Forward Technology (headquartered in Cokato, Minnesota and online at http://www.forwardtech.com/) is a world-class manufacturer specializing in the design, engineering, and production of standard and fully customized plastic assembly systems, material testing equipment, and industrial automation solutions. Founded in 1965, the company has established itself as an industry leader in non-adhesive thermoplastic joining technologies and high-precision leak validation systems.
Forward Technology operates as a proud member of The Crest Group Company—a multinational corporate collective comprised of specialized industrial entities that share intellectual property, technical innovations, and manufacturing capabilities. Through this network, Forward Technology integrates specialized Swiss and domestic ultrasonic components, advanced digital power controls, and robotic platforms to deliver comprehensive manufacturing cells for industries spanning automotive, medical device manufacturing, life sciences, consumer electronics, and filtration.
Core Operational Competencies
Forward Technology focuses on engineering production-line machinery that replaces chemical adhesives and mechanical fasteners with direct thermal, frictional, and ultrasonic bonding mechanisms. The company's engineering division analyzes raw thermoplastic material characteristics—including melt temperatures, surface geometries, and resin compositions—to develop repeatable joining cycles. Ninety-five percent of the company's machinery, specialized fixture tooling, and processing horns are engineered and manufactured entirely in-house at their Minnesota production facility, providing full quality control over material tolerances and mechanical design.
Product Offerings: Plastic Assembly & Welding Systems
The company manufactures an extensive lineup of industrial thermoplastic welders utilizing diverse thermal and mechanical energy delivery systems:
1. Hot Plate Welders
Designed for structural or hermetic seals on complex, contoured, or large thermoplastic parts, these systems utilize a heated platen to melt joint interfaces before pressing them together under controlled hydraulic or pneumatic force.
* VH-1445 (Vertical Hydraulic Hot Plate Welder): Features a vertical heat platen orientation and precision-controlled hydraulic motion. It is capable of processing singular large components up to 14" x 45" or running multi-cavity tool sets to weld several smaller components simultaneously.
* Custom Tooling Blocks: In-house milled hot plates and contoured nest fixtures engineered with high-zone thermal uniformity to eliminate structural warping during execution.
2. Infrared Welders
Utilizing non-contact clean radiant energy, infrared systems rapidly melt plastic joint surfaces using short-wave or medium-wave IR emitters, eliminating the risk of material sticking to a heated platen.
* VAFIR-1015 (Vertical Air/Pneumatic Filter Infrared Welder): Specially engineered for the filtration industry to weld complex filter geometries and media bags up to 10" in diameter, 15" in height, and 69" in length without burning or fiber deformation.
3. Vibration Welders
These systems apply linear frictional heat by rubbing two thermoplastic parts together under substantial clamp force at specific frequencies (typically 120Hz to 240Hz).
* DLVW-2248 Series: Employs advanced 2-pole digital servo drive technology to significantly enhance process control, overall energy efficiency, and amplitude adjustments compared to older electromagnetic drive systems.
4. Spin Welders
Optimized for circular or cylindrical thermoplastic parts, spin welding uses rotational friction to melt joint interfaces.
* HD-OSW Spin Welder: An adjustable servo-driven system designed for benchtop deployment, frame mounting, or direct automated assembly line integration. The servo system precisely controls RPM, down-force, and final angular orientation relative to each part within a tolerance of +/- one degree.
5. Ultrasonic Welders
In direct partnership with sister companies Rinco Ultrasonics and Mecasonic, Forward Technology integrates world-renowned Swiss ultrasonic acoustic components into robust pneumatic and servo presses for high-speed, localized weld cycles.
Product Offerings: Testing & Validation Machinery
Post-assembly verification is integrated into the manufacturing line through specialized non-destructive testing platforms:
Custom Leak Testing Systems
Forward Technology designs industrial leak testers to analyze structural sealing integrity across consumer, industrial, and medical product sectors.
* Pressure Decay & Mass Flow Instruments: Systems utilize user-programmed test pressures, ramp rates, and rejection limits adjustable digitally in fine increments (such as 1.0 PSI).
* Process Information Collection: Internal logging modules capture real-time curve profiles, cycle times, and pass/fail statistics for complete traceability.
Burst Testing Equipment
Destructive or high-pressure non-destructive systems designed to safely pressurize enclosed plastic vessels, tanks, and fluid lines to confirm maximum structural burst thresholds.
Automation, Robotics, & Cleaning Systems
Beyond standalone industrial machinery, Forward Technology specializes in building fully autonomous multi-step manufacturing cells:
Robotic Integration
The company’s controls engineering team implements robotic arms from major global platforms including Fanuc, ABB, and Yaskawa. These robots are utilized for automated part picking, precise torch or platen orientation, and secondary assembly loading.
Material Handling Ecosystems
- Rotary Indexing Tables: High-speed dials that rotate components sequentially beneath assembly, testing, and marking stations.
- Inline and Pallet Transfer Systems: Multi-station conveyor tracks engineered to transfer sub-assemblies continuously through the factory environment.
Precision Cleaning Division
In collaboration with Crest Ultrasonics, Forward Technology manufactures custom automated industrial cleaning lines. These systems utilize advanced aqueous formulations, engineered solvents, and high-pressure spray technologies to remove machining contaminants, particulate matter, and oils from production components prior to the final plastic welding phase.
Professional & Technical Services
To maintain continuous runtime and line efficiency, the company backs its hardware line with full lifecycle support services:
- Application & Tooling Evaluation: Engineers conduct complimentary professional reviews of client part designs and material resins to determine the optimal bonding process before machinery configuration.
- Field Support & Preventative Maintenance: The firm operates a dedicated technical service group to manage on-site machine installations, calibrate electronic servo parameters, and train operating personnel.
- Custom Retrofitting and Spare Parts: Rapid manufacturing and shipment of custom nesting tools, custom welding horns, and internal pneumatic/hydraulic components to accommodate client production line upgrades.
