Product Development at BTM

Stretch bending machines use a unique mechanism to bring the sheet metal material to its elastic limit as it is being bent, thus eliminating spring back, and resulting in an accurately formed part. These stretch bent parts typically require secondary operations such as forming and the piercing of attachment holes on close centers, which required large and expensive special-built tooling units. Mr. Sawdon recognized the opportunity for an inexpensive, yet reliable press unit by combining a rotary-vane air cylinder with a toggle linkage in a self-contained and enclosed mechanism. The Air Powered Toggle Press became BTM’s first patented product. This efficient and thin press design delivers high forces from typical shop compressed air and has also found uses in the production of many other products, establishing it as an effective and cost-saving press unit which can be purchased from a catalog.

The next important development for BTM was the patented TOG-L-LOC^® sheet metal joining system.

Not long after the Air Powered Toggle Press was introduced, it found use as a press to drive special and complex clinching tools. Mr. Sawdon again recognized the opportunity for a simpler and smaller clinch tool design which provides better access to parts, is easier to mount, and is less expensive. This new standardized clinching tool was named Tog-L-Loc^® due to its original use with the Air Powered Toggle Press.

The Tog-L-Loc^® clinching process uses inexpensive punch and die tooling to create round leak-proof joints in a single press stroke. There are numerous advantages to Tog-L-Loc^® clinching. For example, there are no rivets or screws to buy, no holes to pierce or drill, and no weld tips to clean. The process is environmentally friendly; there are no noxious fumes or sparks created- even when joining galvanized metal. There are no transformers, cooling lines, or expensive controls to buy. The process is very low maintenance, and generates no heat to distort parts. Tog-L-Loc^® is able to join dissimilar and coated metals, including pre-painted metals. Tog-L-Loc^® joints feature high repeatability, and are non-destructively checked. Long tool life and significantly lower cost per joint help to make Tog-L-Loc^® clinching the least expensive means of fastening sheet metal with any reasonable amount of strength. Numerous private concerns have subjected Tog-L-Loc^® to rigorous testing programs with impressive results, particularly in the areas of vibration resistance, and joint consistency.

In addition to the popular Tog-L-Loc^® clinching system, BTM also offers Lance-N-Loc^™ clinching. Lance-N-Loc^™ is a sheet metal clinching system which is particularly useful when joining harder metals, or multiple layers. Lance-N-Loc^™ creates a strong mechanical joint by lancing the 2 long sides of the joint and gradually drawing the ends. The material on each side of the joint is compressed and interlocked, while the gradually sloping ends allow harder materials to be joined, making higher strength joints. The process takes place in a single press stroke.

In the spirit of innovation, BTM has now expanded our cost-saving line of clinching tools to include V-Loc^® and Oval-Loc^™. V-Loc^® offers advantages when joining harder aluminum alloys, which has made it useful in automotive light-weighting. The non-rotating Oval-Loc^™ clinch joints are ideal when there is a requirement to geo-set parts.

To efficiently and inexpensively apply these clinching tools, BTM has developed a broad line of production equipment for a variety of customer part designs and various production volume requirements.

BTM has also developed a proven line of automation components for clamping, gripping, and locating. These products are used primarily in the demanding automotive welding environment and robotic end of arm tooling. BTM is always looking for opportunities to help its customers innovate their way to cost reductions through lean manufacturing.

BTM continues to expand its expertise in the designing and building of machines for piercing welded assemblies, complex stampings and cast parts. Tubular and box section automotive frames & roll formed or hydro-formed structural components can be pierced after they are welded or formed (post pierced) to insure all GD&T dimensional relationships are achieved.