When demand for its micraTM multi-purpose tool took off faster than anticipated, Leatherman Tool Group needed to install a mass production line and bring 40 new operators up to speed as quickly as possible. Using air-powered adhesive dispensers instead of manual application tools enabled the company to achieve both goals.

Smaller Products, Tighter Tolerances

The micra's small size--2.5 inches--makes assembly much tougher than it is for our other products," explains Leatherman engineer John Radabaugh.

Four small, two-part, threaded fasteners serve as pivots for the micra's scissors, knife, screwdriver, and other stainless-steel implements. Each fastener is held together with a drop of anaerobic adhesive applied to the female threads before the parts are joined.

"There's a very narrow torque range, so we need to have the tension just right," says Radabaugh. "Since we rely on the anaerobic adhesive rather than the threads to hold the parts together, controlling the size and placement of the deposit is critical." He turned to EFD Inc. (East Providence, RI) for a solution: an automatic dispenser that uses a timed air pulse to make precise, repeatable deposits of assembly fluids.

In timed-pulse dispensing, a combination of air pressure, dispense time, and tip size controls the deposit size. After loading material into the disposable barrel, an operator attaches a precision tip and connects the barrel to the dispenser with lightweight, flexible tubing.

Separate controls for air pressure and dispense time can ease the fine-tuning of deposit time. Once time and pressure have been adjusted, any operator can make consistent, repeatable deposits by pressing the foot pedal.

Pleased to find an off-the-shelf solution that met his needs, Radabaugh had five EFD units on site within two days. Two weeks later he had installed a complete assembly line and hired 40 new operators.

From Purchase Orders to Mass Production in Four Weeks

"For the first couple of days, I walked around checking deposits and answering questions, and that was it," says Radabaugh. "In four weeks, we went from filling out purchase orders to implementing a mass production line capable of turning out thousands of units per day."

Radabaugh says that Leatherman would not have been able to get the new line up and running so quickly without the EFD dispensers. "Manual application was never really an option," he says. "The dispensers took care of a major hassle and allowed me to deal with the many other issues that accompany a startup. If we had to train people to make accurate deposits with a squeeze bottle, I don't think we could have done it."