This month, we spoke with Todd Elliott, our Manufacturing Engineering Manager, about Slacan's latest step forward in automation. As part of our 2025 automation project, we’ve acquired an additional HO-U-160 forging hammer, enhancing our existing fleet of LASCO hammers.
These hammers aren’t just any Machines —they are programmable powerhouses. What sets them apart is their ability to adjust the force on each stroke, allowing us to increase pressure and control the hammer’s speed for precise, consistent results. This adaptability makes them ideal for automation, enabling us to optimize every aspect of the forging process.
Currently, we have two automated forging hammers: one fully flashed and another forging just the ends. With our recent acquisition, we’ll soon have two more fully automated hammers, streamlining production even further. The automated hammers eliminate downtime, reducing the need for cooling between forging processes and speeding up overall production.
From a customer perspective, this means faster turnaround times without compromising on quality. For Slacan, it translates to increased precision, less scrap, and increased capacity.
But we’re not stopping at hammers. We’re also automating our bolt-making operations. Our priorities include finishing the upgrade on the Auto50, automating the third forging hammer (HO-U-200), automating the bolt making cell, and integrating our new HO-U-160 into the automated lineup.
These investments in automation and advanced equipment are critical to achieving our aggressive growth targets. By increasing capacity and reducing lead times, Slacan is poised to meet the demands of our customers while setting new standards in operational efficiency.
We invite you to visit and tour our State of the art facility.