Optrel AG, the Swiss manufacturer of welding masks and a unit of France's Bacou-Dalloz Group, introduced welding helmets equipped with a unique automatic darkening filter, which can be adjusted to provide eye protection over a variety of welding operations.

The helmet has an electronic filter that darkens or lightens in response to the brightness of a welding spark. The default mode for the helmet's lens is dark.

Franz Richenberger, director of sales & marketing for Optrel, said a patented sensor board operates the filter, and the auto-darkening feature was introduced at the show on Orion OSE helmets. The helmets are spherically molded in plastic and provide light weight along with an optoelectric lens. Richenberger said the helmet's spherical shape helps to deflect spatter to avoid burn-through.

Additional information is available at www.optrel.com