Editorial, News, and Products
RW Screw: Where Automating Processes is a Common Thread
This Northern Ohio contract machine shop increasingly integrates automation, in all its forms, as it adapts to the reality of a continually diminishing talent pool.
Machine Shop Leans on Rotary Transfer for Higher Efficiency
A firearm parts supplier’s lean manufacturing methods help it discover the many advantages of rotary transfer technology.
As a Business Evolves, So Does its Machining Technology
Gent Machine, now under its fourth-generation of family ownership, has made operational and equipment decisions to position it for continued success moving forward.
Hydromat Rotary Transfer Machine Cuts Complex Turned, Milled Parts
The machine features 12 independently driven workpiece spindles and up to 18 machining modules in both horizontal and vertical positions, enabling challenging machining tasks to be performed from six sides.
Hydromat-RE Adds CNC, Recess Heads to Inventory
Hydromat-RE adds CNC and recess heads to new, used and reconditioned parts inventory.
Hydromat Rotary Transfer Machines Offer Modular Design Flexibility
Units feature control architecture geared for performance and reliability.
Production Machining Industry News, October 2019
Company partnerships, new hires, new credentials for CAM, a grand opening, and more are among the news in the precision machining industry this month.
Two Companies Merge to Create Hydromat-RE
The owners of Hydromat-RE and Component Bar Products signed an agreement to combine their respective Hydromat machine rebuild businesses into one entity. This new venture is known as Hydromat-RE.
Shop Continually Improves by Adopting Rotary Transfer Machines
American Turned Products’ founder left a legacy of continuous improvement, helping the company grow as it implemented rotary transfer machines and preparing it to take on new work.
Hydromat Celebrates 40 Years at its Biennial Oktoberfest
Hydromat celebrates four decades of business at its headquarters with an open house and German-themed food and entertainment.
Coolant Supplier Optimizes Customer’s Machining Process
When a precision manufacturer wanted to rebuild the production process for a medical part made on a rotary transfer machine, its metalworking fluids supplier provided more than a new cutting oil.
Eclipse Rotary Transfer Doubled Standard Hydromat Machine
PMTS 2019: The Eclipse 12-100 rotary transfer machine is nearly twice as large as the 12-station Hydromat machines.
‘American Chopper’ TV Show Features Hydromat’s 40th Anniversary Bike
The motorcycle, designed and built by Orange County Choppers (OCC) and unveiled at IMTS 2018 last September, will be featured in the first 2019 season episode of ‘American Chopper,’ on the Discovery Channel February 12 at 10 p.m. EST/PST.
Eclipse Rotary Transfer Machine Expands Capacity
Hydromat's Eclipse 12-100 12-station rotary transfer machine features multiple tool spindles with one chip management and coolant system.
See Orange County Chopper’s Hydromat Anniversary Motorcycle Today
As part of its upcoming 40th anniversary celebration, Hydromat engaged Orange County Choppers (OCC) to build a custom motorcycle to celebrate this milestone, with OCC’s founder Paul Teutul Sr. at the event for the unveiling.
Metrology Keeps Tools on Center
Zoller’s Z.connect workshop that took place at Makino’s North American headquarters demonstrated the Smile and Venturion presetting and measuring machines for tool setting.
Tour of Sunnen Emphasizes the Importance of Honing
A tour of Sunnen reinforces a long and fruitful one relationship with the company and emphasizes the importance of honing.
A Visit to Hydromat Provides a Glimpse of New Technology
A visit to Hydromat Inc.’s Oktoberfest event in St. Louis provided a glimpse of the new Eclipse 12-100, the company’s re-imagining of the rotary transfer machine.
Captive Shop Must Still Compete
Often, a captive shop seems to have it made by job shop standards. In the case of this division of ITW Welding, “work is not given, it’s earned.”
Hydromat-RE to Focus on Machine Rebuilds and Sales
Hydromat Inc. and Motch & Eichele Co. have created a third entity, Hydromat-RE Inc., which will specialize in the refurbishing, retooling and selling of legacy Hydromat rotary transfer machines.
A Grand Event in Grand Rapids
The 2016 PMPA National Technical Conference provided three days of powerful sessions to hundreds of attendees eager to support their industry and improve their own business acumen.
Oktoberfest Draws Attention to Rotary Transfer and Turn-Mill Technology
The latest rotary transfer technology and mill-turn centers as well as German food, beer, live music from a German heritage band are all under one roof.
Investing in Technology
See how this company improved production by implementing rotary transfer technology to replace several machines and secondary operations.
An American Success Story
For 155 years, Wilson Bohannan has manufactured padlocks. It survives by innovation and continuous technological investments.
Technical Member Hydromat: Committed to Innovative and Flexible Solutions
Hydromat is committed to the technical conferences and providing current, interesting and relevant information for members so they can get the most out of sessions.
Witzig & Frank Re-Enters U.S. Market
FFG Werke GmbH’s Witzig & Frank brand has renewed its partnership with Hydromat Inc., combining their matching portfolios of high volume metal cutting solutions for the automotive communications, medical, aerospace, plumbing, and general machining industries.
The Rotary Transfer Advantage
The multi-station functionality of a rotary transfer machine allows it to take advantage of the productivity benefits of a single setup, as with each index of the rotary table, a part is completed.
Slideshow: Hydromat Opens its Doors
Early in October rotary transfer machine builder, Hydromat, hosted an annual open house at its St. Louis headquarters.
Changing your Comfort Zone
Through the years, leaders of many companies needed the courage to make the technological leap from machining precision parts on single-spindles to investing in their first rotary transfer machine.
6-Axis Machining Center Offers PKM Technology
ICON Technologies, a division of Hydromat, offers the ICON Tripod 700S Powerflex, which is a modular six-axis machining center PKM (parallel kinematics machine).
A Multi-Spindle and Swiss Combination
At the recently completed EMO show in Hannover, Germany, the world’s machine tool and metalworking industry put on the biggest exposition on earth.
Saving Lives with a Net
Every day, metalworking manufacturers contribute to the general and specific welfare of our nation’s economy by adding value and creating wealth. This New Hampshire shop has the added distinction of helping save the lives of our combat troops.
PM News: May 2011
New Chief Sales Officer for Hydromat Inc.Matthias Walter is the new chief sales officer for Hydromat Inc.
From Blank to Box
Global Gear & Machining created a new cell that requires no human intervention.
Making Locks Since Lincoln
For 150 years, padlock manufacturer Wilson Bohanan has done one thing and done it well. Spanning much of the Industrial Revolution, this company has survived and prospered by adapting to change both in product and process as evidenced by the company’s recent installation of a CNC multi-spindle.
A Company's Road to Lights-Out
Consolidation is usually about companies. However, this Illinois shop has found that consolidating turning spindles from eight stand-alone lathes into a single CNC multi- spindle, then running it lights-out is the way to go.
Multi-Spindle Offers Eight Independent Spindle Speeds
The MultiSigma 8 × 24 produces complex parts in one setup. Eight independent spindles allow for high flexibility, while an integrated robot allows for the automatic unloading of parts into a pallet. The machine is supplied with the latest motorspindles, featuring synchronous motors.
Pallet-Transfer Multi-Spindle Machining Center Defies Classification
Increasingly, new machine tools are being developed that defy existing classification code by virtue of their multi-tasking capabilities.
Specialty Company Knows Its Collets
For almost 3 years Mr. Bouchard struggled with a machine application designed to produce life-critical airbag parts for Arrow Machine’s primary client in the automotive industry. With the help of RH Collets, a manufacturer of specialty workholding and related components for Hydromats and other machinery, Mr. Bouchard is solving the problem—not with one new part but with a series of solutions.
The Hammond Way
Embracing innovation is part of the culture in this California production shop. Its founder takes competition and technical challenges as quests that demand creative solutions from man and machine.
Complete In One Chucking
Compared to barstock, castings, forgings and sawn blanks present a different set of workhandling challenges for production machining. This article looks at how Hydromat Inc. is meeting these challenges on its rotary transfer machines with engineered indexing workholders.
Rotary Transfer Machine’s Flexibility Spurs Shop’s Growth
Initially purchased for a high-volume job, this rotary transfer machine proves an efficient tool for short- to medium-run family-of-parts jobs as well.
Monitoring Tools On A Rotary Transfer Machine
For this precision machining firm, tool monitoring is extending tool life, improving machine uptime and reducing cycle times.
Complex Parts Require A Quality Machine
With the help of a machine representative in the area, this shop decided to purchase a rotary transfer machine to be able to keep up with its high-volume production runs.
Rotary Transfer Machines Help Shop Make Transition
Camcraft Precision Machined Components purchased two rotary transfer machines from Hydromat Inc. after winning a bid on an automotive plunger.
Closing The CNC Price Gap
Applying CNC technology to the manufacturing of precision parts is generally accepted as a premium that one must pay for the advantages over conventional actuation systems. Increasingly, however, the gap is narrowing as economies of scale for producing CNC equipped machine tools are incorporated in the unit price of a given machine. In other words, spreading the costs of manufacturing over a larger base of installations will reduce the price of each machine.
A Diet Of High Volumes, Long Runs
Suggest a strategy of high volumes and very long runs, and many screw machine houses grow anxious. Add that the high volumes are for automotive customers, and the anxious soon become squeamish—except in the case of this supplier. It thrives on the volumes and chases the long runs.
A Formula For Success: Refocus, Size Down, Add Value
This cold former uses high production rotary transfer machines for value added machining. It's a very successful one/two combination.