A.
Unlike shop vacs, which use high suction and a narrow hose, dust collectors have low suction and a wide hose. Dust collectors have at least two stages, where larger particles are separated from smaller ones. This helps keep the motor from being bogged down by larger particles, which usually translates to a longer lifespan. Dust collectors are stationary, where shop vacs are portable units that can be moved from location to location. Shop vacs are a little better at spot cleaning, but they aren’t equipped to handle large volumes or dense materials. Brooms and compressed air might temporarily clear one surface, but they only end up pushing dust elsewhere in the facility – this is why an industrial vacuum system, either central or portable, is needed.