By Dylan O’Hagan
Toronto, Ontario — March 29, 2016 — After inventing a spray gun monitor to help eliminate wasted paint, Jerohmie Arkell and his father Steve have invented a new product for body shops they say will help save money. This time it’s an air filter monitor for spray booths. The new product is designed to eliminate the question of when it’s time to change the filter.
The SureChange filter monitor works by alerting you when it’s time to install a new filter. Jerohmie Arkell, inventor of the SureChange monitor and President of Global Equipment Maintenance, discussed the SureChange in an interview with Collision Repair magazine.
“Once that filter reaches its lifespan the buzzer will go off and the red light will come on indicating it needs to be changed,” he says. “Now you don’t have to look at the filter and guess and throw away something that could have lasted another week.”
Arkell says that in a series of tests, it was found that the device can help air filters last seven to 14 days longer than average. The price is $280, a relatively small incremental investment for something as big and as costly as the typical spray booth.
“The equipment these days is running to $100,000 or more and that’s a big investment,” says Arkell. “It’s the bread and butter of the body shop, and they should be keeping it in tip-top shape to get as many years out of it as they can.”
Arkell says the original concept came from a similar invention he and his father originally designed for his home furnace.
“My mom was sick of remembering if the furnace filter had been changed and constantly holding it up to the light, guessing if it was still good or not. I thought, ‘there has to be a better way,’” he says. “I started looking for something I could use that was compact, easy to install and accurate.”
When an air filter unit needs to be changed it begins to clog and less air will flow into the spray booth. This can cause an uneven finish and lead to increased cost and lost productivity redoing the job. However, Arkell says it can also place strain on the system itself.
“You’re using this system plugged and next thing you know your balance is off,” he said. “You’re putting strain on the motor and the fan because it’s still trying to draw in the same amount of air.”
In addition to providing a visual indication of filter longevity, the SureChange monitoring system can be set up to alert you by email when it’s time to change the filter.
For more information on SureChange, please visit 1gem.ca.
