Streamlining Commercial Ice Machine Production

INTRODUCTION: 

THE CHALLENGE:

Navigating Compliance and Customisation

Our client approached us with a bottleneck in their production. They needed a new hose supplier capable of meeting the rigorous IEC 61770 standards—the international benchmark for electric appliances connected to water mains.Compliance was only half the battle. Because commercial ice machines are often compact and high-output, the hoses required:

• Specific flow rate consistency to ensure harvest cycles weren’t interrupted
• Tight bend radius to fit into restricted internal cabinets
• High temperature resistance for varied kitchen environments
• Custom moulded end connections specific to their unique internal connections

THE SOLUTION:

A Technical Deep-Dive

Our technical team worked hand-in-hand with the client’s engineers to develop a bespoke hose assembly. We moved from off-the-shelf thinking to a custom engineered solution.

The final result featured a custom-moulded connection on the machine end and a standard 3/4″ BSP female nut on the other for mains supply connection. By confirming the IEC 61770 certification during the design phase, we eliminated the client’s regulatory headache and ensured their machines were ready for global markets.

Evolution: Lean Manufacturing Through “Kitting”

The success of the hose project led to a bigger question: How can we make the assembly line even faster?Today, we no longer just ship parts; we ship efficiency. We now supply all internal connection hoses for this manufacturer as a complete production-ready kit.

• Pre-cut lengths: No more measuring or cutting on the shop floor.
• Custom Bagging & Labeling: Each bag contains every hose needed for a specific machine build.
• Inventory Managed: We deliver weekly against their forecast. 

THE RESULT:

More Than Just a Supplier

By integrating our technical team into their design process and our logistics into their production line, the manufacturer achieved three major wins:

1. Reduced Lead Times: Weekly deliveries mean they no longer carry heavy “just-in-case” inventory.
2. Simplified Supply Chain: One point of contact for valves, hoses, and custom assemblies.
3. Production Efficiency: Our pre-labelled kits have significantly reduced the time it takes to build a machine, allowing their team to focus on quality control rather than sorting parts. 

CUSTOMER QUOTATION:

“We were really keen to find an integrated partner and Hydraletric has proved they can work with us to overcome the challenges and provide us with a complete solution ready for our production line on over 100 different models. We receive in excess of 50,000 hoses a year and 100,000 valves, and will continue to use Hydralectric for all new projects.”