Grit Automation Automatic Blast Gates - Automating my Dust Collection

[Alan Lightstone]

I'm not a posting a review kind of guy, but this system and especially their level of tech support deserves this. And right off the bat, I have no association with Grit Automation, and paid full price for this system.

So, after reading a short thread elsewhere about automatic blast gates, and knowing that my previous research into automatic blast gates for my Nordfab ducts was expensive, and really, really didn't want to have to remove all my present gates and replace them with new ones (like if I was using a IVAC Pro system, or Eco-Gates) I was intrigued by the Grit system.

The way the system works, is by attaching servos with swing arms attached to your blast gates, and these are Wifi controlled by a Grit Hub and triggers on your equipment.

Now, there are challenges to hooking up to my dust collection system. My SawStop, Felder Jointer, planer, bandsaw are all 3-phase, as well as my Grizzly wide-belt sander. All with 6-inch Nordfab ducting and gates. Add onto that a router table at 110V with 4" ducting, with the gates all near the floor, far apart, and you can see that my work was cut out for me.

Here's a few pictures of the system:
This is what all the components look like out of the box:
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So, lots of stuff, to say the least. And it was packed beautifully, with a cute little present. Clearly they wanted everything to arrive safely.

I first powered up the hub and having it find my wifi, etc... Worked pretty well. Saw my router without issues.

Next I attacked installing the blast gates, one by one. You do this by drilling a hole in the blast gate arm with an included template and drill bit, installing a few screws/bolts and attaching power via some provided wire and DC power supplies. On to the web app, make microadjustments to the gate positions (setting open and closed limits), and awesome - it works great being controlled from my iphone. Getting the machine's power setting to control it comes later.

Here's a few pictures of a installed blast gates:
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As you can see, the gates light up red when closed, and green when opened. During calibration, they flash to show you they are receiving the micro-adjustment commands.

I'll break this into a number of posts, to avoid TL;DR

[Alan Lightstone]

Next up, was to install triggers for the individual machines, so that the appropriate blast gates know when to open and close. Here's where it got more difficult for me. All of my equipment is 3-phase, and the motors are all 4-5 HP. So big 10ga and 12ga wire going into the wall outlets with locking NEMA L15-30 plugs on them. I really didn't want to wire directly into the triggers (which would have been MUCH easier), so we arranged some short 10ga extension cords with plugs and jacks on them to make this happen. Not a terrible amount of fun stripping those huge wires and inserting them into the triggers, but definitely doable.

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So pretty neat installation, even with the plugs/jacks. You can see the hub installed on the wall above the 3-Phase triggers.

Next was some software fussing to tell each gate which device it was to be triggered by, as well as the gate closing timer (to delay gate closing for x seconds after the machine powers off, and the associated collector (if you have more than one.) You can chose the # of amps for the activation level (which I thought was really smart), as well as power profiles (if there needs to be delayed on, dealing with motor power spikes, etc....)

All of this was more difficult for the 3-phase machines. For my 1-phase 110V router, it was literally plug and play for the trigger. Just plug the router (or router switch on my router table) into the 110V trigger, and run a small wire to power the gate off of it. Piece of cake.

Next comes the hardest part. Connecting up my 5HP Oneida Cyclone.

[Alan Lightstone]

Connecting up my Oneida cyclone dust collector to the system just wasn't fun. And it really wasn't Grit Automation's fault. My cyclone is in a small closet, with very limited access to the contactor, that the Grit MagSwitch needed to be hooked up to.

After lots of groaning, and removing the contactor from the wall, and literally balancing it on a taped down wooden dowel, I was able to get access to it. To say that the contactor was a rats nest of wires, was an understatement. I worked through the instructions and pictures in the manual (Oh, and I didn't mention that the system comes with a 142 page color, bound manual. Pretty impressive.) Ground to a halt. I simply couldn't see where to hook up the last one of the wires.

Here's where Grit Automation tech support was off-the-charts good. All throughout my installation, I checked in with them back and forth, and they went above and beyond the call. They simply are the best technical support personnel I've ever worked with. I won't give away all of the wonderful things they did to help me, but they are World Class.

I got on a facetime phone call with one of their engineers, and showed him the contactor. He then amazed me by telling me that I had to disconnect a module in the contactor (I think it was likely the RF remote control module), and remove about 4 or 5 wires and this small box. Low and behold, the appropriate screw terminal appeared, and was able to finish installing the Magswitch controller. No question, this was the hardest part of the operation.

Now onto testing it. Via their iPhone app, I quickly told the dust collector which triggers it was associated with, and set delay off and minimum run timers, and as soon as I turned on any of my machines, the gate opened and the dust collector turned on. Once I turned off the machine, after the appropriate delay off time, the cyclone turned off. Like magic. Amazing.

[Alan Lightstone]

Lastly, I purchased two Air Quality devices for my Jet 1000B and Jet 2000 air filters. These just plug in, with the air filter cord plugging into them. As these are both IR controlled (heavy sigh), you then install an IR emitter on them. They measure the air quality (not sure which technology they use as I don't hear a fan in them) inside the module.

These can be set to automatically activate the air filter at a certain particle level, with a minimum run time set, and they report the air quality level on the app. I'm still fussing with these, as you all probably know I'm pretty nuts about keeping high quality air in my shop, and not breathing in all of that awful sawdust.

Thus far I'm incredibly impressed by the system. Setup definitely takes time, but microadjustments are built into the system, and it is well worth it to make sure that the force required by the servos to open/close the gates, as well as the gate positions are fully open and closed. The system seems incredibly versatile, and I truly love that I didn't have to throw out all those expensive Nordfab blast gates, and could instead use them. Many parts of my installation were likely more difficult than usual, due to the industrial nature of them, but everything went well.

Lastly, as I said earlier, Grit Automation's tech support is simply superb. They listen, they help, and they truly want everything to work great. They really go above and beyond on every step. Those are qualities that, sadly, you don't see much anymore. This system is certainly not inexpensive by any means, but really seems well worth it. Very, very highly recommended.

Time to start using the machines to make something.

[Paul F Franklin]

This looks really sweet, and you did a nice neat job installing everything. Can you share a ballpark cost for all the "stuff", aside from your labor?

[Jim Becker]

That's a truly interesting setup, Alan. I like that it's a retrofit to the existing gates because as you note, there's already a bit of expense already there and that's kinda true for most folks, unless they are building an entirely new ductwork system from scratch. Being able to use standard gates, such as those from Nordfab or Blastgate, is a big plus. Thanks for the great review!!

[Kris Cook]

Thanks for sharing this Alan.

When I first installed my system I convinced myself it wouldn't be a big deal to walk over and open or close a gate but I find myself leaving them open, or closed unintentionally sometimes.

I will be checking it out.

[Alan Lightstone]

I have most of my blast gates on or very near the floor. The router table one I have to crawl under the SawStop extension table to get to, and the table saw one I need to crawl under the SawStop to get to. So these are real back savers. I also wound up shortening the flexible ducting leading from my blast gate to my widebelt sander, which should help things too. Typically, just because it killed my back, I left the blast gate leading to my SawStop and router table open all the time. So getting that closed and having all the suction go to the widebelt sander, I'm hoping will improve dust collection to that. My particle count tests clearly show that the "dirtiest" machine in my workshop is the widebelt sander. Especially with small particles.

I'm going to pass on the cost discussion. I really feel that's between the customer and the company. Give them a call. They'll be happy to quote you for your particular needs, I'm sure.

And Jim, I agree, having it be a retrofit system was huge to me. Lack of that really was a deal breaker when I looked into some of the competitive systems.

[Larry Frank]

Out of curiosity, what did this system cost ?

[Thomas Wilson]

Here is the Grit Automation website where they give a price range for each type of box.

https://gritautomation.com/products

[Alan Lightstone]

All I’ll say regarding price is that the 120 V triggers and 4 inch blast gates are significantly less expensive than 3-phase triggers and 6 inch blast gates.

Your cost is really totally dependent on your individual set up. Call up Grit Automation. They’ll be happy to give you a detailed quote specific to your needs.

[Chris Parks]

Until you work in a workshop with an automatic system you can't appreciate the affect it has on you when doing day to day tasks as it is simply liberating in every way. Turn the machine on, The dust extractor starts, the blast gate opens and when finished the BG's close and the extractor turns off....simply awesome.

[Jim Becker]

I have a thought that somewhat dovetails with what Chris Parks just wrote. (and I can clearly see his point)

That said, with traditional woodworking machines, there is clearly an on and off state that can be leveraged for the purpose at hand. This is not such a simple thing with something like CNC that more and more folks are bringing into the shop. You can't keep on power to the machine because you don't turn it on and off, as it were. I guess one could sense for spindle on/off, but...

I guess if one wanted to leverage one of these gate controls for a tool like CNC, it would be easiest to have some form of manual triggering, such as a dummy circuit with some form of switch.

Alan, will that system work properly if one has a need for more than one tool running at the same time, such as CNC manually triggered while one moves between other machines doing other things while the CNC "shop assistant" cuts stuff?

[Chris Parks]

I have a thought that somewhat dovetails with what Chris Parks just wrote. (and I can clearly see his point)

That said, with traditional woodworking machines, there is clearly an on and off state that can be leveraged for the purpose at hand. This is not such a simple thing with something like CNC that more and more folks are bringing into the shop. You can't keep on power to the machine because you don't turn it on and off, as it were. I guess one could sense for spindle on/off, but...

I guess if one wanted to leverage one of these gate controls for a tool like CNC, it would be easiest to have some form of manual triggering, such as a dummy circuit with some form of switch.

Alan, will that system work properly if one has a need for more than one tool running at the same time, such as CNC manually triggered while one moves between other machines doing other things while the CNC "shop assistant" cuts stuff?

I was one of a team that developed an automatic blast gate system which also controlled the dust extractor either single phase or 3 phase so I am a bit biased on automatic systems. CNC machines aren't a good fit as the long run times don't present the same problems as machines used intermittently such as mitre saws, bandsaws etc. I must admit when we first started doing the R&D I never imagined the impact it would have on my working in the shed until I installed the system and I was absolutely blown away by the change.

The problem that Jim has described above is one I am dealing with at the moment, I have just built a RT using a CNC spindle and it is controlled by a touch screen via a program specifically written to control spindle height, speed and fence position and it fires up the DE as soon as it is connected simply because power on is needed to start the control system, I will let you know if and how we solve it, we think we know but the proof is in the eating so to speak. We developed the automatic system mainly for use in WW clubs where good blast gate control is hard to manage because no one opens and closes BG's every time.

[Alan Lightstone]

I have a thought that somewhat dovetails with what Chris Parks just wrote. (and I can clearly see his point)

That said, with traditional woodworking machines, there is clearly an on and off state that can be leveraged for the purpose at hand. This is not such a simple thing with something like CNC that more and more folks are bringing into the shop. You can't keep on power to the machine because you don't turn it on and off, as it were. I guess one could sense for spindle on/off, but...

I guess if one wanted to leverage one of these gate controls for a tool like CNC, it would be easiest to have some form of manual triggering, such as a dummy circuit with some form of switch.

Alan, will that system work properly if one has a need for more than one tool running at the same time, such as CNC manually triggered while one moves between other machines doing other things while the CNC "shop assistant" cuts stuff?
Jim:

I believe the Grit Automation system should word just fine with your CNC machine. The trigger has multiple settings, and seems fully adjustable as to what activation level the sensor should use for opening a blast gate and turning on the dust collector. There are also settings for different power profiles (Normal, Delay, Spike, and Advanced).

I would be surprised if one of those couldn't be set properly to understand that the electronics are on, but the spindle isn't running. It certainly works with my Felder planer and Grizzly wide-belt sander that have electronics on running at a low current draw, but only turns on when the motor/conveyor belts start running which is when you really want the gates open and the dust collector running.

I don't own a CNC machine (but still keep thinking about getting one), and am clearly no expert on them in any way, so just my $0.02, which may be worth less than that. Clearly the company would know, however, and I bet they have multiple systems installed with CNC machines.

[Jim Becker]

I have just built a RT using a CNC spindle and it is controlled by a touch screen via a program specifically written to control spindle height, speed and fence position

As an aside, this was something I had a conversation with Brian Holcomb about awhile back as he was contemplating something like that for his shop Intriguing idea.

As to the CNC and similar, the reason I mentioned being able to trigger manually for them is because it might be nice to be able to have a gate "up there" in a place that's less convenient to work by hand when feeding this kind of tool. But it would have to able to not interfere with any of the automated gates. I'm guessing there may not be the logic available in the controller in "stock" form to have that level of understanding. Note: I have not explored the manufacturer's website and am just flapping my digital gums here. :D

[Chris Parks]

As an aside, this was something I had a conversation with Brian Holcomb about awhile back as he was contemplating something like that for his shop Intriguing idea.

As to the CNC and similar, the reason I mentioned being able to trigger manually for them is because it might be nice to be able to have a gate "up there" in a place that's less convenient to work by hand when feeding this kind of tool. But it would have to able to not interfere with any of the automated gates. I'm guessing there may not be the logic available in the controller in "stock" form to have that level of understanding. Note: I have not explored the manufacturer's website and am just flapping my digital gums here. :D

An overhead rocking blast gate with hanging cords will do what you are looking for. The cords can be run from a rocking gate to a convenient location using pulleys, I did that before having an automatic system.

[Tom Bain]

Interesting and impressive system. Do you know if it’s possible to leave the dust collector out of the system and just use it for the automatic blast gates? I actually prefer to manually (with a remote) turn the collector on and off especially when I know I’m going to be moving from one machine to another.

[Alan Lightstone]

Interesting and impressive system. Do you know if it’s possible to leave the dust collector out of the system and just use it for the automatic blast gates? I actually prefer to manually (with a remote) turn the collector on and off especially when I know I’m going to be moving from one machine to another.
Yes, that can be done easily. The triggers control the blast gates and also tell the dust collector to turn on. But they don't have to.

I had the system running that way first and installed the Magswitch collector to control the cyclone last.

[Jim Becker]

An overhead rocking blast gate with hanging cords will do what you are looking for. The cords can be run from a rocking gate to a convenient location using pulleys, I did that before having an automatic system.
Yup. I may see if I can configure/modify the quick connect gates I use for something like this.

[Tom Bain]

Alan — One more question on the 3-phase machines. I have similar Felder 3-phase machines to yours and I’m curious if the controller opens the blast gate if it senses power to the machine (the machine is “on” but not running) or only when the “start” button is pressed? In other words, is it current sensing and can that be adjusted?

[Alan Lightstone]

It is current sensing and is extremely adjustable. So having the digital readout on my machine on doesn’t open the blast gate. The gate only opens when the motor starts and it’s adjustable for the current limit you set for the trigger.

Very easy adjustment with the phone app.

[Joel Danowitz]

I have a thought that somewhat dovetails with what Chris Parks just wrote. (and I can clearly see his point)

That said, with traditional woodworking machines, there is clearly an on and off state that can be leveraged for the purpose at hand. This is not such a simple thing with something like CNC that more and more folks are bringing into the shop. You can't keep on power to the machine because you don't turn it on and off, as it were. I guess one could sense for spindle on/off, but...

I guess if one wanted to leverage one of these gate controls for a tool like CNC, it would be easiest to have some form of manual triggering, such as a dummy circuit with some form of switch.

Alan, will that system work properly if one has a need for more than one tool running at the same time, such as CNC manually triggered while one moves between other machines doing other things while the CNC "shop assistant" cuts stuff?


This is Joel from GRIT Automation. First a big thanks to Alan for his time writing this post!

As for CNC machines, we have no problem analyzing the specific current draw for tools like CNC or Lasers to control blast gates and dust/fume extractors. We can retrofit gates from 2.5" to 10". Work with all power types up to 480 3PH.

Another point to mention is the safety side of the GRIT system. You can lock and unlock all tools in your shop so little fingers and inexperienced users cannot operate the machinery. For makerspace type shops we have an add-on product that allows for personalized access control for all tools, its called GRIT Track. This is perfect for educational and institutional environments.

Please reach out to discuss how we can help bring automation and safety into your shop!

Joel

[Bruce Walton]

This looks like a nifty system.

The case of a floor sweep would be something I wonder if the system will adapt to use. That could use a switch to turn on when the gate was opened, but I don't see something like that on their website.

[Joel Danowitz]

This looks like a nifty system.

The case of a floor sweep would be something I wonder if the system will adapt to use. That could use a switch to turn on when the gate was opened, but I don't see something like that on their website.


Great point and we have a battery operated switch that does just this! Its great for floor sweeps and lathe work.

[Tom Bain]

This is Joel from GRIT Automation. First a big thanks to Alan for his time writing this post!

As for CNC machines, we have no problem analyzing the specific current draw for tools like CNC or Lasers to control blast gates and dust/fume extractors. We can retrofit gates from 2.5" to 10". Work with all power types up to 480 3PH.

Another point to mention is the safety side of the GRIT system. You can lock and unlock all tools in your shop so little fingers and inexperienced users cannot operate the machinery. For makerspace type shops we have an add-on product that allows for personalized access control for all tools, its called GRIT Track. This is perfect for educational and institutional environments.

Please reach out to discuss how we can help bring automation and safety into your shop!

Joel

Joel — Thanks for joining the Creek to chime in and answer questions. It looks like a really interesting and well though out system. I’ve tinkered with creating my own automatic gates with pneumatics but getting the current sensor to cooperate with the solenoid proved too unreliable. Another quick question for you … do the controllers need to be in the horizontal plane to operate properly, or can they also work with a vertically oriented blast gate?

[Joel Danowitz]

Joel — Thanks for joining the Creek to chime in and answer questions. It looks like a really interesting and well though out system. I’ve tinkered with creating my own automatic gates with pneumatics but getting the current sensor to cooperate with the solenoid proved too unreliable. Another quick question for you … do the controllers need to be in the horizontal plane to operate properly, or can they also work with a vertically oriented blast gate?

Hi Tom,

Thank you, during the past 2 years we have worked to bring a complete solution to the industry. As you mentioned automation that actually works is challenging.

As for our gate actuators, yes they work in any orientation.

Thanks
Joel

[Alan Lightstone]

A new addition to my Grit setup today. A nagging problem I had is that my Grizzly wide-belt sander needs pneumatic pressure to start. So typically I send it 80psi from my air compressor. But I really don't want my air compressor running 24/7, and it's hidden in a difficult to get at closet.


Well, the nice folks at Grit Automation (Joel) suggested a 120V collector trigger paired with a remote, wireless switch. The air compressor plugs into the collector trigger. That way, when I want to use the wide-belt, I first turn on the air compressor with the remote switch (which now lives on the wide-belt in the nice bracket/holder), and then turn on the wide-belt, which then turns on the Oneida cyclone. No need to climb down into the closet, and no need to run it 24/7.


Works like a charm. Problem solved. Thanks guys. Great work again.

The word on the street was that they were a big hit at IWF a couple of weeks ago. I really wish them luck.

[Alan Lightstone]

Just added another addition to the system that's solved yet another problem. As those who know me know from my posts, I'm pretty interested in keeping my workshop air as clean as possible to breath. I've just seen too many people with bad lung disease in my medical practice.

At this point, the biggest offender in my workshop for throwing off wood chips and dust is my Kapex SCMS. Long story short, my initial shop design had a measurement error, and I wasn't able to put the ducts running from my cyclone to a Kapex enclosure I was planning to build. So now, even though my Kapex is attached to a Festool vac, it still throws tons of wood dust into the shop air. I have found that I need to turn on my Jet air cleaners whenever I use the miter saw, but that involves two remote controls on the other side of the shop.

Here's where the Grit Automation system comes in. Much to my surprise, the current sensing abilities of a Grit 120V trigger enables my Festool vac to plug into the Grit trigger with me still leaving the vac set to the auto setting. Whenever I use the Kapex, the system now turns on both air cleaners for a programmed period of time. And wow, my air is measurably cleaner much faster this way.

In a future post I'll get into the capabilities of the Grit Automation air quality control devices (which automatically turn on and off your air cleaners depending on air particle measurement of certain sizes) as this is being improved day by day by the awesome engineers at Grit Automation.

I'll gush later as to how much the system has improved the air quality in my workshop (hint, very impressive), but the system just keeps getting better as does the working conditions in my shop.

[Chris Parks]

I had low dust levels for years but what I found when using the automatic blast gate system we developed was how it made working in the workshop so much easier, almost liberating if I can use that term. Being able to change from machine to machine and not have to worry about blast gate operation is something that really can't be appreciated unless you experience it.

[Alan Lightstone]

I had low dust levels for years but what I found when using the automatic blast gate system we developed was how it made working in the workshop so much easier, almost liberating if I can use that term. Being able to change from machine to machine and not have to worry about blast gate operation is something that really can't be appreciated unless you experience it.
Couldn't agree more, Chris. But chalk it up to getting old with a bad back, and having to climb under some machines (my table saw) to get at gates to close them at the right time, and just plain forgetting, I was assuming that my 5HP Oneida cyclone would get rid of all that airborne dust even if I left a few gates open. Turns out, wasn't true at all. Having just the gate I need open and the rest closed has made a tremendous, measurable difference in air quality in my workshop.

[Ron Selzer]

I also have found out it takes more than one device to keep the air clean in the shop.
1- used furnace fan built into/under the workbench, has 2 24x24x18 bag filters with 2 24x24x4 prefilters. turn on when first walking into the shop, turn off next day or two if machining lumber, sometimes when I leave at end of day if not making much dust
2- dust collector, Dust Deputy+ with home-built filter cabinet (30 cartridge filters), manual blast gates. hard piped almost to machines. Turns on automatically when machines are started, also with wall switch if needed to keep running to eliminate too many starts per hour
3- large shop vac/cyclone hard piped, 2" sched 40 pvc to 11 points for hand tools, routers, sanders, etc.

Firmly believe spending money on a dust collection/filtration system is important. Started out collecting chips from planer, then jointer, Radial Arm Saw, Contractors saw no, Cabinet saw hooked up immediately after buying it, wide belt sander etc as buying them. Waited way too long to set up shop vac system for hand tools. Air filter from day one when bench was built.
Don't bury yourself financially but spend as much as you can and put other tools on hold. You don't get to enjoy good breathing as you get older if you breathe too much dust and dirt along the way.
Ron

[Alan Lightstone]

I haven't posted lately about my Grit Automation system, but I've now had several months using it and wanted to post again.

It really has changed my shop routine for the better. The Air Quality Control sensors have evolved tremendously, and are even more useful than before. They now can be controlled to turn on at different activation levels based on the measured PM2.5 and PM 10.0 readings (hopefully Dylos readings to follow as they do measure the same particle counts that the Dylos does.) They have also added an Override On timer so that you can set your air filter to stay on for 30 minutes (perhaps when you leave the shop, or early morning on your way to enter the shop so that you have clean air upon arrival.)

I have two of the sensors. One controlling my Jet 1000B and one controlling my Jet 2000. On different sides of the shop. I have them set to both turn on when I'm generating serious dust (Wide-Belt Sander, Kapex SCMS, Table Saw) and just one turning on for other less dust-generating machines.

Looking at the measurements on my Dylos monitor, I'm walking around in far cleaner air when I work in the shop.

I don't have it controlling my homemade box filter fan (I refuse to use the eponym for it) as that is on a timer and runs for 45 minutes 3x per day. Yes, I have lots of air filtration. I'm very fond of my lungs.

The gate triggers and gate controls for the machines work pretty flawlessly. I found that lubricating the gate slides every few months is a good idea, but otherwise haven't touched them. They just work every time automatically.

So, in short, after owning and expanding my Grit Automation system for a number of months, I am thrilled I bought it.

[Anthony Whitesell]

I just saw this thread. You are 8 months on and none of the actuators have broke yet? Looking at the design, there is a lot of pressure on the motor to move the wiper to open close the gate. I can see how lubricating the gates makes a difference.

[Alan Lightstone]

No issues at all with them.
Actually, I don’t think there is much stress on the actuators at all.

Certainly when I was flying remote controlled airplanes, in flight had much more stress than these do.

The app allows you to fine tune gate positioning, which minimizes that too.
So at least in my experience. A non-issue.

[Anthony Whitesell]

No issues at all with them.
Actually, I don’t think there is much stress on the actuators at all.

There is a TON of stress. Granted I haven't seen the bottom of the actuator, but I don't think that it is a large leap to infer that the gear box or motor shaft is directly connected to the wiper which is connected to the blast gate. 1/8" diameter shaft driving a load 4" away gives a force multiplier of 32x (force supplied by the motor is atleast 32x force to close the gate). The force to close the gate while the DC is running increases the friction and the load.

[Joel Danowitz]

There is a TON of stress. Granted I haven't seen the bottom of the actuator, but I don't think that it is a large leap to infer that the gear box or motor shaft is directly connected to the wiper which is connected to the blast gate. 1/8" diameter shaft driving a load 4" away gives a force multiplier of 32x (force supplied by the motor is atleast 32x force to close the gate). The force to close the gate while the DC is running increases the friction and the load.


Thank you for your updated review, Alan. We are pleased to hear that GRIT has made you love working in your shop even more! We also care about your lungs! ;)

Anthony, thank you for your interest in our system and gate control devices! The servo motors are of course under load when opening and closing the connected blast gate. We specifically design our gate control actuators to withstand that load, and offer three different sized actuators.

2.5''-4'' gate - 35kg servo at 9v
5''-8'' gate - 65kg servo at 9v
9''-12'' gate - 120kg servo at 24v


Our gate mechanism continuously measures the current draw of the servo motor and the system can identify gates that are unable to open/close due to physical debris or too much suction. This allows us to disengage the servo motor and avoid damage. We also have settings in our dust collector configuration that can assist in dealing with high suction setups.

These include:


setting 'Turn On Delay' to ensure all gates are in the correct position before turning on the dust collector.
setting 'Minimum Number of Gates Open' to help relieve gate stress from an over-powered collector by keeping more gates open when needed.


The power supplies we use for our gates have enough current capacity to ensure gates have the needed amps when moving under suction. Our 9v power supply comes in 20amp and 40amp models. Our 24v power supply is 20amps.

Of course with enough suction you can keep any of our gate actuators from opening. However, we performed 5 years of in the field testing before we brought our product line out to the national level.

To address gate sizes larger than 12" we have been working on linear actuator versions of our gate mechanism, these are currently in testing with some of our early adopters. We have also had customers ask about pneumatic versions of our retrofit gate mechanism, this product is not complete, but would love to work with shops that are interested.

To summarize, at GRIT we appreciate the difficulty in automating blast gates and have developed many products and system functionalities to address the problem space. I would love the opportunity to help with your shop and you can see for yourself how well they operate!

Thanks
Joel

[Chris Parks]

I just saw this thread. You are 8 months on and none of the actuators have broke yet? Looking at the design, there is a lot of pressure on the motor to move the wiper to open close the gate. I can see how lubricating the gates makes a difference.

We used rocking BG's when designing our automatic system as they cannot load up with debris and require minimal torque to open and close the gate. Production is also simplified which was a major factor in choosing to use the rocking BG, another factor was they can be placed high in the duct system because there is no need to access them for maintenance. The only downside is that they are a bit slow to open and close which is a factor that needs to be considered in any auto system especially when a mitre saw is being used.

Mitre saws are a PIA in an auto system especially if the dust extractor is started by the machine being used, it is easy to do a cut before the DE has come up to speed and the air is moving. I used to recommend idling the DE at a lower speed so it can be ramped up a lot quicker, this way the air has some speed already and full flow happens quickly. The GRIT system has had a lot of thought put into it and it is about time someone did that for dust extraction and they should be commended for it.

[Anthony Whitesell]

We used rocking BG's when designing our automatic system as they cannot load up with debris and require minimal torque to open and close the gate. Production is also simplified which was a major factor in choosing to use the rocking BG, another factor was they can be placed high in the duct system because there is no need to access them for maintenance. The only downside is that they are a bit slow to open and close which is a factor that needs to be considered in any auto system especially when a mitre saw is being used.

The Grit portion of system is less likely to load with debris, as that does not inclide the gate itself. The fact the system is an addon to any gate is great market position due the the types and sizes of gates out there(material, size, and standard), and Grit doesn't have to make them all (hehehe!!). When the gate and the actuator are combined, then they are all about the same (except the iris design which comes out the worst having overlapping moving parts in the dust stream). Independent of the system, they all need maintenance or at least cleaning. Sawdust is a creepy little bugger and gets into every crack and crevice. As for torque, this rocking mechanism requires quite a lot more torque than is required for a leadscrew based linear system. How that is acheived depends on the motor and gearbox (if used). If it has not been guessed yet, I have made designs and calculations to fabricate many of the automated blast gate designs on the market, including the rocker arm design (Grit), the rack-and-pinion slide gate (iVac), the green gate swing gate (pivot drive), and Eco gate swing gate (circumferential drive), and linear actuator drive. I assure you all each has its pros and cons. There isn't a perfect blast gate/automated blast gate out there. Somewhere along the line you will have to pick a minus to go with (what you consider is) a plus.

[Chris Parks]

Anthony, thanks for the clarification, my comments were a general overview of why we chose rocking blast gates instead of sliding ones. To clarify more I am speaking of rocking blast gates and not a rocking operating mechanism as you seem to be. A rocking gate has no track at all only one pivot which the blade moves on so requires zero maintenance. I can't see any advantage to using sliding gates even in manual form. Rocking gates in manual form can be overhead and operated via drop cords, I had this for many years even running the cords through pulleys to get the drop cords where I needed them for convenience. Auto Blast Gates PTY LTD (https://autoblastgates.com.au/)

[Thomas Crawford]

The air quality sensor to automatically start up the air cleaner is quite interesting, will be checking that out.

[Joel Danowitz]

The air quality sensor to automatically start up the air cleaner is quite interesting, will be checking that out.

Our Air Quality device works with air filters that are simple on/off switch style, IR remote, and RF remote controlled. It senses the particulate matter in the air and displays real-time metrics on the air quality in both PM2.5 and PM10. It can be setup to also automatically turn on when any one of your tools turns on. This allows it to preemptively begin cleaning the air even if the dust hasn't made its way to the sensor yet. An example of this is when using an edge sander, I have my air filter turn on whenever I use that tool. Here is a screenshot from the app that shows the real-time graph.

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[Adam Carl]

I have the ivac system but love what you have going on here. The green and red lights is brilliant.



I'm not a posting a review kind of guy, but this system and especially their level of tech support deserves this. And right off the bat, I have no association with Grit Automation, and paid full price for this system.

So, after reading a short thread elsewhere about automatic blast gates, and knowing that my previous research into automatic blast gates for my Nordfab ducts was expensive, and really, really didn't want to have to remove all my present gates and replace them with new ones (like if I was using a IVAC Pro system, or Eco-Gates) I was intrigued by the Grit system.

The way the system works, is by attaching servos with swing arms attached to your blast gates, and these are Wifi controlled by a Grit Hub and triggers on your equipment.

Now, there are challenges to hooking up to my dust collection system. My SawStop, Felder Jointer, planer, bandsaw are all 3-phase, as well as my Grizzly wide-belt sander. All with 6-inch Nordfab ducting and gates. Add onto that a router table at 110V with 4" ducting, with the gates all near the floor, far apart, and you can see that my work was cut out for me.

Here's a few pictures of the system:
This is what all the components look like out of the box:
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So, lots of stuff, to say the least. And it was packed beautifully, with a cute little present. Clearly they wanted everything to arrive safely.

I first powered up the hub and having it find my wifi, etc... Worked pretty well. Saw my router without issues.

Next I attacked installing the blast gates, one by one. You do this by drilling a hole in the blast gate arm with an included template and drill bit, installing a few screws/bolts and attaching power via some provided wire and DC power supplies. On to the web app, make microadjustments to the gate positions (setting open and closed limits), and awesome - it works great being controlled from my iphone. Getting the machine's power setting to control it comes later.

Here's a few pictures of a installed blast gates:
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As you can see, the gates light up red when closed, and green when opened. During calibration, they flash to show you they are receiving the micro-adjustment commands.

I'll break this into a number of posts, to avoid TL;DR

[Jeff Clode]

Alan - very interesting setup and reporting. If I’m reading things correctly you can have the system set up to turn on the cyclone DE and open a gate when a tool is activated or simply open a gate when the cyclone is already running…how frequently do you start and stop the cyclone when you are working in the shop for an hour or two?
Thanks,
Jeff

[Paul J Kelly]

I have taken some time with the GRIT automation system before writing anything about it.

I have my shop currently in a 400 sqft garage. I have a 3hp Oneida super dust gorilla that has been a great machine for the last 16-18 years. I have always just had manual blast gates in the past. As I have accumulated more machines and more complex arrangements on the machines, I started to want something simple. I knew of all the standard automated systems and even dabbled in building my own. At IWF last year, I ran into GRIT automation at the show. I was intrigued by the fact it could be added to any blast gate (within reason).

I am building a 990 sqft shop now, so I figured it was time to try something. I reached out to GRIT and had a conversation with Joel. I was rushed at the time and did not listen appropriately to what the system could do. I reached out again to Joel (when I had more time) and he spent more time with me on how it works.

I have a mixture of 240 volt 3 phase machines, 240 volt single phase and a few 120 volt machines. Joel set me up with the appropriate setup for now and for the shop after it is built.

I made the plunge and soon added a few more things to complete what I would need. The level of communication with GRIT was first rate and they shipped me the system (two shipments because I added some stuff). Then I got busy with my day job and life. Joel kept asking how it went, and I kept having to say, It would be the next weekend.

I finally got around to installing the system.
3- 3 phase machines with 5 total blast gates (I have 2 more 3 phase machines with 2 more blast gates that I will add to the shop when it is built)
3- 240 volt machines with 3 blast gates
3- 120 volt machines with 3 blast gates
240 volt central dust DC
Air quality monitor

The whole installation took a day, mostly because the shop is so tight for space that the blast gates were hard to get to. Joel (and Jaclyn) told me that if I needed any help that they could facetime me to get it done. The instructions are world class. It is a bound set of pictures and layout with easy to read instructions for every piece of the system.

I owe Joel some pictures of my 3 phase machine control bays to show how I integrated the controls into the setup. That part went well, very straightforward. The Dust Collector contactor instructions were straightforward and well documented. It was a Sunday and I could not get the system to turn on the dust collector (they warned me this was the most challenging part). I texted Joel on Monday and he set up a facetime call. He validated the wiring was good and he forced a firmware update and we were good to go!

They have been awesome to deal with!

The system works amazing. The fact that they can update the system is also amazing. The setup is via a webpage connected to your system and the flexibility that it offers is really cool. I use my phone to set up and adjust the system.

The system was not inexpensive, but I feel it is the same as the competitors with much more flexibility and functionality. No regrets at this point.

I know Joel is on here - Thanks Joel!

I will put some pictures up when my new shop is done and I assume some YouTube videos will have the system in it too. I am moving to a clamp together system from the blastgateco for the new shop and the system will easily switch to the new blastgates!

PK
PKwoodworking

[Chris Parks]

I owe Joel some pictures of my 3 phase machine control bays to show how I integrated the controls into the setup. That part went well, very straightforward. The Dust Collector contactor instructions were straightforward and well documented. It was a Sunday and I could not get the system to turn on the dust collector (they warned me this was the most challenging part). I texted Joel on Monday and he set up a facetime call. He validated the wiring was good and he forced a firmware update and we were good to go!

It is way easier to use a 3 phase DE, it gives speed control and unlimited starts per hour when a 3 phase DE is controlled by a VFD. When I get asked what DE should be installed the first requirement is 3 phase and a VFD and we have zero problems with installation because the control is done at the VFD. I applaud what GRIT has brought to dust extraction in woodworking and I hope they are highly successful in their endeavours.

[Paul J Kelly]

Chris,

Not sure what you are calling out here, but it sounds good.

My situation is a bit different. I have a Phase Perfect to convert single phase to three Phase. My 3 phase machines are all electronically controlled. Two are new, one is in the works and one is a few years old. Both Felder and SCM require power within a certain tolerance to cover under manufacturers warranty. The table saw is 10hp, the shaper is 10hp, the J/P is 15hp and the wide belt I have picked out is 18hp. Not really suitable for a VFD.

My dust collector is single phase. The issue with it starting was old firmware in the GRIT controller, not install issues. I understand the possibility of the DE being controlled by a VFD to open up options, like soft start and variable speed, but then I would need to factor in a larger Phase Perfect converter. I am already getting to the limits on power in my shop, so I am not sure a three phase DE is in my future.

But never say never!

PK
PKwoodworking

[Chris Parks]

Chris,

Not sure what you are calling out here, but it sounds good.

My situation is a bit different. I have a Phase Perfect to convert single phase to three Phase. My 3 phase machines are all electronically controlled. Two are new, one is in the works and one is a few years old. Both Felder and SCM require power within a certain tolerance to cover under manufacturers warranty. The table saw is 10hp, the shaper is 10hp, the J/P is 15hp and the wide belt I have picked out is 18hp. Not really suitable for a VFD.

My dust collector is single phase. The issue with it starting was old firmware in the GRIT controller, not install issues. I understand the possibility of the DE being controlled by a VFD to open up options, like soft start and variable speed, but then I would need to factor in a larger Phase Perfect converter. I am already getting to the limits on power in my shop, so I am not sure a three phase DE is in my future.

But never say never!

PK
PKwoodworking

My comments were directed at using single phase dust extractors and the advantages they give along with the ease of integration into automated systems. I have said it before and repeat it here, I would not buy a single phase DE for a bet as a 3 phase unit running off 220 volts is a much more versatile answer to the problem. 99% of Clearvues in Australia are run off 220V via a VFD and why Clearvue/Oneida insist on making a single phase machine is beyond me. It does not have to be a 5hp/15" DE as 3 phase motors are made in smaller sizes. The OEM suppliers such as Oneida and CV could integrate the VFD into the machine, am I correct in recalling that Oneida have already done that?

[Alan Lightstone]

Alan - very interesting setup and reporting. If I’m reading things correctly you can have the system set up to turn on the cyclone DE and open a gate when a tool is activated or simply open a gate when the cyclone is already running…how frequently do you start and stop the cyclone when you are working in the shop for an hour or two?
Thanks,
Jeff
Sorry for the late response, Jeff. Was travelling.
I start and stop the cyclone several times an hour when working. More than I should, but it is what it is and I've lost enough hearing that even when wearing excellent headphones, I worry about that. It's a 5HP Oneida, and I haven't seen any issues with using it this way (fingers crossed).

The gate opens when the tool is activated. The last tool used gate remains open after shutting down, so repeatedly using the same tool (such as my SawStop table saw) the gate is already open when the cyclone turns on.

I have the timer set for, I think, 5 minutes minimum for the cyclone, so it does cycle less that way.

If the cyclone is already running, the gate just remains open.

[Chris Parks]

Sorry for the late response, Jeff. Was travelling.
I start and stop the cyclone several times an hour when working. More than I should, but it is what it is and I've lost enough hearing that even when wearing excellent headphones, I worry about that. It's a 5HP Oneida, and I haven't seen any issues with using it this way (fingers crossed).

The gate opens when the tool is activated. The last tool used gate remains open after shutting down, so repeatedly using the same tool (such as my SawStop table saw) the gate is already open when the cyclone turns on.

I have the timer set for, I think, 5 minutes minimum for the cyclone, so it does cycle less that way.

If the cyclone is already running, the gate just remains open.

A 3 phase cyclone via VFD has unlimited starts per hour which is a big advantage.

[Jeff Clode]

Alan and Chris - I seemed to remember (maybe :<) ) the unlimited starts with the 3 phase system - thanks for confirming
Jeff

[Chris Parks]

Alan and Chris - I seemed to remember (maybe :<) ) the unlimited starts with the 3 phase system - thanks for confirming
Jeff

Using 3 phase with a VFD has made single phase DE's obsolete for real world use but the penny seems not to have dropped for the vast majority of users and manufacturers especially Clearvue who have had extensive on the ground experience with it in Australia for about 15 years and where it has been proven to be the best way to run a DE. Even using a 3 phase supply a VFD can still be used to control speed, soft start, delayed shut down to clear the ducting etc.

[Paul J Kelly]

Chris,

This is probably a comment I will regret, as my Oneida will probably fail today, but...

I have a 3hp single phase dust gorilla pro with a Baldor motor (circa 2004/2005 - all metal design with a larger inlet of 8" as I think they are 7" now). I have had it for almost 20 years. I never worry about how many time I turn it on/off in a given hour. It runs like a champ!

I am upgrading to a larger shop and I will take a deep look at the motor before re-installing it. I may upgrade if it is necessary, but I feel like it is up to the challenge!

I am a one man shop and never have multiple machines on, so the GRIT system will keep me at 1-2 gates open at all times.

We will see!

PK