Heat Staking

In the fast-paced environment of automotive manufacturing, precision and efficiency are key. TUTCO SureHeat heaters to are used in automotive applications to enhance their heat staking process—a critical method for joining plastic and metal components.

Heat staking involves heating and deforming plastic pegs, or bosses, to form strong, permanent joints. This process requires exact temperature control to avoid defects such as cracks from underheating or rough edges from overheating. TUTCO SureHeat’s advanced line of process heaters are able to deliver reliable, consistent heat, essential for handling challenging materials like glass-filled plastics.

In the assembly line, the process starts with plastic bosses being inserted through holes in metal parts. TUTCO SureHeat’s compressed air heaters then apply controlled hot air to heat the plastic above its glass transition temperature. This precise heating ensures that each boss is uniformly softened, preventing common issues such as sticking or rough edges. The heated bosses are then reshaped using staking punches, which compress and deform the plastic to lock the components together securely.

The manufacturer’s engineers closely monitor the process using sophisticated sensors and temperature controllers. The TUTCO SureHeat heaters quickly adjusts any temperature fluctuations, maintaining optimal conditions throughout the manufacturing run. This high level of control is crucial for producing strong, consistent joints that meet the industry’s stringent quality standards.

The result of using TUTCO SureHeat heaters is a series of robust, stress-free assemblies that is essential in creating vehicles that are assembled with the highest standards of precision and reliability.