Collection: Optrel

Optrel is a Swiss family company, a pioneer of the auto-darkening welding helmet since 1986. The group today brings together several specialised companies, including optrel tec ag for product development, and distributes worldwide. Its products carry the Swiss Made mark.

The 10 Optrel references in the catalogue

• Helmets and hoods: Panoramaxx welding hood, Clearmaxx helmet and its grinding version. See our welding helmets.
• Powered air respiratory protection: Swiss Air system, with its rechargeable battery and half mask headband. See our respiratory protection.
• Swiss Air consumables: particle filter, particle pre-filter, pre-filter for combined filter, nose foams.
• Complete pack: Clearmaxx paired with the Swiss Air and its control panel, for grinding stations.

Why pair the helmet with powered air

A helmet protects the eyes and face from radiation and spatter. It does not protect the airways: welding fume contains fine metal particles and, depending on the materials, more worrying compounds still, such as hexavalent chromium when welding stainless steel.

A powered air system delivers filtered air under the hood and maintains a slight positive pressure there, which stops ambient air entering around the edges. It brings a welcome secondary benefit on long sessions: the airflow limits fogging and heat under the mask.

Pre-filters are consumables: they trap the coarse particles and protect the main filter, which costs considerably more. Replacing them at the right interval works out cheaper than changing the combined filter early.