Efficient joining technology and pressing systems for the automotive industry

Industries

TOX® offers high-performance joining technologies and press systems for industrial automotive production. Our solutions are used in body construction, powertrain manufacturing, e-mobility, and battery production. They enable the efficient, precise, and process-reliable joining of different materials as well as the reliable assembly of components—ideal for automated mass production with high volumes and short cycle times.

Challenges in the automotive industry

New powertrain concepts, innovative materials, and increasing demands for quality and efficiency are presenting manufacturers and suppliers with increasingly complex manufacturing tasks. At the same time, production processes must be designed to be flexible, cost-effective, and highly automated in order to meet the demands of modern vehicle platforms.

TOX® supports companies in the automotive industry with high-performance solutions for joining technology in automotive manufacturing, precise pressing systems, and innovative technologies. Our automotive servo presses and joining systems enable reliable joints, reproducible results, and efficient integration into automated production lines. In this way, we lay the foundation for cost-effective and future-proof manufacturing processes — from body-in-white production to powertrain and e-mobility manufacturing.

Typical challenges include:

  • lightweight construction concepts using high-strength steels and aluminum

  • reliable joints between different materials and material combinations

  • increasing demands on quality, process reliability, and traceability

  • short cycle times with high production volumes

  • high product variety and flexible manufacturing processes

  • integration of new drive technologies and e-mobility components

  • automated production lines with maximum equipment availability

  • cost-effective manufacturing amid rising efficiency and sustainability requirements

The right solution for your application

Body Construction

Reliable joining technologies

Powertrain

Precise pressing and drive technologies

E-Mobility

Flexible joining and drive technologies

Body construction – reliable joining technologies

In body construction, joining technology is becoming increasingly important, particularly due to the use of high-strength steels and multi-material composites. TOX® offers advanced clinching systems that require no additional fasteners, as well as joining systems for processing fasteners such as semi-hollow or solid-punch rivets. These systems guarantee force- and form-fit joints with high process stability and are optimized for automated production lines. This significantly improves efficiency and reproducibility in the manufacture of automotive body structures. The use of these technologies is crucial for meeting modern requirements for vehicle lightweighting and strength.

The incorporation of functional elements also enables the integration of additional fastening and connection options directly into the sheet metal—for example, for trim, brackets, or add-on parts.

  1. Press-fitting of functional elements into mega-casting components

  2. Clinching of add-on parts

  3. Semi-tubular punch riveting of structural components

  4. Joining roof and frame structures

  5. Joining high-strength steels in crash-relevant structures

Practical examples in body construction

Applications in automotive body construction illustrate how TOX® joining technologies and fastening techniques are used in the automotive industry to reliably create high-strength and multi-material joints, while ensuring high component quality and production efficiency.

Strut tower
Installation of functional elements using the TOX® Functional Element System

Wheel well
Clinching of structural components with the TOX® Clinching System

B-pillar and door impact beam
Inserting functional elements with the TOX® THETA i Functional Element System

Body structure
and battery housing riveted in the vehicle using the TOX® Riveting System SPR

Attachments such as bonnet and tailgate
Clinching of multi-material assemblies with the TOX® Clinching System

Your benefits

TOX® joining technologies enable reliable and reproducible joints between different materials — even with complex geometries and multi-material structures. These versatile technology systems can be efficiently integrated into automated manufacturing processes and help reduce production costs. Clinching completely eliminates the need for additional fasteners, thereby reducing material and process costs while enabling a particularly energy-efficient joint.

Powertrain – precision pressing and drive technologies

Powertrain manufacturing requires the highest precision and process reliability, particularly in the production of transmission housings, rotors, stators, and bearing assemblies. These components demand precisely controlled pressing and assembly processes. In addition, seamless monitoring of the entire process is essential to ensure repeatability. Modern manufacturing techniques in powertrain production enable compliance with the strictest quality standards and contribute to optimizing efficiency.

TOX® offers high-performance pneumohydraulic drives and electromechanical servo presses for this purpose, which enable the precise execution of demanding assembly and press-fit tasks and can be seamlessly integrated into automated production lines.

  1. Joining and pressing in fan wheels

  2. Pressing bushings and bearings into housings

  3. Mounting gears on shafts

  4. Connecting power electronics

  5. Joining pins, grounding bolts, and functional elements

Practical examples from the powertrain sector

In powertrain manufacturing, TOX® pressing systems and drive solutions are used to ensure precise, high-quality press-fitting, assembly, and calibration processes. These technologies are essential for the automotive industry, as they ensure a high degree of repeatability and accuracy.

Securing power electronics
eClinching of electrical components with the TOX® Clinching System and TOX® Tools

Tripole or articulated drive axis
Press-fitting of tripole bearings with the TOX® ElectricDrive

Gearboxes
Installation with the TOX® ElectricDrive

Your benefits

TOX® pressing and drive systems ensure high repeatability and stable process flows for demanding assembly tasks. Integrated process monitoring reliably meets quality requirements, reduces scrap, and sustainably increases productivity.

Die TOX® Clinch-Technologie ist ein Fügeprozess nach DIN 8593 der Fertigungstechnik

Efficient joining without additional parts

In clinching, sheet metal parts are joined together via local plastic deformation to form a force- and form-fit connection without the need for additional fasteners such as rivets or screws. The process is particularly well-suited for thin-walled materials and multi-material joints in automotive body construction and enables high process reliability as well as consistent joint quality. Thanks to its low energy requirements and ease of automation, clinching is a cost-effective solution for high-volume series production in the automotive industry.

Flexible Solutions for Automotive Production

The TOX® Multi Technology Platform enables the integration of various joining technologies and pressing processes into a modular system architecture. This allows different applications—such as clinching, riveting, or press-fitting—to be flexibly combined in a single system and adapted to changing production requirements. For automotive series production, this means high scalability, efficient process integration, and maximum system availability, while simultaneously reducing setup times and optimizing production output.

Clinching tongs on robotic arms in an automotive assembly line

Engineering partnership for stable production processes

As an engineering partner, TOX® supports projects from the initial analysis right through to series production integration:

  1. Assessment of material, geometry and load requirements

  2. Feasibility analysis and testing

  3. Design of tooling and press system

  4. Integration into existing or new production lines

  5. Validation and process monitoring

The aim is not merely to join and press two individual components, but to develop a robust, cost-effective, and scalable overall process.

Are you planning a project in the automotive industry?

Are you planning a project in the automotive industry?

Have your component evaluated or schedule an engineering consultation with our experts.

Frequently asked questions about the automotive industry & joining technologies

What joining technologies are used in automotive manufacturing?
Why is clinching so important in automotive body construction?
What role do press systems play in automotive production?
What solutions are available for e-mobility production?
How does TOX® support integration into existing production lines?

Maximum efficiency, precise processes

Technologies for the automotive industry

Clinching

For sustainable and energy-efficient joints in automotive body construction

Riveting

Riveting battery module housings and mounts for electric motors

Press-fitting

Press-fitting of functional elements such as bolts and nuts for fastening vehicle components

eClinching

Electrically conductive connection of busbars for fault currents up to 250 A

Punching

From small cutouts to entire sunroof openings

Assembly

Press-fitting and press-mounting of bushings and bearings, or the production of precise press-fit connections