Globally, enterprises use plastic material in their products to achieve the desired weight, increased durability, and more importantly, reduced manufacturing cost. However, many of them still use traditional thermal assembly machines, which are time-consuming, costly, and inefficient. Worse, they need a quality checker on the assembly line to inspect the goods manually. California-based Thermal Press International not only designs and builds thermal assembly machines but also helps its clients conceptualize, design, and develop products. The company’s high-end machines with customized tooling packages cater to the needs of manufacturers who are looking for a just-in-time quality control system to better control the entire manufacturing lifecycle. Thermal Press offers heat staking, seat sealing, custom and automation systems with high quality, volume, and high precision—ideally suited for the thermal assembly of plastics production.

At the outset of the engagement, the company understands what clients aim to accomplish from the assembly process. Upon receipt of a physical prototype part or a 3D model, the company inspects them for the viability of perfect engineering design. Subsequently, it builds a minor prototype of a section of the product and shares the recipe—if it happens to be heat staking—with the right number of staking retention points, geometry of posts, and locations needed to achieve that impeccable manufacturing. This feedback loop ensures that the clients have a sound design for their plastic assembly requirements. “Since we do it at the high CAD level, our clients can visualize the whole lifecycle of the product,” says Ian McLean, president of Thermal Press.

Team Thermal Press has hundreds of case studies exemplifying its capabilities to address the most pressing challenges.

Built on an architecture that facilitates an effective feedback mechanism, Thermal Press’ machines and its various components are digitally controlled, helping operations team to achieve improved operational efficiency

Initially, the company shares with its clients a high-level 3D CAD model, high-resolution photographs, and videos of how the thermal assembly machines can meet their expectations. It also gives its customers a touch-and-feel experience of the machines by allowing them to visit the facility. This approach provides both Thermal Press and its clients the confidence to succeed. Thanks to its international support in several continents, the company has a global network of service centers to provide support through maintenance, repair, calibration, or any service requirements.

Built on an architecture that facilitates an effective feedback mechanism, Thermal Press’ machines and their various components are digitally controlled, helping operations team to achieve improved efficiency. Unlike other machines available in the market, Thermal’s machines comprise computer-based tools, enabled with closed-loop control systems and automatic traceability. These capabilities help clients automate the monitoring and control of the various components of the machine and minimize product waste to a large extent. “Our machines are designed and built to last for years with minimal maintenance requirements, and they come with three years warranty,” says McLean. Further, the machines are CE-compliant, which indicates the conformity with safety, health, and environmental protection standards.

“We are constantly looking at other types of machinery or technology like a vision system, bar code reader, and robotic load and unload station that our customers have to procure separately and integrate with our machinery in the factory space,” says McLean. Thermal Press aims to fill this gap and offer its clients a full package of the solution instead of having them piece together several technologies in the factory. “Our role is to make sure components can communicate with each other and provide real-time insights accordingly.”