Walk the floor
with us.
From the R&D lab to the shipping dock, follow the real production route of a THOTH hydraulic motor.
A catalog tells you what a motor can do. A factory tells you whether it will keep doing it. So instead of a brochure, we invite you to walk through our plant with us, from the first material test to the last crate at the dock.
Since 1971, Ningbo Zhongyi Hydraulic Motor Co., Ltd., the company behind the THOTH brand, has focused on one thing: hydraulic motors. Together with the Wuhu plant in Anhui, capacity exceeds one million units a year, shipped to more than 80 countries.ZI-1
Today’s route through the plant
We follow the order a part actually travels. Keep three words in mind along the way.
The tour starts in the lab, not on the floor.
Before any metal is cut, the question is what makes a motor last.
THOTH runs a certified Zhejiang High-Tech R&D Center and a Zhejiang Postdoctoral Workstation, covering materials science, 3D simulation and mechanical design. Together with the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology & Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, it co-founded a research center dedicated to wear-resistant coating materials for hydraulic motors.ZI-1
Co-founded with CASR&D Center of Wear-Resistant Coating Materials for Hydraulic Motors
What really decides the service life of a hydraulic motor?
Wear. That is why we research coating materials with a national research institute. It is the difference between assembling bought-in parts and engineering from the material up.
Where the parts that define performance are cut
Mazak, Junker, FANUC. Names every buyer knows, machining THOTH core parts in-house.
1Junker precision grinder2CNC control3Ground parts, ready to measure- 1Junker precision grinder
- 2CNC control
- 3Ground parts, ready to measure
Robots and gantry loaders feed the material, so cells run continuously instead of operators moving each part by hand. Housings, shafts, inner parts such as the Geroler set and plates, and large radial piston parts each have their own dedicated line.ZI-1
When a cutting tool wears out, how do we know?
The system knows before the operator does. It counts the life of every tool in real time and flags it automatically when a change is due.
No part reaches assembly unwashed
The most common way a hydraulic system fails starts with something very small.
1Machined parts, racked for washing2Industrial parts washer- 1Machined parts, racked for washing
- 2Industrial parts washer
Contamination is widely cited as the cause of 70 to 80% of hydraulic system failures.IND A single chip left on a part is where wear begins.
What’s the No.1 cause of hydraulic system failure?
Contamination. That is why every machined part is washed before it moves on to assembly.
*Widely cited industry estimate (IKM, The Manufacturer, et al.)
Differences you cannot see, measured
Dimensions, roughness, geometry and hole positions, verified on precision instruments.
1Roughness & contour tester2Profile shown on screen3Measurement record- 1Roughness & contour tester
- 2Profile shown on screen
- 3Measurement record
Digital gauges show each reading with an automatic OK/NG judgment, surface roughness is measured on dedicated instruments, and fits are checked with a master shaft before assembly. The lab also runs a ZEISS CMM, gear measuring machine, particle counter, Vickers hardness tester and SPECTRO spectrometer.ZI-1
Where parts become motors
Robots for repetition, people for the final fit.
1Assembly robot2Enclosed assembly cell3Station after station- 1Assembly robot
- 2Enclosed assembly cell
- 3Station after station
From shaft, bearing and O-ring sub-assembly to final assembly, every station has its 6S work instruction posted, so the standard holds no matter who is on shift. Next to the automated lines, skilled technicians check the final fit and finish of each motor by hand.
In an automated plant, do we still need human hands?
Yes. Automation keeps every repetition consistent, and skilled technicians check the final fit and finish of each motor themselves.
The last gate every motor must pass
Most buyers assume sampling inspection. Here, every unit runs on the bench.
1Motor under test2Test console3Next units in line- 1Motor under test
- 2Test console
- 3Next units in line
Not a sample. Every motor is performance tested, and each test report is kept on file. If a question comes up in the field, we answer with the test record for that exact unit.ZI-1
Separate from shipment testing, a dedicated endurance rig verifies durability under long-run conditions. On request, THOTH also provides additional data such as shaft seal curves and endurance test reports.
What share of our motors is performance tested before shipping?
Not a sample. 100%. And because every test report is archived, each unit stays traceable long after it leaves the plant.
Painted by robots, packed on site
An even coat, then straight from the plant floor to the dock.
1Painting robot2Before paint3Even coating- 1Painting robot
- 2Before paint
- 3Even coating
Packed orbital motors and ZCM transmissions wait for shipment and are loaded directly from the plant floor.
Where the whole plant becomes visible as data
Everything we saw today comes together on one wall.
1Live plant model2Global sales map3Quality inspection data4Production progress- 1Live plant model
- 2Global sales map
- 3Quality inspection data
- 4Production progress
Can I see which process my order is in right now?
Yes, in real time. MES tracks every order through material issue, assembly, inspection and warehousing, and any abnormal order is flagged immediately.
Precision, digital, verified. That is the route we walked today.
New products, developed ahead of demand
The tour ends where most projects begin: with a requirement. When no standard product fits, THOTH engineers review the application directly and take it into OEM/ODM development.
What if the spec I need isn’t in the catalog?
That is where our work begins. Our engineers review your requirements directly, and if no standard product fits, we move on to OEM/ODM development.
See it for yourself,
the way that suits you.
Tell us your machine and the motor you use today. We will propose the next step that fits.
- ZI-1THOTH / ZiHYD company profile (2025). Company overview, plants, R&D centers, manufacturing equipment, inspection instruments, testing and digital system.
- INDContamination as the leading cause of hydraulic system failure (70 to 80%) is a widely cited industry estimate, e.g. IKM and The Manufacturer.