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Originally founded in 1982 as Tooling Technology, located in Fort Loramie, Ohio., the company quickly began growing both organically and through acquisitions.
In 1998 TTG, added Alpha Mold and Air City Models and Tools to its portfolio. These companies manufactured models, tooling and high-tech injection molds primarily used to create automotive interiors.
Then in 1999, the Edward D. Segen Company was purchased. Segen specialized in manufacturing machined tooling for the inline plastic thermoforming field, in addition to having a successful quick-change component division. Also, in 1999, Canal Pattern, a business in the highly skilled wood pattern and model field was added to make TTG a full-service tooling operation.
In 2006, TTG bought Laser Die, a Grand Rapids, Michigan sales and engineering office to manufacture compression tooling, including one of a kind in-mold trim of fibrous materials. And in 2011, Tooling Technology Group purchased Fremont Plastic Mold Corporation, a leading manufacturer of blow mold tooling and secondary equipment.
In the past few years, TTG has experienced extraordinary growth through many acquisitions. In 2015, it purchased Majestic Industries, a provider of progressive stamping dies and short run production, as well as G.H. Tool & Mold, specializing in die cast dies and aerospace tooling.
Then in 2018, three more purchases were made to complement the company’s ability to provide design services and tooling across a range of applications. This included Century Tool & Gage, specializing in compression molds for producing composite components, Bel-Kur Automation (renamed Century Automation, for secondary tooling, fixtures and automation solutions, and the Die Cad Group die design and engineering team.
With the increasing focus on creating efficiency through automation, in 2019 TTG invested in the purchase of Alpha Integration, a provider of turnkey assembly solutions, automated assembly equipment and automated vision inspection systems.
Since the acquisitions, TTG has continued to invest in its affiliate companies with expansions of the Majestic Industries, GH Tool and Century Automation facilities as well as a new building for serving the Alpha Integration team. Additionally, there have been multiple equipment upgrades across all the facilities, which can be found in more detail via our news page.
The company now has more than 1 million combined square feet of manufacturing space and employs approximately 600 people in 12 facilities across Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Georgia, Tennessee, and California as well as a sales office in China. With sales of $191,000,000, it ranks as the largest provider of tooling in the United States.
About Tooling Tech Group
Tooling Technology was founded in Fort Loramie, Ohio.
Tooling Technology acquired Air City Models & Tools.
Tooling Technology was acquired by the private equity firm, River & Associates.
Tooling Technology announced the acquisition of Edward D. Segen & Company and Canal Pattern.
Tooling Technology is acquired by the private equity firm Cognitive Capital Partners.
The acquisition of Laser Die by Tooling Technology.
Tooling Technology acquired Fremont Plastic Molds.
Tooling Technology was acquired by the private equity firm GenNx360 Capital Partners.
Tooling Technology changed its name to Tooling Tech Group.
Tooling Technology announced the acquisition of Century Tool, Bel-Kur and Die Cad Group.
Tooling Technology announced the acquisition of Alpha Integration.
The Temperance, Michigan facility underwent a 14,000 sq. ft. expansion, bringing the total facility size to 59,000 sq. ft.
Tooling Tech Group announced it had broken ground on a 21,000 sq. ft. expansion of its Washington, MO location.
TTG’s Ft. Loramie, OH facility was expanded and construction finished on a new Automation building in La Vergne, TN.
Proprietary Joining Solutions for Big Boy Toys
In this process, the heavy truck components (about 5-ft x 7-ft in size) are kept in a glue/bond apply station where a robot travels along a shuttle applying the adhesive to the different stations. The operator then manually loads the components in the front half of the cell and six components on the other side of the cell. The side with six components pivots up and is merged with the stationary side with the three components. The cycle then starts where cylinders are engaged to apply the pressure to finalize the bond
Combining Manual and Automated Processes
In this instance our customer asked us to develop a process to bond steel and composite brackets, apply glue and drill holes in a new 2.5 ft x 4 ft component in right-hand and left-hand styles.
In our process, the operator loads the component into the drill where six holes are drilled. The operator then takes the part and puts it into a loading nest where the robot picks up the part and moves it under a stationary dispensing head that applies the glue for the bracket reinforcements. While the glue is being applied, the operator is loading the brackets into the next station. Once these actions are completed, the robot then loads the part into the nest at the manual station and the assembly press closes automatically to complete the bonding process. A mix of two to three operators and one robot results in an efficient cycle time of 3 to 3.5 minutes
Confidential Design to Processing Multiple Part Styles
Our customer provided us the spec sheet outlining the time, temperature and recipe for a foam mix that needed to be applied in order to complete the manufacture of four different composite components.
We developed an automated dual line solution with two 6-axis robots and two shuttles functioning as axis 7 and 8 as the shuttle movements are interlocked with the robots. The operator loads the component on the fixture device and as the shuttle moves, the first robot arm is programmed to apply the foam. This robot then moves out of the way and the second robot moves in and measures the foam bead via a laser measuring system to ensure the right amount was applied. This robot then picks and place the component in the oven. Overall cycle time is 85.9 seconds.
From Four Machines to a Single Line
Our customer needed to produce two versions of a composite automotive part that required the routing of 100 holes and the application of 65 float nuts along with some rivet studs. In addition, they wanted a fully automated solution with +0.25mm tolerance on the holes, zero dust emission and a cycle time of just over three minutes. The customer thought it would take four machines to accomplish this.
Tooling Tech developed a solution that could route all the holes in a single orientation during a continuous process while using a minimum amount of floorspace. The process starts with the operator manually loading the part on a wall fixture where the automated cycle then starts. The part is clamped in place, the part style verified via a sensor, and several holes are drilled. The wall then rotates 180 degrees and a handling robot picks up the part and places it into the route cell where four robots cut about 65 holes. Each robot has a vacuum unit at its head and collects the dust during the routing process.
The handling robot then moves the part to the rivet nut station where two robots apply 66 float nuts, fed to the robots via a pneumatic tube. The nuts go in and are crimped using amperage as an indicator if the nut is properly secured. At the end of this process, all six robots communicate with the material handling robot to determine good or bad part.
Eliminating Human Error
We supplied our customer with a solution for welding two components together, where clinch nuts were already pressed in prior to welding. After welding, manual processes included the insertion of two push pins for a wiring harness operation and the application of a piece of double-sided tape. However, 10 – 15% of the components were being sent to quarantine due to missing parts.
Tooling Tech developed a fixturing station for assembly and a checking station to verify part presence. Once the part is welded, it is manually moved to the assembly station where the pin and tape are put in place. The part is then moved to the checking station where the part is clamped in place, and it goes through an automated checking cycle. Using a variety of sensors, the presence of the tape, clinch nuts and pins are all verified. This has saved the customer about $10,000/week.
In these days of lightweighting, it’s not only performance vehicles that benefit from composite structures. Introduced in 1987, the Jeep Wrangler has become an icon and popular across the world. With the 2018 model re-design, engineers were able to drop 200 pounds from the vehicle by employing aluminum bodywork and composite hardtop panels, with molds supplied by Tooling Tech Group. The frame is also 100 pounds lighter through extensive use of high strength steel.
Originally introduced in 2010, this performance truck shed 500 pounds in its 2017 iteration with a new aluminum body as well as composite hood and front fenders. This 2018 model has the same features, proving that lightweight materials can tough out off-road driving.
From the sleekest and sexiest of vehicles to the biggest boys on the highway, Tooling Tech Group provides molds for many heavy truck manufacturers. When you look at the size of these cabs, you can just imagine the weight reduction being achieved by the usage of composite materials.
This vehicle, commemorating the movie Bullitt starring Steve McQueen, was ‘the thing” at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show. To match the original movie car, this version is light on external badging and painted in the same dark green. However, the original was a steel vehicle and today’s version features composite panels.
Ford’s research into improved efficiency through weight reduction with advanced materials including new metals, alloys and composites began more than 25 years ago. Although the new 2019 Ranger features a high strength steel frame, the company is employing composite truck beds and body panels to help reduce vehicle weight. Other highlights include frame-mounted steel bumpers, an aluminum hood and tailgate, and standard automatic emergency braking and rearview camera.
Tooling Tech Group has long history of providing compression molds for various body panels on the Chevrolet Corvette, most recently providing the molds, bonding, drilling and assembly equipment for the C-7 and C-8 Stingray and Z06. The C6 Z06, introduced in 2006, was recognized for its use of advanced materials including an aluminum frame, magnesium roof structure, engine cradle and other suspension attachment points as well as light-weight, high-strength composite panels for the front fenders, front wheelhouses and rear fenders.