In a previous blog, we discussed the use of hydromats in high volume machining for high-precision components and now we’ll be looking at another advantage of hydromat machining–improved production efficiency.
Rotary Transfer Technology
Hydromats are a unique type of rotary transfer machine that use both hydraulic and CNC-driven motors in order to power the various machining operations performed by the machine. Like many machines typically used today, hydromats are guided by CNC systems for high accuracy and repeatability.
Rotary transfer machines are developed to perform sequential machining operations simultaneously on a workpiece, while automatically feeding the stock for rapid part completion. They’re typically composed of a large indexing table with various machining stations all around it, each dedicated to a specific operation.
Enhanced Production Efficiency
Hydromat machining is excellent for projects that require large production volumes of components to be made very quickly. They offer better overall efficiency throughout the process in many different ways. The main advantage of hydromats is less downtime between operations. Everything is processed simultaneously and sequentially, with little to no need for readjustment between the different machining operations.
Typically, these operations include:
- Cut-off
- Burnishing
- Tapping
- Drilling
- Milling
- Turning
The machine can be configured to perform each of these operations in a specified order with the tools required, hence why they are especially valuable for high-volume and long-run production. Once the workpiece is fed through the machine, it results in a finished product according to the design set for the hydromat.
And that leads us to the other main reason behind the efficiency of hydromat machining–this particular manufacturing process also eliminates the need for any secondary operations. Hydromats can produce components that are entirely finished. That means little to no secondary processing that would add even more time to the process. In addition, hydromats can produce high-precision components with consistent quality across production batches, making them excellent for long runs of high production volumes, even for especially complex components.
Looking for a supplier of high precision manufacturing?
Global Precision Parts has several hydromats that can accommodate large scale production projects of high-precision components. For more information about our hydromat machines and other capabilities, contact us today.