ACRO has served the Exhaust industry for over 20 years with special emphasis in the high value catalytic converter, hot-end assembly and muffler/resonator sections of the exhaust systems. ACRO is actively pursuing a strategy of providing a mass customizable set of features that allow ACRO to provide near custom level machinery at delivery periods near standard machinery levels. As the exhaust system continues to become more sophisticated, ACRO applies technology strategically to provide you with more information about the assembly or production processes while production is taking place. As emissions control technology continues to become more sophisticated, look to ACRO to help you solve your production machinery and process challenges.

Take a close look at the value added process and machinery expertise that ACRO can provide to Tier 1 suppliers and other companies as they continue their quest to produce state of the art, reliable exhaust components and systems. Not only does the right production machinery allow you to be competitive, it allows you to support the product warranties that the industry is demanding.

Hot-End Assembly

The catalytic converter, the most critical hot-end component, requires a supplier with experience and know-how to get the job done. ACRO’s canning & assembly machinery experience includes:

• Canning systems include: Stuffed converter, shoe box, clam shell, tourniquet wrap and size after stuffing.
• Maniverters, Pre-Cat, Underfloor, and Light-off Systems
• Trapezoidal, round, oval and race track converter styles
• 400, 600 and 900 CPI, DPF monoliths in production
• Face code, bar code and CPI monolith vision inspection
• Mat materials including high fiber, vermiculite and wire mesh
• Measuring GBD information for on-line pass/fail decisions
• Data logging as well as immediate feedback to operators
• Pin stamping, bar code reading and part tracking

Hot-End Welding

The converter must be joined to manifolds (both cast and stamped), end cones, pipes, O2 sensor boss and flanges to complete the Hot-End assembly and ACRO’s welding, inspection and tooling expertise allows us to perform:

• Manifold to converter or cones welding
• End Cone sub-assembly and welding systems
• O2 sensor boss and Y-Pipe welding systems
• Inlet pipes, Outlet pipes, flanges and flex couplings

Cold End Welding

• Silencers/Mufflers – Stamped muffler sub-assembly and final assembly welding systems, using resistance, Mig, Tig, Plasma and Laser welding processes in fixed automation or robotic applications. Resistance welding of conventional round and oval shaped mufflers, baffles to perf tubes, baffles to outer shell.
• Resonators – Resistance welding of baffles to perf tubes, baffles to outer shell. End cap welding to inlet, outlet tubes.
• Intermediate pipe and tail pipe weld cells. Dual torch welding lathes to weld the inlet, intermediate pipes to the resonators and mufflers. Robotic weld cells for pipe to muffler/resonator welding applications. Manual weld fixtures for low volume applications or lower capital cost needs.
• Tab and Torca clamps – Resistance welding cells to ensure proper location of tab (buttons) to inlet pipes and outlet pipes. Torca weld cells using either Mig or resistance welding processes to ensure the proper location of the torca clamp to a sub-assembly.
• Hanger Rods – Mig weld cells and fixtures for manual or robotic welding of the hanger rods to the final cold end assembly.

Cold End Assembly

• Silencers/Mufflers – Eglass direct fill dispensing systems for either stamped or conventional mufflers and resonators. Weight monitoring systems to ensure the proper amount of grams are dispensed into the product.
• Isolators – Automated assembly of isolators onto hanger rods prior to loading into shipping containers.

Peripheral Manufacturing Processes:

ACRO is experienced with supporting pre and post processing of exhaust components and uses this knowledge to minimize machinery complexity and optimize end product quality. ACRO does not attempt to reinvent stable, reliable processes and machinery, but rather looks for opportunities to optimize production processes. This is possibly ACRO’s greatest strength.

• Vision Inspection – Utilized to read face codes of monoliths to distinguish between varying emission level designs
• Pin Stamping or Bar Coding – Utilized to print information on exhaust components and final assemblies to support
• Pipe Bending – Utilized to optimize end product dimensional requirements and tolerancing
• Sizing – Utilized to reform pipe ends, weldments and cone stampings in preparation for downstream welding or other operations
• Forming – Many times to provide clearance to fit within the envelope of an automobile, pipes and other exhaust components must be reformed or deformed
• Leak Testing & Gauging – Every final exhaust assembly must be leak tested and gauged to ensure integrity

Full Systems Assembly/Welding:

Take advantage of ACRO’s ability to stage an entire cell or production line at our facility to produce an entire sub-system or a complete exhaust assembly. Our customers:

• Optimize manufacturing processes from an entire production line or cell view instead of struggling with individual machine performances. Many times an adjustment to one station will simplify or resolve difficulties in a station downstream
• Utilize the complete line or cell to perform short-run production at ACRO prior to shipment in support of product testing
• Avoid costly shipping expenses typically associated with individual parts shipping between multiple equipment suppliers
• Experience the reality of a complete working cell or line well in advance of equipment arriving at their production facility
• Experience greater opportunity to involve more personnel in the equipment design, refinement and runoff process prior to pre-pilot installation/setup. A luxury never before available
• Optimize productivity of manufacturing engineering, quality and/or process engineering personnel by limiting the downtime associated with running between multiple equipment suppliers