Hydromat Oktoberfest Is a Success; Introduces New EPIC GEN II Platform and Shows ICON Technologies Product Line

ST. LOUIS, MO - Hydromat Inc. held its biennial Oktoberfest celebration at its St. Louis, MO campus on October 21st through the 23rd. The event was very well attended by both customers and agents alike. Many shops brought teams of staff members to get a first-hand look at the newest machine technologies. This year’s open house featured the latest advancements in Rotary Transfer Technology and Mill/Turn Productivity Centers on the main assembly floor which was crowded with projects in various stages of completion. As guests viewed the machines while they were being built, Hydromat Associates continued to work on the projects, giving attendees a rare glimpse of the assembly process up close, and an opportunity to interact with both technicians and sales personnel alike.

One of the most discussed technology advancements was the Hydromat EPIC GEN II, the new variation of the famous EPIC R/T platform that was first introduced at Hydromat’s Open House in 2003. Like that first EPIC machine introduced 12 years ago, this 2015 version is the first of its kind and it will continue to be refined before its wide release as a featured machine at IMTS 2016. The first EPIC platform revolutionized Hydromat rotary transfer machining. This second generation of the EPIC R/T platform boasts advancements such as enhanced operations, production reporting, down time analysis, trouble shooting and preventative maintenance interval scheduling. These features, among others, will yield improved part set-ups, changeovers, process-tooling development and integrated tool monitoring. An upgraded servo control features absolute positioning, and a more efficient architecture that reduces failure points. More information on the EPIC GEN II will become available as the 2016 IMTS in Chicago nears.

“Only the shops that employ the most advanced machining technologies and are taking advantage of the finest and leanest machining processes will advance in this current business environment. This is why we created the new EPIC GEN II Hydromat machine,” stated Bruno Schmitter, Hydromat’s President and CEO,

“The GEN II is a rotary transfer solution specifically made for our customer’s production solutions in 2016 and beyond.” Meanwhile Hydromat continues to have great success with the EPIC R/T line-up as evidenced by a production floor that was filled with current EPIC projects in many stages of the build process. Models shown included the EPIC 25-12, the EPIC 45-12, the EPIC 32/45-16, and the EPIC HS-16 Indexing Chuck machine.

Also featured during Oktoberfest were the unique machining centers from the ICON Technologies division of Hydromat. The ICON 6-250 was well represented with three machines on the assembly floor, one in its final stages of the build process, and two (2) more in the first stages of construction that will be delivered in 2016. The first example was quite an attraction, a fully appointed machine with 4 horizontal spindles and 4 vertical spindles.

Developed around flexible machining principles, the ICON 6-250 is equipped with four (4) machining stations with simultaneous vertical and horizontal axis capabilities and two (2) dedicated loading/unloading stations. It has a six position pallet transfer system feeding four machining modules for fast, ultra-precision machining. Multi-station transfer technology enables simultaneous machining on all four stations, making the machine ideal for medium to high production of complex work pieces requiring multiple operations.

“Hydromat users understand the importance of new technologies in today’s marketplace and how it can help them win projects and increase profits, that is why they visit us” stated Matthias Walter, Chief Sales Officer of Hydromat Inc. “We are very pleased with this year’s turnout,” he added.

The Oktoberfest event is always a well-catered affair with lunches of Oktoberfest themed gourmet entrees and desserts. In the evening, the Bavarian style Beer Hall tempted attendees to have a Bratwurst and pretzel with tangy mustard, and for those guests who wished, they were also invited to partake in the fall tradition of sampling a fine cold German beer in their Oktoberfest commemorative gift mug. The beer hall included live music from the 17 piece Deutschmeister Brass Band a German heritage band with 52 years of History in St. Louis. Wednesday and Thursday evenings were a lot of fun and full of fall spirit.

Also on display were Hydromat’s technical departments that make up their full service philosophy; Engineering, Quality Assurance, Customer Service, and Hydromat’s Machine & Grind Shop. These teams consist of talented, dedicated individuals whose backgrounds run deep in the tradition of high-precision metalworking. These associates, combined with state-of-the-art machine tools, yield exceptional products and service for Hydromat customers.

Hydromat also proudly presented their Apprentice Program, a fine example of world class training in the metalworking arts. Steeped in the European tradition, this program delivers to their young associates the right combination of knowledge, experience, and hands-on training that is required for the unique needs of Hydromat Inc. for the future of their machine production and customer service.