Transition Automation Receives Notice of Allowance for Patent Related to Tool-Free Squeegee Holder

Transition Automation, Inc. is proud to announce that it received a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent office for U.S. Patent Application No. 18/408,153. The Title of the Patent is “Squeegee Holder with an Integrated Clamp Bar,” which was filed on January 9, 2024. This invention follows the direction that Transition Automation has been moving in the last four years toward better ergonomics and functionality at the squeegee holder.

This is the second design of a “tool-free” style holder by Transition Automation. The main functional benefit of this invention is that a squeegee blade may be inserted and locked within five seconds. The locking method is very low profile and highly accurate. With developed industries such as the SMT Printing industry, it is beneficial for the tools involved to be easily assembled and disassembled – for cleaning and setup efficiency. This holder design maintains the same outline as the standard Permalex Universal Holder, which has been manufactured for the last six years. However, in this case, this holder eliminates the series of screws typically distributed along the clamp bar.

This holder accomplishes the clamping with a pivot rod that is welded to the clamp bar. There are up to three thumb screws that are turned from the back side of the squeegee holder, which push on the pivoting clamp bar to secure the blade. As with most precision tools, the lower number of parts and manufacturing details leads to better quality and less process interruption for lost components and errors by operators.

This product is slated for release in the third quarter of 2025.

Founded in 1989, Transition Automation, Inc. is the first company to propose using metal squeegees for SMT when all SMT printers at the time used Polyurethane blades. Transition Automation remains the only company with a singular focus on high-performance metal squeegee blades and holder systems. Permalex brand squeegees incorporate a polymer infusion and are used by many top-tier electronics manufacturers – especially those companies who supply to high-value, mission-critical end markets, such as Space and Satellite, Automotive, Avionics and Industrial Controls. Transition Automation, Inc. is located at 5 Trader Circle, Building D, Tyngsboro, MA 01879 USA; Phone: 978-649-2400; Fax 978649-2402, Web: www.metalsqueegees.com