Motorized windshield wiper systems

Maritime, rail, and commercial vehicle operators have a duty of care to provide safe transport for people and goods. To meet this responsibility, it's vital to be able to maintain a clear view of the route ahead, even in the worst conditions.

To prevent low speed accidents in stations, depots, and yards and to avoid passing signals at danger, it's vital that train drivers can see clearly, whatever the weather conditions. For a ship's captain, cold or wet weather can have an adverse effect on visibility, as can fatigue caused by long working hours. Whether at sea or in port, excellent visibility is a crucial element in maintaining safety.

B. Hepworth & Co Ltd has an illustrious history that stretches back to the late 1860s. From its early days manufacturing chemicals for the carpet industry, the company has grown to become a leading manufacturer of windshield wiping systems, washing equipment, and associated control systems. With a 3900 m² factory in Redditch, UK, and a worldwide network of distributors of chemical products, the business has become one of the main manufacturers of windshield wiping systems, washing equipment, and associated control systems. The company exports its marine, rail, and automotive products to over 50 countries. Hepworth has earned an enviable reputation for designing and building state-of-the-art systems that operate reliably, even in the harshest weather.

High-quality geared motor solutions

For more than 25 years, the Hepworth Group has turned to Parvalux to supply British-made geared motors that deliver the reliability, quality, and performance their customers demand. In business since 1947 and with three factories in Dorset, Parvalux Electric Motors is the UK's largest manufacturer of fractional horsepower geared motors.

Hepworth chose the compact Parvalux Viper3 geared motor to power its rail wiper systems because it was designed specifically to deliver reliability and require low maintenance – both crucial in challenging operating environments where low cost of ownership is a requirement and space is at a premium. Viper3 has an IP67 protection rating, a large brush design to minimize wear at higher operating speeds, and low gear wear made possible using composite materials, a large diameter gear, and a one-piece spindle. Viper3 is also compliant to EN50121-3-2 2015 standards for integration of apparatus on railway rolling stock.

The Parvalux SD29 motor and M box gearbox are also specified by Hepworth to provide drive power in the company's marine windshield wiper systems. Installed on some of the world's largest ocean-going vessels, as well as tugs and other hard-working craft, Parvalux geared motors deliver the reliable and robust power solution required.

Bert Thijssen, head of sales and marketing, says: “Over the years, Parvalux has become an important supply partner to the Hepworth Group. We specify Parvalux geared motors in our marine and rail-focused systems because they deliver the performance and reliability our customers have come to expect from every Hepworth product. Hepworth is a hard-working British manufacturer with a proud history of innovation and we are always delighted to work with suppliers whose ethos matches our own.”