Electrical Conduit Assembly

An OEM Manufacturer of moulded plastic electrical conduit components was previously installing brass inserts of their own design, into several of their various products. Equipment used: A single horn ultrasonic welder. The operator would load the part into a nest, place an insert into the hole, and activate the unit. The insert was installed with great difficulty, due to undersized holes and an unconventional insert shape. The results were poor, and excess molten material created an un-sightly appearance, and often the insert was out of location. Secondary operations were required to remove the excess, and a high percentage of parts were rejected. They were making production at a rate of 1 finished part (2 inserts per part) per minute, sometimes longer depending on the complexity of the part.

After reviewing their entire process, we recommended a total assembly solution, the use of a versatile SPIROL Model PH Platen style Heat Insertion System, in conjunction with a SPIROL INS 29 brass Insert, along with the proper hole size. The machine was provided with quick-change tooling sets to allow the assembly of over ten different style parts. Each tooling set was designed to accommodate from three to six parts depending upon size. The operator can now load six parts, 2 inserts per part, and activate the machine. All twelve inserts are installed simultaneously. The conductive heat method, with consistent pneumatic installation pressure resulted in the highest quality insertions, excellent appearance and performance, with no rejections. This process yielded six completed assemblies in the same time it previously took for one.

This production improvement alone allowed the machine to pay for itself in less than one year. Additional tooling sets can easily be added, to accommodate new parts as they are designed and marketed.

Complimentary Applications Engineering Support: SPIROL Engineers will review your application needs and work with your design team to recommend the best solution.