Epoxy encapsulant unlocks expansion for motion monitoring specialist
April 2026
Motion Control & Drives
When Rotech Systems and Encoders’ potting compound was discontinued, it exposed a deeper issue as unreliable supply was already limiting production growth. Unable to forecast deliveries or secure consistent stock, Rotech could not commit to increasing output. By implementing a structured supply model with encapsulant expert, Intertronics, the company removed the bottleneck and expanded annual production from 1500 to 4000 units.
Rotech manufactures motion encoders, vibration sensors, and associated speed relays for conveyer belts, mixers, elevators, and equipment for harsh environments such as quarries and mines. It uses an epoxy encapsulant to protect from the dust and debris common to these challenging surroundings.
Managing director, John Hoey could see the demand for Rotech’s products, but uncertainty over potting compound supply left him unable to commit to greater order numbers. When it was revealed that the epoxy was being discontinued, Rotech launched a search for a new, trusted supplier and found Intertronics.
“Rotech’s technical requirements were specific and clear,” said Craig Geerthsen, lead sales specialist at Intertronics. “The material needed reasonably low viscosity to flow around the sensors without forming air pockets. Rotech mixes the epoxy by hand, but suitable bulk packaging was required to accommodate higher volumes and automation in the future,” he added.
After the initial discussion, Intertronics recommended Rotech technicians to test IRS2040-1 Epoxy Potting Compound, a fire-retardant epoxy encapsulant. The test reported that it adhered to the thermoplastic shell, was easy to mix by hand, and was supplied in useful quantities for their development. Rotech gives Intertronics its forecast for the year and the supplier ships at agreed intervals, providing security and reduced risk for both. “You don’t often get a good sales team combined with a good technical team. They’re knowledgeable, the response time is great, and they give me peace of mind. As a manufacturer, that’s invaluable,” reflected Hoey.
Replacing the obsolete encapsulant was only part of the task. Intertronics reviewed the specification from the ground up, defining what the application genuinely required instead of copying the previous material. The collaboration also introduced forecasting discipline, scheduled deliveries, inventory and shelf-life management, packaging flexibility and forward planning for automation. The result was a scalable supply model, not just continuity of material.
With dependable material supply in place, Rotech expanded output and increased annual sales by 67%, strengthening its position in the United Kingdom and South African mining sectors. Scheduled material deliveries from Intertronics to its Cheshire headquarters now underpin production planning and future growth.
For more information contact Holly Coates, Intertronics, +44 1865 842 842, [email protected], www.intertronics.co.uk
Further reading:
A smarter approach to simplifying motion architecture
Motion Control & Drives
n motion system design, the wiring and drive placement between motor and drive are often decided by default, yet they shape a machine’s cost, footprint and adaptability. Kollmorgen sets out how single-cable and decentralised architectures simplify the cabinet.
Read more...
Robotic case packer achieves 99% uptime
Rockwell Automation
Motion Control & Drives
DCC Automation designed a new robotic case packer for a nutrition supplement manufacturer using delta robots and a unified Rockwell Automation control platform, cutting changeover time from 45 minutes to 5 minutes, and achieving 99 to 99,5% uptime against the previous 10% per-shift downtime.
Read more...
igus puts 3D-printed wear materials to the test
igus
Motion Control & Drives
A new igus white paper compares its tribological iglidur 3D-printing materials directly with conventional POM, reporting lower wear, more stable friction and up to ten times longer service life in gear testing for customised, low-volume and replacement components.
Read more...
SEW-EURODRIVE’s expanded local engineering capability
SEW-EURODRIVE
Editor's Choice Motion Control & Drives
At Electra Mining Africa, SEW-EURODRIVE demonstrated how its expanded local engineering capability, digital technologies and lifecycle support strategy help customers improve reliability, energy efficiency and total cost of ownership across the full life of their drive assets.
Read more...
Latest Danfoss automation drive
Bearing Man Group t/a BMG
Motion Control & Drives
BMG has launched the Danfoss iC7-Automation enclosed variable speed drive range in South Africa, backed by significant local stockholding of 400 V models up to 710 kW, approved warranty workshops, and DrivePro digital asset management support.
Read more...
Severe-duty workhorses powering mining
Motion Control & Drives
Mining machines such as rock crushers, pumps and conveyors need motors that combine high torque with robust enclosures, seals and cooling. WEG Africa explains how severe-duty motors deliver more than a decade of reliable performance in harsh conditions while meeting modern energy-efficiency standards.
Read more...
Looking beyond the spec sheet when choosing motion architecture
Motion Control & Drives
When machine builders focus only on torque, speed and price, engineering time, integration effort and long-term maintainability get overlooked. Kollmorgen explains how thinking at the system level, not the component level, leads to better motion architecture choices.
Read more...
Economy drive system closes the drive gap in the entry-level segment
Beckhoff Automation
Editor's Choice Motion Control & Drives
Beckhoff has launched an economy drive system pairing its new AX1000 servo drive and AM1000 servomotor with the AF1000 dual-axis variable frequency drive on a shared EtherCAT platform, targeting series machines and price-sensitive markets without sacrificing TwinCAT integration or functional safety.
Read more...
SEW-EURODRIVE showcases modernisation and lifecycle support at Electra Mining Africa 2026
SEW-EURODRIVE
Motion Control & Drives
At Electra Mining Africa 2026, SEW-EURODRIVE showed how it has expanded beyond equipment supply into integrated engineering solutions, plant modernisation and long-term lifecycle support for mining and industrial operators across Africa.
Read more...
Mammoet supports critical heavy lift and marine activities for topsides
Motion Control & Drives
Mammoet provided specialised heavy lift and marine logistics support for the Munin topsides on Aker BP’s Yggdrasil North Sea development, including a complex transshipment operation and a tidal-window load-out classified as a Class 1 operation.
Read more...