Handheld Swage Machine for HVAC Industry

A few months after receiving their 16-station swage machine, a satisfied customer in the HVAC industry reached out with a request for a modified version of the same mechanical locking application. For the upcoming development of a new part line it was necessary to prototype low volume numbers of various parts before spending capital on full-size equipment. Our engineering team went to work and designed a mobile, light-weight, and ergonomic solution for this operation – a single station handheld swage machine.

The handheld swage is suspended from a tool balancer which allows easy operator access and eliminates tripping hazards by keeping it off the shop floor. The tool balancer also stabilizes the load of the swage machine making it nearly weightless and allows the operator to direct the movements of the machine without bearing its weight, reducing the risk of operator injury.

Since ease of use was incredibly important to our customer, we made sure to integrate low-maintenance controls. To create the prototype part, the swage tool was placed flush against the burner panel and inserted tube. While keeping the tools and parts in place the operator activated the sizing finger by pressing on both thumb controls simultaneously. As the finger mechanically locked the tube to the panel, a large LED light on top of the swage machine changed colors to indicate each step of the process. Before the thumb controls were activated the light would display magenta. A blue light illuminated for the first hit, a yellow light for the second hit, and a green light confirmed the completion of the process and a finished part.

Not every project needs a new machine to get the job done. In this case, our adaptation of a familiar process was exactly what our customer needed for the development of their new product. While their current need was for prototyping and low-volume production, the handheld swage could also be used for assembly stations and other applications where ease of mobility is necessary. The end result of this project was another satisfied customer with a complete turn-key solution to remedy a pain point in their manufacturing process.