In the world of high-tech defense, aerospace, and precision electronics, the heroes behind the scenes are often the smallest components and the machines that make them. Enter the 4-slide machine: a powerhouse of speed, precision, and efficiency in forming intricate metal parts that power mission-critical systems across industries.

What is a 4-Slide Machine?

A 4-slide (or multi-slide) machine bends, cuts, and forms wire or strip metal into complex shapes all in a single, continuous process. It operates from four synchronized axes, allowing it to perform multiple operations simultaneously. Unlike traditional stamping or CNC processes, 4-slide machines can produce millions of parts with unmatched consistency and minimal scrap.

What Can It Make?

These machines can produce flat springs, brackets, retainers, electrical contacts, military-grade clips and connectors, and complex small components used in satellites, avionics, and missile systems. These aren't just "parts" they're the precision-engineered building blocks of national defense, aerospace innovation, and next-gen electronics.

A Legacy of American Ingenuity

One U.S.-based company has quietly kept this vital capability alive since 1956, operating 4-slide machines across decades, generations, and market shifts. In an era when many considered this a "lost art," they've remained essential, supplying metal components to defense, aerospace, telecom, medical, and industrial markets. Their story is a masterclass in industrial perseverance and American manufacturing excellence.

Why the U.S. Must Maintain This Capability

As the U.S. doubles down on reshoring and supply chain resiliency, we cannot afford to outsource such specialized, foundational manufacturing capabilities. National security concerns arise because these parts go into systems we can't risk relying on foreign sources to supply. The agile production capabilities of 4-slide machines offer unmatched speed for high-volume or quick-turn jobs. The competitive cost structure makes it viable to build domestically, providing a reshoring advantage. Additionally, these machines require operators with rare, high-level tooling knowledge that must be preserved.

A Modern Collaboration for American Manufacturing

This is exactly why Hatch Manufacturing Solutions has partnered with HEB, a Vermont-based manufacturer with advanced CNC machining capabilities. HEB specializes in tight-tolerance, quick-turn, and production-run precision parts for military, defense, industrial, and even high-end consumer markets.

Together, we combine the legacy of 4-slide forming with state-of-the-art CNC precision, delivering customers the agility, scalability, and quality they demand in today's reshoring-focused environment.

The Bottom Line

If the U.S. wants to win the future of defense, space, and strategic manufacturing, we can't lose sight of the small parts or the brilliant machines and partnerships that make them. 4-slide machines and CNC excellence are the backbone of America's industrial resurgence.