Like standard face shields, those with automatic-darkening light filters consist of a face shield and a headband that holds the light filter. In the current market of face shields, the auto-darkening Speedglas™ 9000 stands out from its competitors.
Only the Speedglas™ 9000 face shield has exhaust vents proven to drive out exhaled carbon dioxide and water vapors, a crucial feature for extended jobs. The side windows on many Speedglas™ models give the welder better visibility and awareness of peripheral hazards.
Compared to standard models, the shields with auto-darkening filters:
offer an invariably comfortable level of illumination of the welder’s work area, during surface preparation or welding; with low or high-current welding; semi-automatically or by hand;
eliminate the inconvenience of manually lifting the shield up to a hundred times a day;
allow safe welding in hard-to-reach places, such as concealed arc welding;
provide clean airflow behind the shield.
Welders prefer the high-tech features of Speedglas™ shields, but want to keep one feature of their old dark-glass shields: weight. 3M has worked for years on an auto-darkening but lightweight shield, and has developed a lighter and stronger shield material, a new microchip with smaller footprint for a lighter filter, and a lighter headband.
The new Speedglas™ shield, at 360 grams, is 3M’s lightest and the best in the industry for protecting welders during semi-automatic and manual welding with 1–250 A currents. Five degrees of filter darkening (8-12 DIN) and four sensitivity settings adapt to diverse working conditions. The tilt angle and face-to-helmet distance are adjustable, optimizing comfort and fit.
The shields’ design incorporates versatility and specificity: a single shield can be used for various welding jobs with a wide range of currents, and 3M’s product line offers a range shields with features for specific enterprise conditions.
