Wisconsin Prep Stations for Equipment, Fleet and Fabrication Work
In a plant that runs its heat hard for months at a time, every cubic foot of air a prep station exhausts is air that has to be warmed before it comes back in. Wisconsin shops prepping agricultural equipment, fleet vehicles and fabricated steel need stations that capture dust well without turning the heating bill into a separate line item. Double D installs and services prep stations with the heating, controls and air balance planned together.
Discuss your installationHeating the air a prep station pulls out
A prep station is an exhaust device. Whatever it removes, the building replaces, and in cold weather that replacement air has to be heated or the shop cools off fast. A direct-fired or indirect make-up air unit matched to the station keeps the work area comfortable and prevents cold drafts from pulling dust across freshly sanded panels.
Controls that stop wasting heat
Running a prep station at full airflow when nobody is sanding wastes heat. Controls can step airflow down during idle time, shut the station off with the lights, or tie it to an occupancy switch. These are practical changes that keep dust capture where it needs to be during work and reduce load the rest of the time.
- Fan and make-up air interlocked so neither runs alone
- Idle or low-speed mode between jobs
- Temperature control on the supply air
- Filter gauges so loaded filters are caught early
Equipment-scale stations
Tractors, implements, plow trucks and refuse bodies are large and awkward. Stations for this work need tall doors, curtains that clear attachments, and enough length for the whole unit. Lighting along the lower edge helps techs see the undercarriage and frame rails that would otherwise sit in shadow.
Keeping a working station in shape
Filters, fan belts, curtain tracks and lights wear out. We service existing prep stations, check airflow against where it should be and look for the slow drift that happens as filters load and dampers get bumped. A check before the heating season makes sure the make-up air burner and controls are ready.
Planning a booth or oven project in Wisconsin
Crews mobilize from Houston; Wisconsin is roughly 1,000 miles away, so equipment, panels and tooling are staged and shipped ahead of the install crew.
Manufacturing in Wisconsin is concentrated around Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, and Appleton. The sectors most likely to be specifying spray booths, blast rooms, powder systems and cure ovens there include heavy machinery and engines, paper products, food processing equipment, and metal fabrication.
Cold winters mean make-up air heaters are sized for sub-freezing intake, and booth or oven placement has to account for frost lines, snow loads on roof penetrations and winter slab work.
Frequently asked questions
Why is our shop cold when the prep station runs?
The station is exhausting air that is not being replaced with heated air. A make-up air unit sized and interlocked with the station fixes the cold drafts.
Direct-fired or indirect make-up air for a prep station?
Direct-fired units are efficient and common in industrial spaces. Indirect units keep combustion products out of the supply air. The choice depends on the space, your preferences and local requirements.
Can a prep station be large enough for farm equipment?
Yes. Stations are sized to the largest unit you work on, with door height, curtain clearance and lighting planned around it.
Do you service prep stations we already own?
Yes. We check airflow, filters, fans, controls and heating, and handle repairs and adjustments.
How can we cut heating cost from the prep station?
Interlocked controls, low-speed idle modes and shutting the station off when it is not in use all help. Keeping filters clean also keeps the fan from working harder than it needs to.