Derbyshire-based Otter Controls — a leading supplier of safety cut-outs and connectors for the domestic-appliance and automotive industries — has gained a world-wide reputation for its many innovations and product designs. Tool-room manager Kevin Harrott says: “We produce 1.4 million units of a popular motor protector per week.
“As you can imagine, this level of production creates excessive wear on the blocks that mould the insulation layer around our products. Before these blocks wear to the point that plastic ‘flashes’ appear on the product, we accurately apply a weld bead to the offending areas of the mould blocks, then use our EDM machines to cut into the weld and recreate the required profiles.
“This task requires our operators to stand closer than usual to our EDM machines. Although they wear protective clothing, glasses and face masks, the odour and the mist created by the dielectric meant that this was not the most pleasant of jobs.”
Mr Harrott sought an alternative, finally selecting IonoPlus IME-MH — a fully synthetic fluid from Oelheld UK Ltd, Denbigh (
www.oelheld.co.uk). “Not only does our new dielectric provide excellent performance, the lack of misting and its odourless nature has considerably improved the environment close to our EDM machine. It has made the mould block dressing job much more pleasant to perform.”
Oelheld UK sales director Peter Mangan says: “Oelheld is certified according to DIN EN ISO 1400. The company’s products meet all requirements of the European REACH regulations. In addition, Oelheld’s products have very low mist characteristics; they are also free from heavy metals.”