Cutting by means of various hand cutters often involves working in unusual positions, physical exertion and the constant need to change tools during the job. This combination puts the operator at increased risk of physical injury and symptoms, what’s more it negatively influences the work efficiency. As a solution to these problems Holmatro presents the ICU 02 A 40.

The Dutch Institute of Technology (TNO), Van den Mosselaar Vehicle Recycling and hydraulic specialist Holmatro Industrial Equipment joined forces in order to develop an innovative improvement for the bottlenecks in question. Point of departure for TNO was reducing health risks and increasing the productivity in cutting and dismantling activities. Holmatro’s knowledge and experience of hydraulic equipment was brought in to search for an industrial cutter which would create an acceptable physical load.
Promising concepts were selected on the basis of criteria such as : cutting speed, physical load, technical practicability and safety. Three prototypes were developed and tested by mechanics of Van den Mosselaar Vehicle Recycling.

Results
In the field of comfort, the user test proved that the model with an extended operation part performed better than the compact version. The difference can be explained by the fact that the extended cutter is more easily manageable. Car parts which used to be (nearly) out of reach can now be reached without overloading the users’ lower back. The two-hand operation also relieves forces on the wrists and reduces muscle strains. These test results have lead to the final development and manufacturing of the ICU 02 A 40 which is now available on the market.

Applications
The ICU 02 A 40 is especially suitable for cutting wiring, cables and piping in hard to reach spaces. This ergonomic Holmatro cutter is an excellent alternative to traditional hand cutters when it comes to activities or production processes involving long hours in the same uncomfortable position. Vehicle dismantling, the recycling of household appliances and safe long distance cutting in nuclear plants are just a selection from the wide variety of applications.