Century Tool Adds On-Site Trial Capability for Advanced Thermoplastics with New Infrared Oven

Investment enables comprehensive Glass Mat Thermoplastic (GMT) and other composite processing trials for automotive, aerospace and other industries

Century Tool, a business unit of Tooling Tech Group, announced it has added a custom-built Blasdel Electric Infrared Oven System to expand its Glass Mat Thermoplastic (GMT) processing capabilities and enable comprehensive composite tooling trials on-site.

“This investment reflects our commitment to staying at the forefront of composite manufacturing,” said Lee Childers, CEO of Tooling Tech Group. “The shift to advanced thermoplastics is accelerating, and we want our customers to move fast without taking on risk. Adding this capability in-house positions Century Tool, and Tooling Tech Group, to be the partner they turn to as those programs scale.”

The energy-efficient system rapidly heats composite blanks to precise, uniform temperatures optimized for thermoforming, supporting a broad range of advanced materials including Azdel, PEEK, PEKK with carbon fiber, and other engineering thermoplastics and thermosets. Combined with Century Tool’s press capacity ranging from 1,500 to 3,000 tons, the system allows customers to validate tooling performance in-house before it reaches the production floor, reducing risk and accelerating time to market.

The investment comes as advanced composite adoption accelerates across the automotive, aerospace, construction, marine, and transportation sectors, where manufacturers are increasingly replacing traditional metal components with lightweight composite alternatives to meet cost, regulatory and sustainability targets.