(l-r) Adam Pouillie and Clinton Pouillie of Mitotec Precision, and Matthias Walter of Hydromat Inc.
Hydromat's newest addition to its machine lineup, the FORCE CNC Rotary Transfer Machine, combines the company's high-production rotary transfer technology with expanded CNC machining flexibility. The modular, ballscrew electromechanical system offers 1- through 4-axis configurations, providing manufacturers greater flexibility for demanding precision metal cutting applications.
A recent installation at Mitotec Precision demonstrated what that combination can deliver in production, achieving 10x the output of the manufacturer's previous machining approach on a challenging titanium application.
The FORCE CNC is built around a precision cast iron base with horizontal and vertical tool spindles and can be equipped with collets or chucks for precision metalcutting. Available with 12 or 16 horizontal machining stations, the platform can accommodate up to six vertical tool spindles on a 12-station machine and eight on a 16-station machine. Configurations support drilling, tapping, milling, profile turning, thread rolling, thread milling, and single-point threading, with the FANUC 30i-B CNC technology integrated into the platform.
Mitotec initially produced approximately 100 titanium assemblies per week using turn-mill equipment. As customer demand increased to 1,000 and eventually 2,000 assemblies per week, the Wisconsin manufacturer determined that scaling its existing process would require a significant investment in additional machining centers, floor space, and skilled labor.
Instead, Hydromat and Mitotec developed a high-production solution utilizing two FORCE CNC rotary transfer machines integrated with FANUC CNC controls and robotic automation.
In Mitotec's application, the 16-station FORCE CNC distributes machining operations across multiple stations, advancing the component with each index. A FANUC robot flips the part mid-process, allowing both sides to be machined with the precision required for the titanium application. The result is a finished component with every completed cycle and 10x the productivity of Mitotec's previous process.
The impact extends beyond throughput. Two Hydromat systems occupying approximately 1,000 sq. ft. provide production capacity that Mitotec estimated would otherwise have required 20 machines across approximately 6,000 sq. ft. Just four operators now support production that could have required as many as 30 machinists, while consolidating the operation into fewer, more consistent quality streams.
Today, Mitotec produces approximately 2,000 titanium assemblies per week, with the ability to scale to 4,000 as customer demand increases.
Machining titanium at this volume presented additional challenges involving chip control and production uptime. Hydromat and Mitotec engineers collaborated closely to refine the process, utilizing FANUC's Servo Learning Oscillation function to help break difficult titanium chips into smaller, more manageable pieces and maintain efficient production flow.
The Mitotec application demonstrates how the FORCE CNC builds on Hydromat's established rotary transfer expertise while expanding CNC machining flexibility through its modular ballscrew electromechanical design.
"Our partnership with Mitotec shows what is possible when companies push the boundaries together," said Matthias Walter, President and CSO of Hydromat. "At the end of the day, it is about giving manufacturers the ability to grow, without sacrificing quality or competitiveness."
For more information contact:
Hydromat, Inc.
11600 Adie Road
St. Louis, MO 63043
314-432-4644
sales@hydromat.com
www.hydromat.com
Mitotec Precision
1301 Precision Pkwy.
Necedah, WI 54646
608-565-2206
www.mitotecprecision.com