Advanced Material Technology Expert and Lightning Protection Specialist Claimed

Unique development history of Zinc Oxide material and the mass production technology

The three core values of creativity, originality, and technology development are the driving force of Otowa as the Lightning Protection Specialist. The enterprising spirit centered on these three values lead us to Zinc Oxide Block, the key element of Lightning Protection Equipment.

In general, the resistor voltage is generated by the flowing current, and it increases and decreases in proportion to the current. But Zinc Oxide Blocks function to limit the change of terminal voltage to an extremely small level for the surge currents ranging from small to very large, such as those associated with lightning surges.

Zinc Oxide Blocks are ceramics that functions as insulator up until a specified voltage is applied; then they function as conductor for the range of over-voltage excessing the specified value, and serve to limit the terminal voltage under the lightning condition.

The development of Zinc Oxide Blocks as a pioneer and mass production technology with huge commercial supply to the market have led us to the world best level of quality stabilization, the superior performance and achievement of reduction in size and weight. Each of the Lightning Protection products with our own Zinc Oxide Block element exhibits these merits in a wide variety of fields and applications.

Otowa takes on the challenge of developing new materials

For a long time, the outer housings of the arresters were all made of porcelain, but Otowa has challenged the development of new housing materials in various applications.

We directed our attention to polymeric and composite materials, which have excellent physical benefits and also superior weathering properties, and succeeded in manufacturing a wide range of material solutions with the strength of our own material technology.

Polymers have a number of features including plasticity of forming various composite materials with excellent weathering properties such as resistance to sunlight, rain, salt and air and they are lightweight with one-fifth of that weight of porcelain. Their features of the excellent physical properties and versatility to cope with many complex mechanical requirements allow us to design high functioning products being introduced to LV and MV electrical systems. Inspired with a will “make the impossible possible”, Otowa will continue to enthusiastically develop and introduce high functional materials.