre diameter through centrifugal force. Owens Corning operates gas-fired flame attenuation downstream of the rotor edge to control fibre diameter; CSR Bradford operates similar gas-fired attenuation; bondoring spinner designs use electric resistance attenuation. The spinner enclosure releases minor combustion products, free glass fibre carry-over and water vapour from the cooling water spray. Capture at the spinner enclosure top and sides at 1.0 metres per second, branch duct 400 to 800 millimetre at 18 metres per second, 304L stainless because of elevated temperature (300 to 500 °C at the take-off). The fibre conveys to the binder application chamber and the fibre forming hood — additional capture at the fibre forming hood at 1.0 metres per second, 304L stainless 1.5 millimetre spiral.

3.4 Binder application — phenol-formaldehyde, urea-formaldehyde and bio-based binder spray

Phenol-formaldehyde (PF), urea-formaldehyde (UF) and melamine-formaldehyde (MF) resins were the universal glasswool and rockwool binder from the 1940s to the 2010s, sprayed onto the freshly attenuated fibre at 5 to 10 per cent loading. Modern Australian producers have shifted significantly to formaldehyde-free bio-based binder — Knauf Insulation Australia operates the ECOSE bio-based binder across the Earthwool range, CSR Bradford Insulation has phased low-formaldehyde across Gold and Optimo, and ROCKWOOL Australia at Dandenong VIC supplies binder systems graded for AS/NZS 4859 compliance.

The binder spray chamber releases formaldehyde (on legacy lines), bio-based binder organic acid and trace VOC (on current lines), ammonia carrier (where ammonium hydroxide is used as carrier), water vapour from carrier solvent and organosilane coupling agent (typically aminopropyltrimethoxysilane). Safe Work Australia STEL for formaldehyde is 1 ppm — substantially tighter than the bulk solvent STELs and a primary operator exposure on legacy lines. SBKJ specifies 316L stainless on the binder spray chamber local exhaust because of the combination of formaldehyde (on legacy lines), ammonia carrier (on all lines) and water vapour driving 304L pitting within 18 to 30 months. 1.5 millimetre 316L spiral, TIG-welded longitudinal seams, conductive gaskets at every flange, external thermal insulation, electrically bonded. Discharge through wet scrubber (acid scrubber for ammonia, oxidation scrubber for formaldehyde) before stack discharge.

3.5 Heat-set tunnel oven — glasswool and rockwool binder cure

The heat-set tunnel oven cures the binder resin on the conveyor-borne fibre mat at 250 to 300 °C residence time 3 to 8 minutes. Exhaust handles cured-binder organic load (formaldehyde on legacy plants, organic acid and trace VOC on bio-based binder plants), water vapour from binder spray solvent evaporation, fine fibre carry-over from the conveyor and combustion products from the gas burner. Exhaust temperature 220 to 280 °C at the take-off. SBKJ specifies 1.5 millimetre 304L stainless spiral, 500 to 1,000 millimetre diameter for primary take-off, TIG-welded longitudinal seams, external thermal insulation rated for 300 °C continuous, electrically bonded. The discharge routes through a regenerative thermal oxidiser (typical for plants serving the construction-insulation market with stack-emission compliance under EPA Victoria, NSW EPA and equivalent state authorities). NFPA 86 governs the industrial furnace exhaust ducting requirements — minimum duct gauge per gas flow, minimum slope to drain combustion-product condensate, and explosion relief sized to the gas load. SBKJ supplies the heat-set oven exhaust as a sealed welded-construction package with no field joints in the high-temperature zone, ensuring leak-tight thermal recovery to the regenerative thermal oxidiser.

3.6 Glasswool cut, trim and packaging line

The cured glasswool mat passes through the cut-to-length saw, edge trim and roll-up or batt packing line. Dust generation 0.3 to 1.5 per cent of input mass as fibre and binder-coated fibre dust. Capture at hooded extraction over the saw and trim line at 1.0 to 1.5 metres per second, branch duct 250 to 500 millimetre at 20 metres per second, galvanised G90 1.2 millimetre spiral. The combustible binder residue elevates the heat-set tunnel oven exhaust and the fibre trim dust into combustible classification — the boundary moves with the binder formulation. SBKJ specifies spark detection at the dust collector inlet on cut-and-trim line dust extraction, with infrared sensor and water injection response, plus NFPA 68 deflagration venting on the dust collector. Recovered fibre fines convey to the regrind line for incorporation back into the glass batch at 5 to 15 per cent — closed-loop fibre recycling typical of Australian insulation manufacturing under the Insulation Council of Australasia stewardship program.

3.7 Rockwool basalt cupola — rockwool basalt cupola Dandenong

The ROCKWOOL Australia rockwool basalt cupola at Dandenong VIC handles basalt rock (sourced from Victorian and New South Wales quarries — Australian Mineral Industries, supplemented by imported basalt where required for batch composition) and blast furnace slag (recovered from steel mill slag pile, supporting the circular economy positioning of the rockwool industry). The cupola is coke-fired at 1,500 °C in the combustion zone with countercurrent gas flow through the raw material column. Exhaust handles SO2 (significantly higher than glasswool because of slag sulphide), NOx, CO, fine basalt and slag particulate, and combustion products. SBKJ specifies 1.5 millimetre 316L stainless on the cupola stack take-off (refractory-lined internal for the first 6 to 12 metres above the take-off where temperature exceeds 800 °C, transitioning to bare 316L downstream of the heat exchanger), TIG-welded longitudinal seams, external thermal insulation rated for 600 °C, electrically bonded. Discharge through SCR for NOx, wet scrubber for SO2, electrostatic precipitator for particulate. Stack discharge under EPA Victoria licence — the only rockwool stack in Australia and a primary reference design for SBKJ rockwool-sector work.

3.8 Rockwool spinner and fibre attenuation

The molten basalt-slag from the cupola feeds the rotary rockwool spinner — typically a four-wheel cascade design where successive wheels accelerate and attenuate the melt into fibres 1 to 15 micrometre diameter. Spinner enclosure capture at 1.0 metres per second, branch duct 400 to 800 millimetre at 18 metres per second, 304L stainless 1.5 millimetre spiral because of elevated temperature (250 to 400 °C at the take-off). Downstream fibre conveys to the binder application chamber, the fibre forming hood and the heat-set tunnel oven — same construction as the glasswool fibre forming line. Capture velocity 1.0 metres per second at every transfer point, 304L stainless 1.5 millimetre spiral.

3.9 Rockwool cut, trim and packaging line

The cured rockwool mat passes through cut, trim and packaging — same construction as glasswool cut, trim and packaging. Dust generation 0.3 to 1.5 per cent of input mass as fibre and binder-coated fibre dust. Capture at 1.0 to 1.5 metres per second, branch 250 to 500 millimetre at 20 metres per second, galvanised G90 1.2 millimetre spiral. Spark detection at the dust collector inlet, NFPA 68 deflagration venting. Recovered fibre fines convey to the cupola charge for closed-loop recycling. ROCKWOOL Marine Firebatts and Conlit firestop product lines run through separate cut and packaging cells with elevated capture velocity (1.5 metres per second at hood face) reflecting the higher product density and the binder loading on these specialty ranges.

3.10 EPS pre-expander and silo — EPS pentane Zone 1 expander

EPS pre-expansion takes pentane-impregnated polystyrene bead and expands it under steam at 100 to 110 °C, with the pentane vaporising during expansion. The pre-expander is the critical Zone 1 hazardous area in the EPS plant — interior of the pre-expander, the conveyor connecting pre-expander to silo, the silo headspace and the connecting ductwork are all Zone 1 under AS/NZS 60079.10.1. Pentane release during pre-expansion and ageing is 30 to 60 per cent of the total pentane load (50 to 80 grams pentane per kilogram bead).

SBKJ specifies 1.5 millimetre 304L stainless spiral on the pre-expander vent line and silo headspace vent, 300 to 600 millimetre diameter, TIG-welded longitudinal seams, full electrical bonding under 1 ohm per joint and under 10 ohms system to plant earth, conductive gaskets at every flange, AMCA 99 Type B spark-resistant fan minimum on the pentane recovery or atmospheric vent. Continuous LEL monitoring with auto-shutdown at 25 per cent LEL — typical pre-expander silo LEL operation 5 to 15 per cent during normal cycle with shutdown threshold preventing excursion. NFPA 68 deflagration venting on the silo (vent area sized to the silo volume and the pentane Kst), nitrogen inertion on the silo headspace where atmospheric LEL operation is approached. The pre-expander vent and silo headspace vent route either to a pentane recovery condenser (high-end EPS plants with vapour recovery economy of scale) or to a thermal oxidiser for destruction (smaller plants without recovery economy). Discharge stack 304L 1.5 millimetre.

3.11 EPS mould — block, shape and continuous block

Pre-expanded and aged EPS bead loads the EPS mould — either a shape mould for specific product (cool room panel core, packaging insert, void-fill block) or a continuous block mould for slabstock-to-be-cut. The mould is steam-heated at 100 to 110 °C, with steam injection through perforated mould wall fusing the bead. Cycle releases residual pentane (5 to 15 per cent of total pentane load remaining at this stage), steam and minor styrene (Safe Work Australia STEL 50 ppm — minor compared with EPS recycling but worth capturing). Capture at the mould transfer station 1.0 metres per second, branch 250 to 400 millimetre at 18 metres per second, 304L stainless 1.5 millimetre spiral because of elevated temperature and pentane content.

3.12 EPS block cutting — hot-wire and band saw

EPS continuous block is cut to mattress-, panel-, packaging- and shape-size pieces using hot-wire cutting (Cellecta-style wire array) or band saw. Dust generation low at hot-wire (clean melt cut), moderate at band saw (mechanical chip and dust 0.5 to 2 per cent of input mass). Capture at the cutting line 1.0 metres per second, branch 200 to 400 millimetre at 22 metres per second, galvanised G90 1.2 millimetre spiral. EPS dust is combustible (Kst 100 to 150 bar·m/s) and the residual pentane content (1 to 3 per cent at cut stage) elevates the deflagration risk — SBKJ specifies spark detection at the dust collector inlet with infrared sensor and water injection, plus NFPA 68 vent panel sizing accounting for residual pentane.

3.13 EPS recycling and regrind

EPS offcut and trim and post-consumer EPS returns under the EPS Australia Industry Polystyrene Recycling Programme convey to the regrind line — granulator reduces the EPS to regrind bead size, which feeds back into the bead silo at 5 to 30 per cent of feed by mass. Dust generation high — 5 to 15 per cent of input mass as fines, heavily into the combustible range. Branch 250 to 400 millimetre at 22 metres per second, galvanised G90 1.6 millimetre spiral (thicker wall for abrasion resistance). Spark detection mandatory at the granulator outfeed, isolation valve, NFPA 68 deflagration venting per Kst 100 to 160. The closed-loop recycling positioning is a Cradle to Cradle and Australian Made Campaign attribute — SBKJ duct package supports the metering by mass into the bead silo with isolation between the recycle and virgin streams.

3.14 XPS extruder — XPS HFO blowing agent extruder

Extruded polystyrene runs polystyrene melt at 200 °C through a tandem extruder with HFO blowing agent (HFO-1233zd or HFO-1234ze) injected at the second-stage screw. The melt-with-blowing-agent passes through the die and into the shaping and cooling section, expanding to 30 to 40 times the melt volume. The die, shaping and cut-to-length section release a fraction of the blowing agent — Owens Corning Foamular Australia and the Dow Styrofoam legacy lines run with capture and recovery on the blowing agent vent.

SBKJ specifies 1.5 millimetre 304L stainless on the extruder die exhaust and shaping section exhaust because of elevated temperature (150 to 220 °C at the take-off, transitioning to 60 to 100 °C downstream), 1.2 millimetre 304L on the cut-to-length and trim exhaust. The HFO is flammable (A2L refrigerant classification, flash point minus 18 °C for HFO-1234ze), driving Zone 1 classification of the die enclosure and the immediate shaping section under AS/NZS 60079.10.1. Full bonding, AMCA 99 Type B spark-resistant fan, continuous LEL monitoring with auto-shutdown. The HFO low-GWP transition is the critical chemistry development of the past decade — HCFC-141b was phased under Montreal Protocol by 2020, HFC-134a is phasing under Kigali Amendment, and HFO is the current production blowing agent on Australian XPS lines.

3.15 PIR/PUR mix head and sandwich panel laminator — PIR PUR isocyanate sandwich panel laminator

The PIR or PUR sandwich panel laminator is the most engineering-intensive single duct duty in an insulation and sandwich panel manufacturing facility. The double-belt continuous laminator runs steel skin facings (galvanised, Colorbond, Truecore, stainless or aluminium) from upper and lower coil unwind, with PIR or PUR foam injected between the skins from a multi-stream high-pressure mix head. Polyol, polymeric MDI, catalyst (typically DABCO or NIAX A-1 amine catalyst with potassium octoate for PIR or tin octoate for PUR), surfactant, blowing agent (HFO-1233zd, water-blown or pentane in older lines) and flame retardant meter through the mix head at 50 to 500 kg per minute total throughput. Foam rises through cream-rise-gel-cure stages between the moving belts over 3 to 10 minutes belt residence time, peak exotherm 160 to 180 °C in the foam core. The laminator chamber is heated at 60 to 80 °C through heated platens to control cream-rise temperature.

Exhaust take-off positions and flow rates determine whether the mix-head and laminator operator stations are exposed to isocyanate above the Safe Work STEL. SBKJ specifies four to six exhaust take-off positions — mix-head over-spray hood (highest concentration), cream-rise station, gelation station, cure station and laminator exit. Each take-off sized for local emission rate and local operator exposure target. Combined extract flow for a typical 80-metre laminator 30,000 to 80,000 cubic metres per hour. Manifold diameter sized at 12 to 15 metres per second conveying velocity at design flow (lower than dust extraction because contaminant is gaseous). SBKJ specifies the manifold in 1.5 millimetre 316L stainless spiral, 600 to 1,200 millimetre diameter, TIG-welded longitudinal seams, insulated external to maintain wall temperature above 65 °C (above the dew point at typical isocyanate and amine vapour partial pressure), electrically bonded throughout. The abatement equipment interface (thermal oxidiser or activated carbon scrubber) connects to the SBKJ duct at the abatement OEM flange. Discharge stack downstream is 304L because chemistry is much reduced after 95 to 99 per cent destruction (TO) or 90 to 95 per cent capture (carbon bed).

Kingspan Insulation Australia operates the largest PIR sandwich panel laminator portfolio in Australia at sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, supplying the Kingspan KS1000 and KS1100 panel ranges. Bondor at Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth operates the InsulSpan PIR, InsulRoof, InsulWall and EquiTherm ranges. MetecnoInsulated Panels at Brisbane operates the InsulWall, ColdPLUS, TempaPLUS, TopWall, TopRoof, ColdBox and Multi-Coloured ranges. Sahbox Industries at Brisbane operates a focused sandwich panel scope. Crane Composites at Brisbane operates the Trupanel and Aerolite ranges. The sandwich panel cold chain market — refrigerated truck body for Maxitrans, Vawdrey and Krueger; cool room and freezer panel for commercial refrigeration; walk-in coolroom for retail and food service — is dominated by these manufacturers, with PIR core panel the standard product on Australian Z-lock and camlock panel formats.

3.16 Sandwich panel cut-to-length, edge profile and packaging

The cured sandwich panel emerges from the laminator and feeds the cut-to-length station and the edge profile station. Cut-to-length is typically a flying saw (rotary blade cut on the moving panel) or a stationary cross-cut saw at the end of the laminator. Edge profile shapes the tongue-and-groove or Z-lock or camlock interlock geometry through a multi-spindle router array. Dust generation 0.5 to 2 per cent of input mass as mixed PIR/PUR core dust, steel skin chip and aluminium skin chip. The mixed-material dust profile drives NFPA 68 vent sizing against the highest Kst of the constituents (PIR core dust 110 to 180 bar·m/s).

Capture at the cut-to-length saw 1.0 metres per second, branch 300 to 500 millimetre at 22 metres per second, galvanised G90 1.2 millimetre spiral. Edge profile router array capture 1.0 metres per second per spindle, branch 200 to 300 millimetre at 22 metres per second per spindle, galvanised G90 1.0 millimetre spiral, combined manifold 500 to 800 millimetre at 22 metres per second. Spark detection at the dust collector inlet, isolation valve, NFPA 68 deflagration venting per Kst 110 to 180. SBKJ specifies spark detection sensitivity calibrated to the PIR/PUR fines fraction (MIE under 30 millijoules), more stringent than wood dust or generic combustible dust circuits.

3.17 Polyester acoustic — Autex polyester acoustic recycled PET

Polyester acoustic insulation (Autex Industries — Quietspace, Wave, Symphony, Lattice, Frontier, Cube; Bradford polyester) runs recycled PET fibre (typically 60 to 80 per cent recycled content from post-consumer plastic bottles) through carding, needle-punch and heat-set tunnel oven. The needle-punch line bonds the fibre web mechanically; the heat-set oven thermally bonds at 200 to 220 °C residence time 2 to 5 minutes. Exhaust handles polyester fibre lint, minor terephthalic acid sublimate (from PET cure), water vapour and combustion products from the gas burner.

SBKJ specifies 1.2 millimetre 304L stainless on the heat-set tunnel oven exhaust (250 to 350 millimetre diameter, TIG-welded seams, external thermal insulation, electrically bonded), galvanised G90 1.2 millimetre spiral on the carding and needle-punch trim line (200 to 400 millimetre at 20 metres per second), galvanised G90 1.0 millimetre on the cut-to-length and roll-up line. Polyester fibre lint is combustible (Kst 100 to 150 bar·m/s) with low MIE — spark detection at the dust collector inlet, NFPA 68 vent panel sizing, isolation valve. The Cradle to Cradle certification on Autex polyester product drives the closed-loop recycling positioning, with offcut and trim recovered for re-incorporation into the carding line — SBKJ duct package supports the recycle metering at the carding feed.

3.18 Reflective foil and building wrap — Fletcher Sisalation, Bradford Buildex, Air Cell

Reflective foil, sarking and building wrap manufacturing (Fletcher Insulation Sisalation; Bradford Insulation Buildex, Anticon; Air Cell Insulbreak, Insulshield) laminates aluminium foil with kraft paper, polyester woven or HDPE woven through a continuous coater-laminator press. Solvent-based or hot-melt adhesive between the layers, with the lamination press heated at 100 to 150 °C. Exhaust handles solvent vapour (where solvent-borne adhesive is used — typically MEK, IPA or ethyl acetate at the laminator), water vapour and minor adhesive aerosol. SBKJ specifies 1.2 millimetre 304L stainless on the laminator press exhaust because solvent vapour attacks zinc within 12 to 24 months. 200 to 350 millimetre diameter, TIG-welded seams, conductive gaskets, full bonding. Discharge through activated carbon scrubber where solvent recovery is economic, or to a thermal oxidiser for destruction at lower solvent loading.

3.19 Aerogel manufacturing — Aspen Pyrogel and Cryogel

Aerogel manufacturing (Aspen Aerogels Australia Pyrogel and Cryogel ranges) supercritically dries a silica sol-gel to produce an ultra-low-density material with thermal conductivity 0.013 to 0.020 W/mK — significantly lower than any conventional insulation. Manufacturing involves sol-gel formation, supercritical CO2 drying at 80 °C and 80 bar (transcritical CO2), demoulding and edge cut. Exhaust handles CO2 (Safe Work Australia STEL 30,000 ppm, working limit 5,000 ppm), silica aerogel dust at trim (respirable silica concern under AS/NZS 1715 — substantially lower than crystalline silica but worth capturing), and minor solvent residue from the sol-gel chemistry. Capture at the supercritical autoclave vent 1.0 metres per second, branch 200 to 350 millimetre at 18 metres per second, 304L stainless 1.5 millimetre spiral. Trim line capture 1.0 metres per second, branch 150 to 250 millimetre at 18 metres per second, galvanised G90 1.0 millimetre. The aerogel application footprint in Australia is limited to high-end industrial (liquid natural gas terminals at Curtis Island, Gorgon and Wheatstone; aerospace and defence; selected mining and oil and gas), but the manufacturing presence is growing as the cryogenic insulation market scales with the energy transition.

3.20 Vermiculite and perlite expansion furnace

Vermiculite (mica-family silicate) and perlite (volcanic glass) expansion runs the raw ore through a gas-fired expansion furnace at 1,000 °C. The trapped water in the ore vaporises explosively, expanding the particle to 10 to 30 times its original volume. Australian Mineral Industries supplies vermiculite from local quarries; Promat Australia uses vermiculite and calcium silicate in firestop and passive fire products. The expansion furnace is governed by NFPA 86. Exhaust handles dust carry-over (low density expanded vermiculite and perlite escapes the furnace with the gas flow), combustion products and water vapour. SBKJ specifies 1.5 millimetre 304L stainless on the expansion furnace exhaust (300 to 600 millimetre diameter, TIG-welded seams, external thermal insulation rated for 600 °C continuous, electrically bonded). Cyclone separator immediately downstream of the furnace recovers the expanded product. Stack discharge through baghouse for fine dust.

3.21 Wood wool and Heraklith — wood wool plus MgO cement

Wood wool insulation (Heraklith ROCKWOOL — wood wool with magnesium oxide cement or Portland cement binder) processes timber shavings (typically spruce, pine or eucalypt at Australian operations) bound with MgO cement and pressed into board form. Wood dust at the timber preparation station, MgO cement dust at the mixing station, mixed wood-and-MgO dust at the cut and trim. Wood dust Safe Work Australia exposure limits — respirable 5 mg per cubic metre, inhalable 10 mg per cubic metre. SBKJ specifies galvanised G90 1.2 millimetre spiral on timber preparation dust extraction (250 to 400 millimetre at 22 metres per second), galvanised G90 1.6 millimetre on MgO cement mixing (350 to 500 millimetre at 22 metres per second with elevated wall thickness for cement abrasion), galvanised G90 1.2 millimetre on cut and trim. Wood dust is combustible (Kst 100 to 200 bar·m/s for softwood — NFPA 660 sub-formerly NFPA 664 applies), spark detection at the dust collector inlet, NFPA 68 deflagration venting, isolation valve.

3.22 Spray foam in-situ application area

Spray foam in-situ application (Demilec Australia, Polyglass Australia, ICP Adhesives, SES Sprayfoam, ROCKWOOL spray product) is the field-applied side of the polyurethane chemistry portfolio. The applicator combines polyol Side B and isocyanate Side A from heated drums or totes through a heated hose to a spray gun, where the two streams meet at the nozzle and react during the spray throw to form closed-cell or open-cell foam at the application surface. The factory-floor or technical training area where spray foam is demonstrated, tested or applied to in-house production substrates is the critical exposure environment.

SBKJ specifies a dedicated spray foam booth at 0.5 metres per second face velocity (the highest-isocyanate-exposure operator station in any insulation manufacturing facility, demanding the lowest practical face velocity for capture economy with the highest practical operator separation). AMCA 99 Type B spark-resistant fan, 316L stainless exhaust because of the combination of isocyanate aerosol, polyol carrier and HFO blowing agent. 250 to 500 millimetre diameter branch at 18 metres per second, TIG-welded seams, conductive gaskets, full bonding. Continuous LEL monitoring on the HFO. Spray applicator certification under the Sealing Industry Code is the regulatory frame — AS 4859 covers the product, the Sealing Industry Code covers the applicator, and the SBKJ HVAC ductwork covers the engineering containment.

3.23 Sandwich panel assembly and cold-chain finishing

Sandwich panel assembly for cold-chain, refrigerated truck body, cool room, freezer and walk-in coolroom applications adds a secondary assembly cell downstream of the laminator — fittings, edge sealing, decorative facing and final cut-to-spec. Dust generation low (mainly steel skin chip and minor PIR core trim), captured at galvanised G90 1.0 millimetre spiral 150 to 250 millimetre at 20 metres per second per workstation. Adhesive station for fitting attachment captured separately at 1.0 metres per second, 304L stainless 1.0 millimetre on solvent-based adhesive, galvanised G90 on hot-melt.

3.24 Packaging, finished goods warehouse, office and amenities

The general assembly and packaging area is conditioned at 6 to 8 ACH with galvanised G90 supply and return, plus Group 1 fibreglass acoustic lining per AS 1530.3. The finished goods warehouse is conditioned at 18 to 24 °C and 40 to 60 per cent relative humidity year-round — particularly important for the PIR and PUR sandwich panel ranges where dimensional stability through the warehouse hold cycle drives end-customer fit at installation. Office and showroom require AS 1668.2 outside air at 10 L/s per person, AS 2107 NC-35 to NC-40, MERV 13 or HEPA supply filtration.

4. Material selection summary — galvanised, 304L, 316L and beyond

The SBKJ material specification framework for an Australian glasswool, rockwool, PIR, PUR, EPS, XPS, polyester, vermiculite, perlite, aerogel, spray foam or sandwich panel manufacturing facility reduces to a decision tree by duct duty.

4.1 Galvanised G90 — the dust extraction baseline

• Glasswool cut, trim and packaging dust extraction — saw, edge trim, batt packing and roll-up.
• Rockwool cut, trim and packaging dust extraction — saw, edge trim, batt packing and roll-up. Conlit firestop and Marine Firebatts specialty packaging.
• EPS cutting and regrind dust extraction — hot-wire and band saw cut, granulator regrind line.
• XPS cut-to-length and trim dust extraction — downstream of the extruder shaping section.
• PIR/PUR sandwich panel cut-to-length and edge profile dust extraction — flying saw, cross-cut, multi-spindle router array.
• Polyester carding, needle-punch and cut-to-length trim — Quietspace, Wave, Symphony, Lattice, Frontier, Cube.
• Wood wool and Heraklith dust extraction — timber preparation, cut and trim.
• Sandwich panel secondary assembly extracts — fitting station, edge sealing, decorative facing.
• Compression packaging and roll-up extracts — finished product wrap.
• General assembly area supply and return HVAC — standard commercial fabrication.
• Office, showroom, customer experience centre and amenities — supply and return HVAC.
• Finished goods storage warehouse — humidity-controlled storage HVAC.
• Reflective foil and building wrap roll-up extracts — finished product wrap on Sisalation, Buildex, Air Cell.
• Aerogel trim dust extraction — low-throughput post-supercritical-dry cut and trim.

Wall thickness 1.0 millimetre minimum for branches up to 250 millimetre diameter, 1.2 millimetre minimum for branches and mains 250 to 500 millimetre, 1.6 millimetre minimum for mains above 500 millimetre. Coating G90 zinc minimum (275 g/m² total both faces) per AS 1397.

4.2 304L stainless steel — the heat-set, EPS, XPS and binder duty

• Heat-set tunnel oven exhaust on glasswool and rockwool — 250 to 300 °C cure exhaust handling formaldehyde, bio-based binder organic load and combustion products.
• Heat-set tunnel oven exhaust on polyester — 200 to 220 °C PET cure exhaust.
• EPS pre-expander and silo vent line — Zone 1 pentane vent at 100 to 110 °C.
• EPS mould transfer extract — steam and residual pentane.
• XPS extruder die and shaping section exhaust — 150 to 220 °C melt exhaust with HFO blowing agent.
• Glasswool spinner enclosure capture — 300 to 500 °C fibre forming exhaust.
• Rockwool spinner enclosure capture — 250 to 400 °C fibre forming exhaust.
• Vermiculite and perlite expansion furnace exhaust — 1,000 °C furnace exhaust with refractory transition.
• Building wrap laminator press exhaust — solvent-borne adhesive at 100 to 150 °C press.
• Sandwich panel laminator cooling section exhaust — 150 to 180 °C downstream of cure.
• Polyol day-tank room general extract — combustible liquid room extract.
• Bulk pentane storage room extract — Zone 2 flammable liquid storage extract.
• Aerogel supercritical autoclave vent — 80 °C CO2 and minor solvent.
• Cupola and glass furnace downstream stack — 200 to 400 °C downstream of refractory zone.
• Spray foam discharge stack downstream of abatement — chemistry much reduced post-scrubber.

Wall thickness 1.2 millimetre minimum for branches up to 250 millimetre, 1.5 millimetre minimum for branches and mains above 250 millimetre, 2.0 millimetre on high-temperature heat-set tunnel oven primary take-off. Spiral construction per AS 4254, TIG-welded longitudinal seams where rectangular construction is required.

4.3 316L stainless steel — the isocyanate, formaldehyde, ammonia, HF and acid duty

• PIR and PUR sandwich panel laminator exhaust at foam-rise station — peak isocyanate and amine catalyst emission.
• PIR/PUR mix head exhaust — peak isocyanate concentration at the foam reaction initiation point.
• Isocyanate (MDI / TDI) day-tank room local exhaust — decant station, sampling station, transfer station local capture.
• Spray foam in-situ booth exhaust — applicator station isocyanate aerosol and HFO.
• Glasswool binder spray chamber exhaust — formaldehyde, ammonia carrier, water vapour.
• Rockwool binder spray chamber exhaust — formaldehyde, ammonia carrier, water vapour.
• Glass melting furnace primary stack near take-off — 1,500 °C melt exhaust with HF flux load.
• Rockwool cupola primary stack near take-off — 1,500 °C combustion exhaust with SO2 load.
• Ammonia scrubber feed duct — feed to wet scrubber for ammonia abatement at binder spray chamber.
• HF acid scrubber feed duct — feed to wet scrubber for HF abatement on glass batch handling with fluorspar.
• Sandwich panel laminator primary tunnel exhaust — peak chemistry exhaust manifold.

Wall thickness 1.5 millimetre minimum throughout, 2.0 millimetre on furnace and cupola primary stack with refractory lining. Spiral construction per AS 4254, TIG-welded longitudinal seams where required. SBKJ specifies the SBTF-1500, SBTF-1602 or SBTF-2020 TIG seam welder depending on the diameter range.

4.4 309 and 310 stainless — the elevated temperature furnace duty

309 stainless (Cr 22 to 24 per cent, Ni 12 to 15 per cent) and 310 stainless (Cr 24 to 26 per cent, Ni 19 to 22 per cent) cover the elevated-temperature duty where 316L is not sufficient — typically the refractory-lined zone of the glass furnace primary stack and the rockwool cupola primary stack at 600 to 1,000 °C wall temperature. SBKJ specifies 309 or 310 per the elevated-temperature design, with thicknesses 2.0 to 3.0 millimetre per the NFPA 86 minimum gauge schedule.

4.5 Aluminium — prohibited in dust and finishing duty

Aluminium duct is prohibited in any duct conveying combustible EPS, PIR/PUR, polyester, wood wool or binder-contaminated mineral fibre dust under NFPA 660, and prohibited in solvent-rich binder spray, spray foam booth or laminator exhaust under NFPA 33. The justification is spark generation under impact — a tool dropped on aluminium duct, a fragment thrown by the source equipment, or duct support hardware striking the duct can produce a spark above the minimum ignition energy of fine combustible dust or solvent vapour. SBKJ does not supply aluminium duct in insulation manufacturing applications.

5. Conveying velocity targets by source

Conveying velocity in insulation and sandwich panel manufacturing dust extraction ductwork is set by the heaviest particle that must remain entrained at the lowest design flow rate. Sub-velocity operation causes settlement, settled organic dust ignites under spark, and the system propagates to deflagration. The SBKJ targets:

• Glasswool fibre and dust at cut and trim — 20 metres per second minimum at the worst-case branch flow.
• Rockwool fibre and dust at cut and trim — 20 metres per second minimum.
• Polyester acoustic fibre lint at carding and needle-punch trim — 20 metres per second minimum.
• EPS bead and dust at cutter and hot-wire — 22 metres per second minimum.
• EPS regrind granulator — 22 metres per second minimum.
• XPS extruder trim dust — 22 metres per second minimum.
• PIR/PUR sandwich panel trim dust — 20 metres per second minimum.
• Sandwich panel edge profile router dust — 22 metres per second minimum.
• Wood wool and Heraklith dust — 22 metres per second minimum.
• Vermiculite and perlite expansion downstream dust — 22 metres per second minimum.
• Aerogel trim dust — 18 metres per second minimum.
• Reflective foil and building wrap roll-up extract — 18 metres per second minimum.
• Glasswool and rockwool spinner enclosure capture — 18 metres per second minimum.
• Binder spray chamber exhaust — 15 metres per second (gaseous contaminant, lower velocity acceptable).
• Heat-set tunnel oven exhaust — 12 to 15 metres per second (high-temperature gas, lower velocity acceptable with insulated duct).
• Sandwich panel laminator manifold — 12 to 15 metres per second.
• EPS pre-expander vent line — 15 metres per second.
• XPS extruder die exhaust — 15 metres per second.
• Spray foam booth exhaust — 15 metres per second.
• Cyclone-to-bag-filter interconnect — 22 metres per second minimum.
• Spark detection branch downstream of cutter or grinder — 22 metres per second (slight margin over baseline to ensure detection reliability).

These are minimum velocities at the worst-case operating condition. SBKJ engineering specs spiral mains at peak operating flow including the load case where 70 to 80 per cent of branches are open with the rest blanked off — the load case where main flow drops without changing main diameter. Designing for design-average flow guarantees settlement and combustible deposit accumulation within 12 months.

The capture velocity at the hood face is a separate target. SBKJ specifies 1.5 metres per second at the face of an enclosed EPS regrind hood, 1.0 metres per second at a glasswool or rockwool cut and trim hood, 1.0 metres per second at a polyester needle-punch trim, 1.0 metres per second at a sandwich panel cut-to-length saw hood, 1.5 metres per second at a binder spray chamber face, 1.5 metres per second at an isocyanate decanting station, 0.5 metres per second at the face of a downdraft spray foam booth grating, and 1.0 metres per second at the EPS mould transfer station.

6. Hazardous area classification — Zone 1 vapour and Zone 22 dust

Every Australian insulation and sandwich panel manufacturing facility we have surveyed has a layered hazardous area profile combining combustible dust, flammable vapour and toxic gas duty.

• Zone 1 (flammable vapour likely in normal operation) — interior of the EPS pre-expander and the silo headspace (pentane), interior of the XPS extruder die and immediate shaping section (HFO blowing agent), interior of the PIR/PUR mix head and the laminator chamber during foam rise (isocyanate, polyol, HFO), interior of the spray foam in-situ booth during spray application (isocyanate aerosol and HFO), and the immediate volume around isocyanate decanting and bulk pentane decanting stations.
• Zone 2 (flammable vapour unlikely but may occur) — polyol day-tank room general volume, isocyanate day-tank room general volume, bulk pentane storage room, bulk HFO storage room, binder ammonia carrier storage room, spray foam isocyanate decant room and the volume immediately around the laminator chamber during cure phase.
• Zone 20 (combustible dust continuous) — interior of dust collectors at all times during operation, the cyclone collection chamber on EPS regrind and PIR/PUR trim circuits, and the EPS granulator internal volume.
• Zone 21 (combustible dust likely) — around dust collector access doors and inspection hatches during cleaning operations, around bag filter explosion vent discharges during a deflagration event, and the cyclone discharge cone interior during normal operation.
• Zone 22 (combustible dust unlikely but may occur) — interior of every dust extraction duct serving EPS cut and regrind, PIR/PUR sandwich panel trim and edge profile, polyester needle-punch trim, wood wool dust, vermiculite and perlite expansion downstream, and binder-contaminated mineral fibre. Also the volume immediately around dust collector access doors and inspection hatches.
• AS 4332 ammonia hazardous volume — binder spray chamber (where ammonium hydroxide is used as carrier), rockwool slag-water quench (transient release), and any spray foam booth where ammonia-containing surfactant is used.

Every metal duct section in any Zone 1, Zone 20, Zone 21 or Zone 22 envelope is electrically bonded under 10 ohms to plant earth, with copper bonding strap at every flange and conductive gaskets at every access door. Non-metallic flexible connectors are prohibited inside the bonded envelope. Re-tested at commissioning, every two years thereafter, and after any modification. The bonding scheme is the cheapest single control measure in the entire compliance package and the most reliable defence against the most common ignition source (electrostatic discharge from accumulated static on an unbonded duct section).

7. Acoustic targets and lining specification

Insulation and sandwich panel manufacturing is one of the noisier industries in Australian manufacturing. Dominant noise sources are glass and rockwool furnace combustion air fans (90 to 105 dB(A) at 1 metre untreated), heat-set tunnel oven exhaust fans, EPS expander steam blowers, XPS extruder gear reducer, PIR/PUR sandwich panel laminator drive system, sandwich panel cut-to-length saw and edge profile router array (95 to 100 dB(A) at 1 metre at the source), polyester needle-punch needle bank (85 to 92 dB(A) at the operator position), and dust collector pulse-jet valves. Operator exposure must meet Safe Work Australia 85 dB(A) 8-hour TWA limit, and most production zones operate at 80 to 92 dB(A) ambient noise without intervention.

SBKJ specifies acoustic duct lining Group 1 fibreglass per AS 1530.3 on supply ductwork to occupied production volumes, NRC 0.85 or better at the 250 to 2,000 Hz band, 25 millimetre thickness at supply plenums and 50 millimetre at fan inlet plenums. The heat-set tunnel oven exhaust fan and dust collector require additional inline silencer treatment — packed dissipative silencer with 25 millimetre acoustic absorber lining, designed for 15 to 25 dB insertion loss at the 250 to 1,000 Hz band, galvanised G90 outer, perforated stainless inner. The furnace combustion air fan is the loudest single noise source — SBKJ specifies acoustic enclosure around the fan body (15 dB transmission loss at the 250 Hz band) plus a packed dissipative silencer immediately downstream (20 dB insertion loss at the same band).

8. Spark detection, isolation and explosion venting

Every EPS cutting, EPS regrind, PIR/PUR sandwich panel trim and edge profile, polyester needle-punch, wood wool and binder-contaminated mineral fibre dust extraction circuit requires spark detection at the dust collector inlet and an isolation valve between source machinery and dust collector. NFPA 660 minimum protection — Australian insurers require it on any new installation.

Spark detection sensor is an infrared sensor mounted in the duct wall, looking radially across the duct lumen for hot fragment spectral signature, with detection under 5 milliseconds. Response is water injection (typical for organic dust circuits because water does not damage downstream EPS, PIR/PUR or polyester dust load) or fast-acting damper closure within 50 to 100 milliseconds (typical for high-volume PIR/PUR sandwich panel circuits where water injection would risk dust collector cake degradation). Isolation valve between source machinery and dust collector is chemical-suppression-activated knife-gate damper or passive flap valve, closing within 100 milliseconds of deflagration detection downstream, preventing flame propagation back from collector into the production area.

Deflagration venting per NFPA 68 sizes vent panel area against the dust Kst — PIR/PUR trim dust Kst 110 to 180, EPS dust Kst 100 to 150, polyester fibre Kst 100 to 150, wood wool Kst 120 to 160. SBKJ supplies the duct package with welded-in isolation valve mounting flanges at the position specified by the suppression supplier, plus the dust collector vent panel mounting flanges sized to the NFPA 68 calculation. Continuous LEL monitoring on the EPS pre-expander vent and XPS extruder extract — auto-shutdown at 25 per cent LEL. Nitrogen inertion on the EPS silo headspace where atmospheric LEL operation is approached, sized to maintain headspace pentane concentration below 50 per cent of LEL at worst-case loading.

9. Heat-set tunnel oven exhaust — engineering depth

The heat-set tunnel oven exhaust on glasswool and rockwool production is one of the most engineering-intensive single duct duties in an insulation manufacturing facility. The tunnel is 40 to 100 metres long, 2 to 4 metres wide and 1.5 to 2.5 metres tall, with binder-sprayed fibre mat entering at one end and cured product emerging at the other. Exhaust take-off positions and flow rates determine whether the cure is complete and whether the heat recovery to the regenerative thermal oxidiser is leak-tight.

SBKJ specifies three to six exhaust take-off positions — entry zone (where binder spray solvent flashes off at 100 to 150 °C), early cure zone (where cure begins at 200 to 250 °C), late cure zone (where peak temperature is achieved at 250 to 300 °C) and exit zone (where product begins to cool and residual VOC emission is captured). Combined extract flow for a 60-metre tunnel typically 40,000 to 100,000 cubic metres per hour. Manifold diameter sized at 12 to 15 metres per second conveying velocity at design flow.

SBKJ specifies the manifold in 1.5 millimetre 304L stainless spiral, 800 to 1,500 millimetre diameter, TIG-welded longitudinal seams, external thermal insulation rated for 300 °C continuous, electrically bonded throughout. The regenerative thermal oxidiser interface connects to the SBKJ duct at the abatement OEM flange. Where the binder is legacy phenol-formaldehyde with residual formaldehyde STEL exceedance risk, SBKJ upgrades the binder spray chamber and the early cure zone to 316L stainless. Discharge stack downstream of the RTO is 304L (chemistry destroyed at 99 per cent destruction).

10. Sandwich panel laminator exhaust — engineering depth

The PIR/PUR sandwich panel laminator exhaust handles the most engineering-intensive isocyanate-containing duty in Australian manufacturing. The double-belt laminator is 60 to 120 metres long, 1.5 to 2.4 metres wide and 0.1 to 0.3 metres tall (the panel-to-be thickness), with steel skin unwound from upper and lower coil into the laminator and PIR or PUR foam injected from the multi-stream mix head between the skins. The laminator runs continuously at 5 to 25 metres per minute belt speed depending on panel thickness and core density.

SBKJ specifies four to six exhaust take-off positions — mix-head over-spray hood (highest concentration), cream-rise station, gelation station, cure station, panel exit and cooling section. Each take-off sized for local emission rate and local operator exposure target. Combined extract flow for a typical 80-metre laminator 30,000 to 80,000 cubic metres per hour. Manifold diameter sized at 12 to 15 metres per second.

SBKJ specifies the manifold in 1.5 millimetre 316L stainless spiral, 600 to 1,200 millimetre diameter, TIG-welded longitudinal seams, insulated external to maintain wall temperature above 65 °C (above the dew point at typical isocyanate and amine vapour partial pressure), electrically bonded throughout. The abatement equipment interface (thermal oxidiser or activated carbon scrubber) connects to the SBKJ duct at the abatement OEM flange. Discharge stack downstream is 304L. Kingspan Insulation Australia, Bondor, MetecnoInsulated Panels and the broader sandwich panel manufacturer ecosystem operate this configuration with site-specific variations on take-off count, take-off velocity and abatement equipment selection.

11. EPS pre-expander and silo — engineering depth

The EPS pre-expander and silo is the critical Zone 1 hazardous area in the EPS manufacturing facility. Pentane impregnated polystyrene bead at 5 to 8 per cent by mass enters the steam-heated pre-expander at 100 to 110 °C. Bead volume expands 30 to 50 times during pre-expansion, with 30 to 60 per cent of the pentane load vaporised and released to the workspace through the pre-expander vent and the conveyor-to-silo transfer. The expanded bead ages in the silo for 12 to 24 hours, during which time the residual pentane equilibrates with the silo headspace and continues to vent at lower rate.

SBKJ specifies the pre-expander vent in 1.5 millimetre 304L stainless spiral, 300 to 500 millimetre diameter at 15 metres per second velocity, TIG-welded longitudinal seams, full electrical bonding under 1 ohm per joint and under 10 ohms system to plant earth, conductive gaskets at every flange, AMCA 99 Type B spark-resistant fan minimum. The silo headspace vent is 1.5 millimetre 304L stainless, 250 to 400 millimetre diameter, with NFPA 68 deflagration vent panel sized to the silo volume and Kst, plus continuous LEL monitoring with auto-shutdown at 25 per cent LEL. Nitrogen inertion on the silo headspace where the atmospheric LEL operation is approached. The pre-expander vent and silo headspace vent route either to a pentane recovery condenser (high-end EPS plants with vapour recovery economy) or to a thermal oxidiser for destruction (smaller plants without recovery economy). Discharge stack 304L 1.5 millimetre.

12. AS 1530.4 fire resistance and AS 1668.2 ventilation interface

The insulation and sandwich panel manufacturing industry has the most demanding AS 1530.4 fire resistance interface of any Australian manufacturing sector. The finished products themselves are subject to AS 1530.4 FRL testing as components of the National Construction Code Section C external wall and fire-resistance requirements. The PIR core sandwich panel range from Kingspan, Bondor, MetecnoInsulated Panels and the broader Australian manufacturer set must satisfy FRL ratings ranging from 30/30/30 for cool room to 240/240/240 for commercial fire separation, with the core chemistry shifted to polyisocyanurate (higher isocyanate index, higher char yield at fire exposure) and higher flame-retardant loading to satisfy the targets.

The HVAC ductwork in the manufacturing facility must satisfy AS 1530.4 FRL where it passes through fire-rated separation between panel manufacturing and warehouse, between bulk chemical storage and panel manufacturing, between offices and production, and between the facility and adjacent tenancy. SBKJ supplies fire-rated dampers and the matching duct collars sized to the building fire engineer's drawing — typical FRL 60/60/60 to 120/120/120 on the panel-manufacturing-to-warehouse separation, 90/90/90 on the chemical storage isolation, 120/120/120 on the boundary tenancy separation. The duct lining is Group 1 per AS 1530.3 on every fire-rated duct run and on supply and return ductwork through occupied production volume.

The Lacrosse and Neo200 fires in Melbourne and the Opal Tower investigation in Sydney have driven elevated regulatory and insurer scrutiny on sandwich panel fire performance. SBKJ ductwork is specified to support the panel manufacturer's chain-of-custody on FRL compliance — leak-tight manifold construction on the laminator exhaust prevents cross-contamination between panel product batches with different flame-retardant loading, supporting the manufacturer's FRL certification trail per AS 1530.4 testing.

13. Capacity sizing — typical Australian plant types

The Australian insulation and sandwich panel manufacturing industry runs at four scale tiers, with the HVAC duct package complexity and the SBKJ-supplied machine configuration matched to the tier.

13.1 Small EPS converter or sandwich panel fabricator — 1,000 to 5,000 m² plant

One or two EPS hot-wire cutters or a small sandwich panel fabrication cell, packaging area, finished goods warehouse. Capacity 50 to 500 tonnes per week. Duct package: 200 to 600 metres galvanised spiral, no stainless (no laminator or heat-set tunnel), no spray finishing. One or two mid-size dust collectors with deflagration venting. Spark detection at one to three locations (cutter branch, regrind branch). SBKJ deploys SBFB-1500 spiral former, SBSF-1525 round tube flanging, SBLR-600 plasma cutter for branch entry, manual TIG for touch-up.

13.2 Mid-tier insulation or sandwich panel manufacturer — 5,000 to 20,000 m² plant

Multiple EPS lines or one PIR sandwich panel laminator, polyester acoustic line or reflective foil line, cut and packaging, assembly, finished goods warehouse. Capacity 500 to 5,000 tonnes per week. Duct package: 800 to 2,500 metres galvanised spiral, 200 to 800 metres 304L stainless on heat-set tunnel oven exhaust, EPS pre-expander vent and XPS extruder exhaust, 100 to 400 metres 316L stainless on sandwich panel laminator exhaust where present. Three to six dust collectors, spark detection at four to eight locations. SBKJ deploys SBAL-V auto duct line for rectangular plenum work, SBFB-1500, SBSF-1525, SBPC1500 plasma profile cutter, SBTF-1500 TIG seam welder for stainless construction.

13.3 Integrated glasswool, rockwool or sandwich panel plant — 20,000 to 60,000 m² plant

End-to-end production with primary process (glass furnace, rockwool cupola or PIR sandwich panel laminator), bulk chemical storage, fibre forming or panel laminator, heat-set tunnel oven, cut and packaging, finished goods warehouse. The Kingspan Insulation Australia, Bondor, MetecnoInsulated Panels, CSR Bradford Insulation and ROCKWOOL Australia scale. Capacity 5,000 to 20,000 tonnes per week. Duct package: 2,000 to 6,000 metres galvanised spiral, 600 to 2,500 metres 304L stainless, 400 to 1,500 metres 316L stainless on furnace, cupola, laminator and isocyanate-handling, plus 100 to 400 metres 309/310 stainless on refractory-zone furnace stack. Six to twelve dust collectors plus furnace and laminator exhaust abatement (regenerative thermal oxidiser, SCR, wet scrubber, ESP). Spark detection at eight to fifteen locations. SBKJ deploys the full SBAL-V auto duct line, SBAL-III for higher-tonnage rectangular, SBFB-1500, SBSF-1525, SB-ZF1500 angle iron flange former, SBPC1500 plasma profile cutter, SBLR-600 plasma branch cutter, and SBTF-1500/1602/2020 TIG seam welder for the extensive 316L stainless and 309/310 high-temperature construction.

13.4 Dedicated polyester acoustic, aerogel or specialty manufacturer — 3,000 to 15,000 m² plant

Specialty production with focused product range — polyester acoustic (Autex), aerogel (Aspen), vermiculite expansion (Australian Mineral Industries, Promat), reflective foil (Fletcher, Bradford, Air Cell). Capacity 100 to 2,000 tonnes per week. Duct package: 400 to 1,500 metres galvanised spiral on cut and trim, 200 to 800 metres 304L stainless on heat-set tunnel oven, expansion furnace and laminator press exhaust, limited 316L where binder or solvent chemistry demands. Two to four dust collectors. SBKJ deploys SBAL-V, SBFB-1500, SBSF-1525, SBPC1500 and SBTF-1500 TIG seam welder.

14. Energy and air management

Dust extraction and chemical-capture exhaust consume significant electrical energy through exhaust fans, dust collector pulse-jet compressed air, abatement equipment fans and make-up air supply fans. SBKJ specs include VFD control on main exhaust fans, with speed modulated against production rate (number of cutters running, branches open) and measured static pressure at the dust collector inlet. Make-up air must replace extract at conditioned temperature and humidity year-round to maintain operator comfort, product dimensional stability and adhesive bond integrity — conditioning load 80 to 150 kW per 10,000 cubic metres per hour extract in Australian climates.

SBKJ specifies heat-recovery on make-up air where extract chemistry permits — plate heat exchanger on cut-and-trim line extracts, rotary on office and warehouse. Heat recovery is critical on the heat-set tunnel oven exhaust where the regenerative thermal oxidiser recovers 90 to 95 per cent of the combustion energy back into the oven combustion air, dropping the oven gas demand by 80 to 90 per cent versus a non-recovery RTO. Heat recovery not viable on laminator or spray foam booth exhaust (chemistry would cross-contaminate). Air balance net negative (extract 5 to 10 per cent over supply) for contaminant containment.

The energy efficiency target per NCC Section J and the Green Building Council Green Star rating drives the make-up air heat-recovery specification, the variable-frequency drive on every main exhaust fan and the dust collector pulse-jet compressed air optimisation. EnerScore and NABERS rating schemes reference the operational energy intensity per tonne of product — typical Australian glasswool plant 250 to 400 kWh per tonne, rockwool plant 400 to 600 kWh per tonne, EPS plant 100 to 200 kWh per tonne, PIR sandwich panel plant 150 to 300 kWh per tonne, polyester acoustic 100 to 200 kWh per tonne.

15. Cyclone, baghouse and cartridge collector selection

Dust collector selection is driven by dust load characteristics — particle size distribution, fines fraction, dust loading at inlet, abatement target. For EPS regrind, PIR/PUR edge profile and sandwich panel cut-to-length circuits with high coarse-particle loading, SBKJ specifies primary cyclone (1.6 millimetre galvanised G90 with abrasion-resistant inlet elbows) feeding a secondary cartridge or baghouse collector for fines. For glasswool and rockwool cut-and-trim circuits with dominantly fine fibre and binder dust, SBKJ specifies cartridge collector with cleanable pleated cartridges (filter area 40 to 100 square metres per cartridge, total 300 to 1,000 square metres per collector). For polyester needle-punch trim circuits, SBKJ specifies baghouse with shaker or pulse-jet cleaning at 0.8 to 1.2 cubic metres per minute per square metre filter area. Heat-set tunnel oven exhaust feeds direct to the regenerative thermal oxidiser without intermediate dust collection (the RTO ceramic media handles the fibre carry-over).

Every collector handling combustible EPS, PIR/PUR, polyester, wood wool or binder-contaminated mineral fibre is fitted with NFPA 68 deflagration venting; where venting to a safe area is not feasible, NFPA 69 chemical suppression is fitted. SBKJ supplies the duct interface to the collector inlet flange and the discharge ductwork from collector outlet to make-up air return or atmospheric discharge stack. HEPA H13 secondary filtration on the dust collector discharge in any production volume where AMMF biosolubility does not apply (legacy refractory ceramic fibre, special-application high-temperature fibre).

16. Australian sector cases — glasswool, rockwool, PIR sandwich panel, EPS, polyester

The Australian insulation and sandwich panel manufacturing sector divides into eight operator types, each with a slightly different HVAC emphasis.

• Integrated glasswool manufacturer (CSR Bradford Insulation at Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne; Knauf Insulation Australia; Owens Corning Australia at Adelaide and Melbourne; Fletcher Insulation at Sydney and Melbourne) — end-to-end production from raw batch inlet to finished product despatch. Full HVAC scope spanning 316L on glass melting furnace primary stack and binder spray chamber, 304L on heat-set tunnel oven and spinner enclosure, galvanised G90 on cut and trim. SBKJ deploys variable-frequency drive on every main exhaust fan with speed modulated against measured static pressure at the dust collector inlet to accommodate production-rate variability. ECOSE bio-based binder transition on Knauf Earthwool drives lower-formaldehyde duct chemistry; CSR Gold and Optimo low-formaldehyde transition same.
• Integrated rockwool manufacturer (ROCKWOOL Australia at Dandenong VIC, Australia's only rockwool factory) — basalt cupola primary stack at 1,500 °C dominates the HVAC scope. 316L stainless on the primary cupola stack with refractory transition, 304L on the heat-set tunnel oven, galvanised G90 on cut and trim. SBKJ supports with refractory-zone duct construction expertise and the SBTF-2020 TIG seam welder for the larger-diameter primary stack construction. Conlit firestop, Marine Firebatts and Heraklith wood wool specialty lines run through dedicated cut and packaging cells.
• PIR sandwich panel manufacturer (Kingspan Insulation Australia at Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane — Kooltherm, Therma, TR26, Trupanel, Thermaboard, Ekodek, Aerolite; Bondor at Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth — InsulSpan, InsulRoof, InsulWall, EquiTherm; MetecnoInsulated Panels at Brisbane — InsulWall, ColdPLUS, TempaPLUS, TopWall, TopRoof, ColdBox; Sahbox Industries at Brisbane; Crane Composites at Brisbane — Trupanel, Aerolite) — sandwich panel laminator with isocyanate chemistry dominates HVAC scope. 316L stainless on every laminator exhaust manifold, 304L on the cooling section, galvanised G90 on the cut-to-length and edge profile dust extraction. Cold chain panel range (cool room, freezer, walk-in coolroom) is the dominant volume — Maxitrans, Vawdrey and Krueger refrigerated trailer body conversion runs alongside the panel manufacture.
• EPS manufacturer (Sumo Group EPS; InsulFoam EPS Australian-owned; Foamex Industries Australia; Polystyrene Australia; Foam Manufacturing Australia FMA; Pratt Industries EPS; Greenfoam; Knauf Earthwool Polystyrene line) — pentane Zone 1 vent and silo dominates HVAC scope. 304L stainless on pre-expander vent and silo headspace vent, galvanised G90 on cut, mould transfer and regrind. SBKJ specifies the LEL monitoring interface and the nitrogen inertion supply where atmospheric pentane LEL is approached. EPS Australia Industry Polystyrene Recycling Programme drives the regrind volume — SBKJ duct package accommodates the closed-loop recycle metering.
• XPS manufacturer (Owens Corning Foamular Australia, Dow Styrofoam Australia legacy) — extruder die HFO blowing agent dominates HVAC scope. 304L stainless on extruder die exhaust and shaping section exhaust, 304L on cut-to-length and trim, galvanised G90 on packaging. HFO low-GWP transition (HFO-1233zd, HFO-1234ze) is the current production chemistry — SBKJ duct package accommodates the LEL monitoring on the extruder die exhaust.
• Polyester acoustic manufacturer (Autex Industries Auckland NZ parent with Melbourne operations — Quietspace, Wave, Symphony, Lattice, Frontier, Cube) — needle-punch and heat-set tunnel oven dominate HVAC scope. 304L stainless on the heat-set tunnel oven exhaust, galvanised G90 on the carding, needle-punch and cut-to-length lines. Cradle to Cradle certification drives the closed-loop recycling of trim and offcut — SBKJ duct package accommodates the recycle metering at the carding feed.
• Reflective foil and building wrap manufacturer (Fletcher Insulation Sisalation; Bradford Insulation Buildex and Anticon; Air Cell Insulbreak and Insulshield) — laminator press solvent vapour and roll-up extract. 304L stainless on the laminator press exhaust where solvent-borne adhesive is used, galvanised G90 on the roll-up and packaging.
• Specialty insulation manufacturer (Aspen Aerogels Australia — Pyrogel, Cryogel; Australian Mineral Industries — vermiculite; Promat Australia — calcium silicate firestop; Pyrotek Acoustic Engineering Australia — acoustic, vermiculite firestop; Demilec Australia and Polyglass Australia — spray foam in-situ) — focused product range with specific chemistry. SBKJ deploys configuration matched to the specific chemistry rather than a generic insulation manufacturing template.

17. Cradle to Cradle, NCC Section J and the circular economy

The Australian insulation manufacturing sector is the leading manufacturing-sector adopter of Cradle to Cradle certification, with Autex polyester acoustic product certified at Cradle to Cradle Bronze and Silver tiers on selected ranges. ROCKWOOL Australia operates a recyclable rockwool program with closed-loop fibre return into the cupola charge. Knauf RecycleMaster scheme accepts post-installation glasswool offcut for re-melting into the glass furnace batch. The EPS Australia Industry Polystyrene Recycling Programme accepts post-consumer EPS into the regrind line for re-expansion. Bondor and Kingspan operate panel offcut return programs at controlled volume. The circular economy positioning aligns with the Insulation Council of Australasia stewardship program and the Australian Made Campaign branding.

The NCC Section J energy efficiency requirements drive insulation product demand at the building-stock scale. EnerScore and NABERS rating schemes reference the building operational energy intensity per square metre — and the insulation specification (R-value, U-value, thermal bridging) determines a substantial portion of the score. Green Building Council of Australia Green Star scheme references both the insulation product performance and the embodied carbon per the Environmental Product Declaration. The SBKJ HVAC duct package contributes to both — the operational energy efficiency of the duct system through VFD control and heat recovery, and the manufacturer's product certification through leak-tight construction supporting the chain-of-custody on FRL and EPD compliance.

18. ARBS 2026 Sydney and the Australian Made Campaign

ARBS 2026 in Sydney this May is the dominant Australian trade show for the air-conditioning, refrigeration and building services sector — where the insulation and sandwich panel manufacturing supply chain converges with the broader HVAC industry. SBKJ Group will be exhibiting under the Australia Ducting Pty Ltd presence at the show, alongside the Insulation Council of Australasia ICA peak body, the Air-Conditioning and Mechanical Contractors Association (AHSCA), AIRAH, the Insulation Foam Association and the broader insulation manufacturer ecosystem. The Australian Made Campaign positioning for locally-manufactured insulation product runs through every major operator at the show — CSR Bradford Insulation, Knauf Insulation Australia, ROCKWOOL Australia, Kingspan Insulation Australia, Bondor, MetecnoInsulated Panels, Autex Industries, Fletcher Insulation, Bradford Insulation, Aspen Aerogels Australia and the broader supply chain converge at ARBS to demonstrate locally-produced compliance under AS/NZS 4859, AS 1530.4 and the NCC Section J energy efficiency frame.

SBKJ HVAC ductwork is positioned at ARBS 2026 as the engineering-led supply chain partner for the manufacturer side of the equation — the duct package supports the manufacturer's chain-of-custody on FRL certification, the operator's exposure compliance under Safe Work Australia STEL targets, the insurer's NFPA 660 / NFPA 68 / NFPA 86 protection scheme, and the building owner's NCC Section J / Green Star operational efficiency target. The Australian Made Campaign branding on the manufacturer's product flows through to the SBKJ duct package — locally-fabricated stainless and galvanised duct from the Box Hill North VIC office, supporting the manufacturer's locally-produced positioning.

19. Commissioning, documentation and ongoing certification

The SBKJ commissioning protocol follows a 21-day on-site schedule for an integrated insulation or sandwich panel manufacturing plant. Days 1-4 mechanical install verification (flange alignment, gasket integrity, bonding continuity, isolation valve actuator, refractory lining inspection on furnace and cupola primary stack). Days 5-8 flow commissioning (branch flow at every capture point, main flow at every section, balancing dampers and blast gates set). Days 9-12 containment verification (smoke test at every capture hood, capture velocity at four points per hood face, conveying velocity at worst-case main, laminator exhaust manifold balance, heat-set tunnel oven take-off balance). Days 13-16 protection verification (spark detection functional test, isolation valve closure-time, deflagration vent panel inspection, bonding measurement at every flange, LEL monitor calibration and auto-shutdown test, nitrogen inertion functional test). Days 17-19 abatement equipment commissioning (regenerative thermal oxidiser interface, SCR start-up, wet scrubber chemistry hold, electrostatic precipitator high-voltage commissioning, activated carbon scrubber breakthrough test). Days 20-21 documentation handover.

Documentation deliverable includes as-built drawings, ductwork register, bonding results, flow measurements, capture and conveying velocity verification, laminator exhaust profile, heat-set tunnel oven take-off profile, glass furnace stack chemistry profile, rockwool cupola stack chemistry profile, EPS pre-expander LEL operation profile, XPS extruder LEL operation profile, sandwich panel cut-to-length saw spark detection certification, AS 3957 DHA interface, NFPA 660 compliance summary, NFPA 86 furnace exhaust certification, AS 1530.4 FRL certification on every fire-rated penetration, AS/NZS 60079 hazardous area boundary verification on every Zone 1 and Zone 22 envelope, AS/NZS 4859 product compliance interface (where the HVAC duct package supports the manufacturer's product certification), O&M manual including 5-year DHA refresh schedule, 2-year bonding re-measurement schedule, 12-month AMCA 99 fan inspection schedule and the 6-month spark detection sensor cleaning schedule.

Ongoing certification under the AS 3957 DHA refresh cycle requires re-validation every 5 years and after any process modification. AS 1530.4 FRL re-certification follows any building modification affecting the fire-rated separation. SBKJ supports with documentation re-issue, on-site re-measurement of bonding and flow, and inspection of deflagration vent panels and isolation valve mechanisms.

20. How SBKJ scores against the Australian insulation and sandwich panel manufacturing brief

We use this guide as the engineering reference when customers ask us to quote a glasswool, rockwool, PIR, PUR, EPS, XPS, polyester, vermiculite, perlite, aerogel, spray foam or sandwich panel manufacturing duct package at our Box Hill North VIC office. The short version:

• Process zone engineering. Full site walk and zone schedule on every quotation. DHA coordination with the facility's AS 3957 consultant, the insulation chemistry partner and the Insulation Council of Australasia compliance frame.
• Hazardous area drawing. AS/NZS 60079.10.1 and AS/NZS 60079.10.2 plan and elevation per quotation, Zone 1/2/20/21/22 boundaries marked, plus AS 4332 ammonia volume where binder ammonia carrier or spray foam ammonia surfactant is in scope.
• Material specification. Galvanised G90, 304L, 316L, 309 and 310 each justified per duty. 316L at every PIR/PUR sandwich panel laminator, isocyanate and binder spray chamber as standard. 309/310 at every refractory-zone furnace and cupola primary stack.
• Conveying velocity. Sized at peak operating condition. 20 m/s glasswool and rockwool cut and trim, 22 m/s EPS and PIR/PUR cut and edge profile, 18 m/s aerogel and reflective foil, 12 to 15 m/s laminator and heat-set oven manifold.
• Bonding and earthing. Copper bonding strap and brass M8 lug welded to every spiral section at SBKJ. Under 1 ohm per joint, under 10 ohms system to plant earth.
• Spark detection. Sensor location, water injection or fast-acting damper response, dust collector interface — all specified at quotation.
• LEL monitoring. EPS pre-expander vent, XPS extruder die exhaust, spray foam in-situ booth — continuous LEL monitor with auto-shutdown at 25 per cent LEL, calibration and proof-test interface.
• Furnace, cupola and laminator exhaust capability. Full 316L TIG-welded construction with 309/310 high-temperature transition where required, external insulation, abatement interface (regenerative thermal oxidiser, SCR, wet scrubber, electrostatic precipitator, activated carbon) at the SBKJ package boundary.
• NFPA 660 / NFPA 68 / NFPA 86 interface. Vent and isolation valve flanges welded into the SBKJ package at the factory. AMCA 99 conformity on every SBKJ-supplied fan. NFPA 86 minimum duct gauge and slope-to-drain on every furnace and tunnel oven exhaust.
• AS 1530.3 lining specification. Group 1 ductwrap and ductliner on every fire-rated and occupied-zone duct run.
• AS 1530.4 FRL interface. Fire-rated dampers and matching duct collars sized to the building fire engineer's drawing, supporting the chain-of-custody on panel manufacturer FRL certification.
• Cradle to Cradle and NCC Section J interface. VFD control on every main exhaust fan, heat recovery on cut-and-trim line extracts, leak-tight manifold construction supporting the manufacturer's product certification.
• Machine configuration. SBAL-V auto duct line, SBAL-III heavy-tonnage rectangular fabrication, SBSF-1525 round tube flanging, SB-ZF1500 angle iron flange former, SBFB-1500 spiral former, SBPC1500 plasma profile cutter, SBLR-600 plasma branch cutter, and SBTF-1500/1602/2020 TIG seam welder for leak-tight stainless. Full SBKJ machine catalogue.
• ARBS 2026 Sydney presence. Engineering team available at the show this May for face-to-face technical consultation. Stand details published on the SBKJ Group home page closer to the show.
• Australian footprint. Box Hill North VIC engineering and fabrication, Australian site walks, commissioning, after-sales. About SBKJ Group.

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FAQ

How is MMVF respiratory exposure managed in an Australian glasswool or rockwool plant?

Capture at hood face 1.0 to 1.5 m/s, branch conveying 18 to 20 m/s, HEPA H13 filtration on dust collector discharge. AMMF is biosoluble (IARC Group 3) — current standard MMVF products do not carry the chrysotile asbestos legacy concern, though legacy refractory ceramic fibre still demands the upgraded RPE and capture approach. Safe Work Australia respirable fibre 0.5 f/mL TWA, respirable dust 5 mg/m³, inhalable dust 10 mg/m³.

What is the current status of formaldehyde binder phasing?

Knauf Insulation Australia operates ECOSE bio-based binder on Earthwool. CSR Bradford Insulation has phased low-formaldehyde across Gold and Optimo. ROCKWOOL Australia at Dandenong VIC supplies binder grades for AS/NZS 4859 compliance. Formaldehyde is IARC Group 1 with Safe Work Australia STEL 1 ppm — bio-based binder transition is the dominant trajectory. SBKJ specifies 316L on legacy formaldehyde-rich binder spray chambers, 304L on heat-set tunnel oven exhaust regardless of binder chemistry because of the elevated temperature.

Why is EPS expansion treated as Zone 1 under AS/NZS 60079?

Pentane blowing agent (n-pentane flash point minus 49 °C, cyclopentane minus 37 °C) vaporises in the steam-heated pre-expander at 100 to 110 °C, releasing 30 to 60 per cent of total pentane load to the pre-expander vent and silo headspace. Interior of pre-expander, conveyor and silo headspace is Zone 1. SBKJ specifies 304L stainless on pre-expander vent, full bonding, AMCA 99 Type B fan, continuous LEL monitor with auto-shutdown at 25 per cent LEL, nitrogen inertion where atmospheric LEL approached, NFPA 68 deflagration vent on silo.

How has the XPS blowing agent transition from HCFC to HFO changed the duct specification?

HCFC-141b and HCFC-22 phased under Montreal Protocol by 2020. HFC-134a phasing under Kigali Amendment. HFO-1233zd and HFO-1234ze (ozone depletion potential zero, GWP under 10) are current Australian XPS production blowing agents. HFO is flammable A2L class (HFO-1234ze flash point minus 18 °C) — extruder die and shaping section are Zone 1, 304L stainless extract, full bonding, AMCA 99 Type B fan, continuous LEL monitor.

What duct material does a PIR or PUR sandwich panel laminator exhaust need?

316L stainless from the laminator chamber through to the abatement equipment. MDI isocyanate plus amine catalyst plus elevated temperature drives 304L pitting within 3 to 5 years; 316L with 2.0 to 3.0 per cent molybdenum eliminates the failure mode. 1.5 mm 316L spiral, TIG-welded seams, external insulation to keep wall above 65 °C dew point, full electrical bonding. Discharge through thermal oxidiser or activated carbon scrubber per state EPA licence.

How does AS 1530.4 fire resistance testing affect a sandwich panel manufacturing plant?

Following Grenfell Tower 2017 and the Australian aluminium composite panel cladding crisis (Lacrosse, Neo200, Opal Tower) the NCC Section C strengthened external wall fire performance. Sandwich panels satisfy AS 1530.4 FRL 30/30/30 to 240/240/240 depending on application. PIR core chemistry has shifted to higher isocyanate index polyisocyanurate plus higher flame retardant loading. SBKJ HVAC duct in the manufacturing plant satisfies AS 1530.4 FRL through fire-rated dampers and duct collars sized to the building fire engineer's drawing.

What is the conveying velocity for insulation manufacturing dust extraction?

Glasswool and rockwool cut and trim 20 m/s, polyester acoustic 20 m/s, EPS bead and dust 22 m/s, EPS regrind 22 m/s, XPS trim 22 m/s, PIR/PUR sandwich panel trim 20 m/s, edge profile router 22 m/s, wood wool 22 m/s, vermiculite and perlite 22 m/s, aerogel 18 m/s. Sized at peak operating condition. Below SBKJ targets the system settles, the deposit ignites, and the next spark propagates.

How is the heat-set tunnel oven exhaust handled on a glasswool or rockwool line?

250 to 300 °C cure exhaust handling formaldehyde (legacy plants) or bio-based binder organic load (current plants), water vapour, fine fibre carry-over and combustion products. 1.5 mm 304L stainless spiral, 500 to 1,000 mm diameter, TIG-welded seams, external thermal insulation rated 300 °C continuous, electrically bonded. Discharge through regenerative thermal oxidiser. NFPA 86 governs duct gauge, slope-to-drain and explosion relief sizing.

What is the Safe Work exposure limit for TDI, MDI, formaldehyde, pentane and HF?

TDI STEL 0.005 ppm, MDI STEL 0.02 ppm and TWA 0.005 ppm. Formaldehyde STEL 1 ppm. Pentane (n-pentane and cyclopentane) STEL 600 ppm. HFO-1233zd and HFO-1234ze STEL 1,000 ppm. HF STEL 1.8 ppm (glass batch fluorspar flux). Styrene STEL 50 ppm (EPS). Ammonia STEL 35 ppm and TWA 25 ppm (binder carrier). Capture must be complete: 316L on isocyanate and binder spray, 304L on heat-set tunnel oven and pentane vent, AMCA 99 Type B spark-resistant fan, abatement before discharge.

What SBKJ machine configuration suits a sandwich panel or insulation manufacturing duct package?

Small EPS or panel fabricator (1,000 to 5,000 m²): SBFB-1500, SBSF-1525, SBLR-600. Mid-tier glasswool, rockwool, EPS or sandwich panel (5,000 to 20,000 m²): SBAL-V, SBAL-III, SBFB-1500, SBSF-1525, SBPC1500, SBTF-1500 TIG seam welder. Integrated glasswool, rockwool or sandwich panel plant (20,000 to 60,000 m²): full SBKJ catalogue including SBAL-V, SBAL-III, SBSF-1525, SB-ZF1500, SBFB-1500, SBPC1500, SBLR-600 and SBTF-1500/1602/2020 TIG seam welder. Full SBKJ machine catalogue.