How we delivered 725+ large-format HVAC filter trays per day for a leading agriculture infrastructure developer — a complete end-to-end process from in-house sheet extrusion through vacuum forming, trimming, assembly, finishing, and packing.
725+
Parts Per Day
7,800
Filter Trays Per Month
7
Process Steps
2x
Output Scaled
Project Overview
A leading agriculture infrastructure developer required large-format HVAC filter trays produced at scale — demanding end-to-end manufacturing capability from raw material to packed pallets.
Client
A leading agriculture infrastructure developer
Product
Large-format HVAC filter trays
Material
5 mm ABS heavy-gauge sheet (extruded in-house)
Part Dimensions
~1.9 m × 1.3 m × 125 mm
Core Challenge
Scale production from 16 to 32+ containers per week within 2 weeks
Final Outcome
Achieved 725+ parts/day across multi-plant operations
End-to-End Process
Every step of this project was executed in-house — from extruding the raw ABS sheet to shrink-wrapping the final pallets. Here's exactly how we did it.
5 mm ABS sheets extruded in-house on our extrusion lines. We scaled from 6 tonnes/day to 12 tonnes/day by adding a night shift with dedicated operators. Full control over gauge, color, and surface finish — no dependence on external sheet suppliers.
4 thermoforming machines running simultaneously — 1 XL double-cavity machine producing 2 parts per shot, plus 3 single-cavity machines across two facilities. Cycle time was optimized from 7 minutes to 4.5 minutes by adding base plate cooling to the mold tooling.
Nested cavity pairs from the XL machine are manually separated using hand saws. Each shot produces two interlocked trays that must be carefully split along the rib lines. Run-off material is removed and sent back for regrinding.
5 CNC trimming machines per shift (day + night) handle the 3D edge profiles and tight tolerances required. Each tray is placed on a precision jig and trimmed to final dimensions. The complex rib geometry and multi-level edges demand jig-based router accuracy.
31 mounting holes per tray are fitted with bolts and circlips using pneumatic dual-gun tools. 6 dedicated assembly stations run in parallel, each with a precision fixture table. Assembly throughput was doubled through better workflow monitoring and live data tracking.
Excess material, burrs, and flash are removed at finishing stations. PVC pipes are then bolted between mounting points on the tray's underside. Both operations were scaled by adding more tables and pipe stations with matched compressed air and jig setups.
Finished trays are stacked on wooden pallets, bundled with cardboard separators, and shrink-wrapped. Each pallet holds 6–8 trays weighing approximately 150 kg. Flow tables and roller conveyors were added between stations to eliminate movement bottlenecks.
Scale-Up Strategy
To double output within 2 weeks, we identified bottlenecks at each station and implemented targeted improvements — no full automation required.
| Process Area | Bottleneck | Solution | Impact | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forming | 7 min cycle time due to non-thermoregulated mold | Added base plate cooling system | Cycle reduced to ~4.5 min (36% faster) | |
| Extrusion | 6 tonnes/day insufficient for scaled demand | Added night shift with 2 dedicated operators | Doubled to 12 tonnes/day | |
| Assembly | Bottleneck at scale with 6 stations | Doubled manpower + live data monitoring | 2× throughput with quality maintained | |
| Finishing | Only 2 shaving + 2 pipe stations | Added 2–4 more tables and pipe stations | Eliminated downstream bottleneck | |
| Packing | Slow movement between zones | Added flow tables and roller conveyors | Continuous flow, no idle time |
Results
2×
Output Doubled
Scaled from 16 to 32+ containers per week within 2 weeks
36%
Cycle Time Reduced
Forming cycle optimized from 7 min to 4.5 min with base plate cooling
725+
Parts Per Day
Sustained daily output across multi-plant, multi-shift operations
54
Containers/Month
Target monthly shipping volume achieved through systematic scale-up
Vertically integrated extrusion-to-packing capability enables rapid scale-up without supply chain delays
Base plate cooling alone reduced forming cycle time by 36% — a low-cost, high-impact improvement
Multi-plant operations (2 facilities) provide redundancy and surge capacity for large orders
Live data tracking at assembly stations enables real-time throughput monitoring and bottleneck detection
In-house sheet extrusion means material supply scales instantly with production demand
Systematic process optimization doubled output in just 2 weeks without full automation
Whether it's HVAC filter trays, automotive panels, or industrial enclosures — we have the vertically integrated capacity to take your project from concept to container-loads. Send us your part details for a free feasibility review.