Industry-Leading Hot Stamp Automation Expertise
Our Expertise
United Silicone is widely regarded as an industry leader in hot stamping automation. We have over 40 years experience producing thousands of automated solutions as well as unmatched knowledge of the entire hot stamp and heat transfer processes. Our cutting-edge equipment, robust project management and targeted market-specific expertise allow us to provide automations tailor-made for optimal performance on your unique application.
Benefits
Automating a hot stamp or heat transfer decorating line provides opportunities for:
Increased
- Output/productivity
- Lines speeds
- Quality
- Safety
- Consistency/repeatability
Decreased
- Reject/scrap rates
- Man power
- Factory lead times
Project Management
Our process also ensures three key foundational goals are achieved:
Needs Analysis
- The best possible solution is identified for the application at hand
Superior System Design
- Cutting edge tools
- Superior team of engineers, tooling designers & fabricators
Proactive Communication
- Real time projects updates via Gantt charts on digital SmartSheet tools.
Needs Analysis
United Silicone engineers are highly skilled in analyzing a wide range of factors in order to present the best possible technology for a particular product decorating challenge.
Our engineers carefully consider:
- Part Characteristics
- Decoration Size and Complexity
- Production Environment
- Safety Requirements
- Production Speed & Volumes
- Up- and/or Downstream Processes
- Compliance/Validation Requirements
- User Requirement Specification
- Operator Skill Level
- Need for Pre- and Post- Treatments
- Application Performance Requirements & Environment
Superior System Design & Build
The unmatched expertise of our mechanical/electrical/controls engineers and parts handling experts allows us to design automations with market-leading efficiency and precision.
Proactive Customer Communication
We listen carefully to our customers’ specific needs at each stage of development; from the quoting through the final design review. Our proactive approach to customer communication ensures superior outcomes.
Full Automation
United Silicone has unmatched expertise in creating high-speed rotary and linear automations custom-designed to optimize efficiency and performance in each application.
Example
Rotary table w/multiple hot stamping machines-Automatic load/unload
| Element | Description |
| Bulk Feeder | Two vibratory feeder bowls with floor mounted hoppers, automatically supply oriented parts to the decorating system. |
| Diverter | A lane diverter separates the parts provided by the two feeders into twelve individual lanes. |
| Load Assembly | A pick and place device transfers twelve parts from the diverter lanes onto twelve mandrels. |
| Mandrels | The mandrels internally support the part being decorated and maintain orientation to ensure the decoration is applied in the proper location. |
| Part Transport | Six-station electromechanical rotary index table carries parts to the different system stations. |
| Hot Stamping Machines | Six servo-driven hot stamp decorating machines (divided between two stations on the rotary table) each apply a single-color hot stamp foil decoration to two parts – totaling twelve parts decorated per system cycle. |
| Foil Sensor | Broken foil sensors ensure the hot stamping machines do not cycle should the foil break or run out. |
| Vision Inspection | The twelve decorated parts are inspected by four vision cameras (three parts per camera). The cameras are inspecting the decoration quality for voids, overages as well as confirming proper location. |
| Reject Unload Assembly | A pick and place device removes parts failing the vision inspection from the mandrels and drops them to bin. |
| Unload Assembly | A pick and place device removes parts passing the vision inspection from the mandrels and transfers them to another system for further processing. |
| Frame | Welded machine frame with integrated forklift tubes and casters for mobility |
| Safety | Interlocked doors protect operator from danger. A lexan roof keeps dust and debris out of the decorating system. |
| Controls | PLC controls with touch-screen interface provides programmability to the decorating process parameters (time / temperature / pressure). Production Data Tracking (production output, vision inspection pass/fail percentages, communication to downstream processes, etc). |
Semi-Automated Systems: Rotary
Example
Model US10 Integrated with a Rotary Index Table for Hot Stamp Decorating Guitar Picks
| Element | Description |
| Part Transport | Four-Position Electromechanical Rotary Index Table carries parts to the different system stations. |
| Nesting Fixtures | Manually loaded 12-up nesting fixtures, Locate & support the parts being decorated, Incorporated vacuum to hold the part in place during the decorating process |
| Model US 10 | Applies a single-color hot stamp foil decoration to all 12 parts simultaneously |
| Automatic Unload Assembly | Removes decorated parts from the system. Drops them to a separate Bagging Unit that seals 12 decorated parts into a single plastic bag. |
| Frame | Welded Machine Frame with Integrated Forklift Tubes and Casters for Mobility |
| Safety | Interlocked Doors and Swing Gate protect operator from danger |
| Control | PLC Controls with Touch-Screen Interface allow the decorating process to be optimized for each unique application. |
Semi-Automated Systems: Linear
Example
Two Model US 10 Hot Stamp Decorating Machines Integrated with a Servo Shuttle for Decorating Security Seals
| Element | Description |
| Nesting Fixture | Locates & supports of a family of Security Seals for decoration. Adjustable for various styles / sizes of Security Seal. Operator is responsible for loading & unloading. |
| Transport | Two-Axis Servo-Driven Slide Table: Shuttles the Security Seals from the Loading / Unloading Station to the two Model US 10 Hot Stamp Decorating Machines. Programmable motion allows the system to accommodate different configurations of Security Seals (style, size, number of seal, etc) as well as control the location the decoration on each individual Seal. |
| Two Model US 10 | The first Model US 10 hot stamps a sequential serial number to each Security Seal. The integrated Numbering Head increments the serial number with each cycle of the system. The second Model US 10 hot stamps a company logo to each Security Seal. |
| Frame | Rugged Machine Frame. Designed with the front facing outward for easy access within ergonomic reach distances |
| Safety | Light Curtain Combined with Interlocked Doors for safe system operation. Provides unobstructed access for operation, setup and maintenance. |
| Controls | PLC Controls with Touch-Screen Interface. Allow decorating process to be optimized for each unique application. |
Market Specific Expertise
Over the past 40 years, United Silicone has developed particularly deep expertise in automations for the industrial container, automotive, appliance and power tools markets
Industrial Container Market
- Hundreds of automated industrial container solutions completed
- Deep familiarity with the entire production process & common industry pain points
- Systems accommodate a variety of containers, crates, totes and pallets
- Durable decoration to withstand the rugged environments in which they are used
Automotive Market
- Hundreds of automated automotive solutions completed
- Decades of experience with tier 1, 2 and 3 suppliers
- Compliance with stringent custom specifications
- Short run to high volume projects
- Tight tolerances
- Quick change tooling features
Appliance Market
- Hundreds of appliance market automations completed
- 30 years experience
- Robust/efficient automated systems
- A single source combining machinery & tooling
- Decorate challengingly shaped appliance parts
Tool Market
- Hundreds of automations completed for tool applications
- 30 years experience
- Durable decoration to withstand rugged application and manufacturing environments
- Automated efficiency maintaining premium aesthetics
- Specifically designed fixtures and part handling solutions for challengingly shaped housings for decoration on raised and flushed surfaces