ASG, Division of Jergens, Inc. Company Review: Precision fastening tools, screwfeeding and engineered assembly cells
ASG is the assembly-solutions division of Jergens, supplying fastening tools, production aids and engineered automation. Its Cleveland-based business combines tool expertise with assembly-cell integration, which makes it relevant when the manufacturing problem is a reliable fastening process rather than robot movement alone.
Engineering verdict
ASG is a useful candidate for threaded-assembly projects that require a coordinated tool, screwfeeding, fixture and automation approach. The strongest fit is a clearly defined joint and production process. The main limitation is scope: a robot package, a fastening tool and a commissioned traceable assembly cell are different deliverables and must be specified separately.
Company at a glance
Company detail | Verified scope |
Company | ASG, Division of Jergens, Inc. |
Technical focus | Precision fastening tools, screwfeeding and engineered assembly cells |
Role | Assembly-tool supplier and automation-system integrator |
Country | United States |
Company history | Assembly products offered since 1976 |
Background and business role
ASG describes assembly-product activity since 1976 and identifies Jergens as its parent. Its portfolio includes Express, Precision Fastening and Automation groups, with selected third-party tool brands alongside ASG systems. The Automation group describes both pre-engineered and custom work. This combination can help buyers connect fastening expertise with cell design, but the purchase specification should identify the manufacturer, integrator and support responsibility for each major subsystem.
AX cells and the represented portfolio
The AX-10 tabletop package and AX-20 fixed-table system are the catalogue entries relevant here. Current ASG material groups AX-10 with AX-15 and AX-20 with AX-30 and AX-40, reflecting a broader choice of cell sizes and configurations. Robot type, feeding, workholding and inspection can vary. Do not assume a historical AX-20 example defines the robot, safety arrangement or installed options of every newly quoted cell.
Fastening quality starts with the joint
Torque control is only one part of a reliable threaded joint. Define screw and hole condition, seating behavior, access, cross-thread detection and the required torque-angle strategy. Part and fastener variation should be represented in the acceptance samples. A nominal tool torque range or a successful dry-cycle demonstration cannot establish clamp load or production yield for a real joint with variable friction and tolerances.
Integration and traceability
Screw presentation, pickup, robot approach and fixture location need to work as one process. Establish how a missing screw, failed pickup or fastening reject is detected and recovered. If traceability matters, define which values are retained, how they are linked to the workpiece and how invalid results block progression. Barcode readers, vision and plant interfaces should appear explicitly in the agreed scope rather than being inferred from an automation-cell label.
Applications and alternatives
ASG identifies electronics, medical equipment, PCB assembly, white goods and automotive components among relevant applications. Compare a complete automated cell with a guided manual workstation or a semiautomatic fixture using the same joint-quality criteria. Include product mix, loading time, changeover and reject recovery. Automation is most useful when its process capability and operating economics are demonstrated on representative production parts, rather than justified by robot speed alone.
Acceptance, service and commercial scope
Specify the selected robot, tooling, feeders, fixtures, guarding, software and data interfaces in one controlled bill of materials. Agree who programs the robot and validates the finished process; different ASG packages have different integration boundaries. Request a quotation with commissioning, training, spares and changeover tooling identified. Preserve fastening recipes and tool calibration requirements so replacement hardware does not silently change the validated assembly process.
Representative products in the ATC catalogue
These internal catalogue entries show the product families covered on All Things Cobots. Related variants or historical listings are not a count of unique current manufacturer SKUs.
Selection checklist
Decision | Evidence to request |
Joint definition | Qualify real screws, mating parts, seating and torque-angle requirements. |
Cell scope | Identify robot, feeder, fixture, inspection and programming deliverables. |
Traceability | Define retained results, workpiece identity and reject handling. |
Acceptance | Demonstrate cycle time and quality across representative part variation. |
Frequently asked questions
Is ASG a robot manufacturer?
Its reviewed role is assembly-tool supplier and automation integrator. A quoted system may contain third-party robots, so robot manufacture and cell integration should be distinguished.
How do AX-10 and AX-20 differ?
They represent tabletop and framed assembly-cell approaches respectively. Confirm the current robot, workspace, workholding and options in the proposed configuration.
Does controlled torque guarantee joint quality?
No. Friction, screw condition, seating and joint design affect the result. Qualify the fastening strategy on representative parts and define acceptable process signatures.
Is robot programming always included?
No universal inclusion should be assumed. ASG describes different packages with different scope; programming and commissioning must be stated in the proposal.
What should a screwfeeding trial include?
Use production fasteners and representative access conditions. Test presentation, pickup, missing-fastener detection and recovery from realistic feeding faults.
How should traceability be specified?
Define stored torque or angle results, workpiece identification, retention and the action taken when the fastening result is missing or rejected.
What alternatives deserve comparison?
A guided manual station or semiautomatic fixture may suit high product mix. Compare complete cycle, quality, changeover and labor requirements with the automated proposal.
What belongs in acceptance testing?
Include real joint variation, feeding faults, rejects, changeovers, traceability, safe recovery and sustained production duty, not just unloaded robot motion.
