Automated Assembly Services & Custom Automation
Forest City Technologies designs, integrates, and operates automated assembly processes that combine components, materials, and functional features into consistent, production-ready parts. From fastener retention and clip assembly to foam placement and multi-component integration, FCT helps customers reduce downstream handling, improve repeatability, and scale complex assembly work.
More Than an Assembly Step—A Manufacturing Solution
Many products require secondary operations after molding, coating, converting, or component manufacturing. When that work depends on manual placement, separate suppliers, or disconnected equipment, manufacturers can face added handling, inconsistent output, labor constraints, quality risk, and unnecessary work at the final assembly line.
FCT brings process engineering, machine design, material knowledge, fixturing, controls, inspection, and production execution together to create an assembly process around the part. Our team can evaluate how components are fed, oriented, joined, retained, sealed, inspected, and packaged—then develop a repeatable manufacturing approach that delivers a more complete component ready for the customer’s next operation.
Automated Assembly Capabilities
- Component feeding and orientation: Controlled presentation of fasteners, clips, retainers, foam parts, and other small components for repeatable assembly.
- Pressing, insertion, and retention: Automated placement and joining processes designed around the required fit, force, position, and component geometry.
- Adhesive, foam, and sealing integration: Automated placement or assembly of converted foam, tape, gasket, or sealing features onto plastic, metal, and molded substrates.
- Fastener and retention-device assembly: Automated assembly of retention components such as Axi-Rad onto customer fasteners and related application-specific hardware.
- Multi-component assembly: Integration of molded, converted, coated, or purchased components into a more complete production-ready part.
- In-process verification: Sensors, vision, force monitoring, or other controls may be incorporated to confirm component presence, orientation, position, or assembly completion.
- Packaging and presentation: Finished assemblies can be prepared in formats that support shipping, sequencing, handling, and the customer’s downstream process.
Featured Automated Assembly Examples
Clip Assembly
Automated systems can feed, orient, assemble, and verify small metal or plastic clips and related components. This approach helps improve placement consistency while reducing repetitive manual handling and supporting higher-volume production.
Customer-Specific Component Assembly
FCT can develop dedicated assembly processes around customer-supplied components and program requirements. This capability is well suited for applications where several parts must be brought together in a controlled sequence and supplied as a ready-to-use assembly.
Axi-Rad Fastener Retention Assembly
FCT can automatically assemble Axi-Rad thermoplastic retention devices onto customer bolts. The finished fastener can then be inserted into a component or casting and remain positioned through shipping and handling, helping the customer's module arrive ready to place and tighten at final assembly.
Foam-to-Plastic Clip Assembly
Automated equipment can place a converted foam component onto a molded plastic clip with controlled orientation and location. By combining material conversion and assembly experience, FCT can deliver an integrated component that supports sealing, cushioning, noise reduction, or downstream installation.
What Automated Assembly Can Help Solve
- Reduce repetitive manual handling and labor dependence.
- Improve component placement, orientation, and assembly consistency.
- Move secondary operations away from the customer’s final assembly line.
- Reduce loose components, missing parts, and handling variation.
- Combine multiple suppliers or operations into one production-ready component.
- Support scalable output for demanding OEM and industrial programs.
- Integrate inspection and error-proofing into the assembly process.
- Simplify customer inventory, line-side presentation, and downstream installation.
How FCT Develops an Automated Assembly Process
- Review the application: Understand the components, assembly sequence, quality requirements, target volume, packaging, and customer’s downstream process.
- Evaluate manufacturability: Identify feeding, orientation, joining, tolerance, material, fixturing, and inspection considerations.
- Design the process: Develop the equipment, tooling, controls, error-proofing, and material flow required for the application.
- Build and validate: Prove the assembly sequence, confirm output and quality requirements, and refine the process before production.
- Run production: Operate the process with documented controls, inspection, maintenance, and ongoing manufacturing support.
Why Forest City Technologies?
Automated assembly is most effective when product design, materials, component behavior, tooling, machine design, and production requirements are considered together. FCT brings those disciplines into one manufacturing relationship.
Integrated capability
Assembly experience supported by fastener technologies, custom molding, sealing, foam and adhesive converting, and engineered materials.Purpose-built automation
Equipment and fixturing developed around the component and required process rather than forcing the application into a generic platform.Engineering-led problem solving
Support with process development, manufacturability, machine design, tooling, controls, and validation.Production ownership
FCT can operate the process and supply finished assemblies—not simply design equipment and hand it off.Quality built into the process
Inspection and error-proofing can be integrated where the application requires verification.Solutions-first approach
The goal is to improve the customer’s complete manufacturing flow, not just perform an isolated secondary operation.Applications and Markets
Automated assembly may be appropriate for automotive and EV components, fasteners and retention systems, clips and small hardware, electrical and connector products, sealing and gasketing components, molded plastic or rubber parts, foam and adhesive assemblies, industrial equipment, aerospace components, and other high-volume or quality-critical OEM applications.
Have an assembly step that is slowing production, creating variation, or adding work downstream?
Send FCT your part, drawing, component set, target volume, or current process challenge. Our team can evaluate the application and recommend an automated assembly path designed around your product and production goals.
Can FCT develop a custom automated assembly process?
Yes. FCT can evaluate the product, components, target volume, quality requirements, and downstream needs, then develop purpose-built equipment, tooling, controls, and inspection for the application.
Can FCT run production after developing the equipment?
Yes. FCT can operate the assembly process and supply finished, production-ready components as an ongoing manufacturing service.
What types of components can be assembled?
Potential applications include fasteners, retention devices, clips, molded components, foam and adhesive parts, seals, gaskets, and other multi-component assemblies. Final feasibility depends on part geometry, materials, tolerances, joining method, quality requirements, and volume.
Can inspection be included?
Where appropriate, sensors, vision systems, force monitoring, and other controls can be considered to verify component presence, position, orientation, or assembly completion.
When should a manufacturer consider automation?
Automation is worth evaluating when manual assembly creates labor constraints, variation, ergonomic concerns, quality risk, throughput limitations, or unnecessary work at the final assembly line.