Ink-jet cartridge manufacture

Precision plastic welding automation machinery developed for HP manufacturing ink-jet cartridges

A manufacturer of ink-jet cartridges required an automated work-cell to "heat stake" (a method of welding two plastic parts together) a .001” mylar film to a small-framed part which would become a small ink pump. The challenges were to design a work cell that could keep up with a highly automated production line and maintain very tight weld tolerances. The heat stake head was designed for the delicate adjustment required and then counterbalanced to cancel the weight of the tooling and ensure the exact welding pressure on the delicate mylar. The station was also uniquely laid out to ensure ease of access. It is now in use in HP's various manufacturing plants.