Boost to lean manufacturing

The project also created opportunities for HydraForce to enhance the quality of its Loctite adhesive application and assembly procedures by taking full advantage of an innovative Loctite retaining compound.

HydraForce is focused on improving efficiency and quality through lean manufacturing. By making a few units at a time instead of large batches, the company achieves low reject rates and reduced turnaround time, especially for custom valves. This has allowed the company to gain market share in a progressive manner and build a reputation for quality in the hydraulic market.

As part of Henkel’s technical support, company engineer Chris Powers conducted a line survey at HydraForce to identify opportunities for process improvement. Powers collaborated with HydraForce engineers to design validation tests for a new, upgraded Loctite 648 retaining compound. Henkel’s technical customer service engineers conducted the validation testing in Henkel’s labs and provided a detailed report. HydraForce agreed with Henkel’s recommendations to begin using the upgraded Loctite 648 and thus enable a faster processing time.

“Chris and the Henkel staff brought some good ideas to the table about improving our processes and reducing batch size,” says Jesse Arias, HydraForce design engineer. By using Loctite 648, parts can now be tested after 5min instead of waiting for hours.

Another benefit to HydraForce is the global availability of the upgraded Loctite 648. The company has manufacturing plants in China, the UK and the US, along with a network of global systems integrators who adhere to HydraForce’s high standards. They all obtain the same Loctite 648 formula and quality worldwide.