Assembly in Action: Tube Terminator Simplifies Assembly Process
TPI Corp. (Johnson City, TN) manufactures a range of HVAC products, including portable electric heaters, industrial fans, duct heaters and infrared heaters. The company also manufactures light fixtures, thermostats and controls, and Fostoria-brand process heating equipment.
At its Gray, TN, facility, the company manufactures a number of products and components, including hydronic baseboard heating units. As part of the production process, TPI needed a means of sealing silicon into each unit's copper tubing. To perform the operation, the company implemented a Tube Termination unit from Sonobond Ultrasonics (West Chester, PA). Each tube terminator is comprised of a portable, handheld ultrasonic metal welder that can crimp and seal copper or aluminum tubing in a single step, without brazing or the use of consumables. As a result of incorporating the Tube Terminator into its production process, TPI is now able to produce the required leak-free assemblies more efficiently.