The insured operates a plastic injection moulding plant that produces bright-coated plastic parts for the automotive manufacturing industry. The loss involved two 1000-ton injection-moulding machines that were situated inside two 20′ X 45′ pits, each roughly 2′ deep. These pits were approximately 30′ apart. Inspection revealed that the escaped water completely filled up one of the pits then overflowed into the second pit, flooding both machines.

When Newtron Group first arrived on site the first 1000-ton machine was under approximately 2′ feet of city water intermixed with hydraulic oil. All the control electronics, the main hydraulic pumps, the ground level conduit and hose connections, the oil coolers, and the bottom of the chassis were completed immersed.

At the time of loss the machine was apparently shut down for maintenance, and electrical power only existed in a 600V main transformer. The second injection-moulding machine was under about 1 foot of city water intermixed with hydraulic oil. At the time of our arrival the main hydraulic pumps, all the ground level conduit and hose connections, the oil coolers, and the bottom of the machine chassis were partially immersed.

Fortunately, because of the relatively low water level, the water/oil mixture only reached a number of wire gangways and connectors inside the control cabinets and did not reach the control electronics. At the time of loss the machine was brand new and had just been installed and was in the process of going through final checks by the manufacturer’s representative as part of the initial commissioning process. No electrical power existed anywhere in the machine at the time of loss.

The insured indicated to Newtron Group that the second machine was the high priority item to be restored, due to the fact that it was scheduled to start production the very next week. This machine appeared to have sustained the least amount of water/oil contamination. If we were successful in resorting the machine to the point that it would start production within a few days, the urgency to restore and repair the first machine would decrease. The insured was concerned that at least one of the machines would be able to produce.

Newtron Group immediately deployed an emergency response team to the site and started working on both machines within hours. Our crew worked on both machines for a total of six days, and performed the necessary recovery restoration work such as removing all traces of water and moisture from inside the machines and from the floor of the pits, cleaning all the affected control cabinets, control units, transformers, electric motors, safety switches, and electrical contacts. Newtron Group also took the necessary steps to prevent the occurrence of corrosion in the future.