Welding Fixtures & Configurable Tooling
Rentapen designs and manufactures precision welding fixtures using modular tooling components that securely position parts for manual and robotic welding applications
Custom Welding Fixtures & Configurable Tooling for Industrial Manufacturing
With more than 50 years of work-holding design experience, Rentapen engineers design and manufacture precision working holding fixtures, namely welding fixtures using modular (common or NAAMS standard) tooling components that securely position parts for manual and robotic welding applications.
We support the full scope of industrial manufacturing – from Robotic OEMS, independent robotic integrators, to original equipment manufacturers (OEM’s) and any manufacturing company that welds internally. Including various fabrication shops, stamping, machine, and tool and die shops. We even support design and build companies that compete in the same industries as us!
As a turnkey resource, we adapt to each customer’s product design requirements, process, timeline and production requirements.
We serve organizations that:
Benefit from our expert engineering to assist in design,
build and delivery of fully assembled, ready-to-run welding fixtures.
Custom Engineering
Many manufacturers rely on Rentapen for complete custom welding fixture solutions. We research, engineer, design and build fixtures tailored to your exact production requirements — from simple tack fixtures to complex pneumatic, clamping, part-sensing, robotic weld cell applications.
Design and/or build their own weld and work-holding fixtures in house by providing versatile, commonly configured components.
Tooling Components
Rentapen meets the expectations of those manufacturers who design, modify and build fixtures in-house. Our tailored product line includes versatile standard tooling components – blocks, risers, plates, shims and caps.
Rentapen reduces its customers’ costs, speeds up production time, improves weld access and repeatability, ensuring optimum quality control.
Rentapen also designs and builds tailored trunnions, base plates, frames and backbones to customers’ requirements, facilitating and streamlining the customers’ work-holding and positioning needs. Our trunnions efficiently secure, manipulate and rotate weld fixtures for a single operator, ensuring precision weld access and consistent high-quality results.
Our team delivers durable, precision-built fixtures engineered to improve efficiency, repeatability and weld quality.
The Rentapen Mission
Rentapen serves the manual and robotic weld automation industry with precision-engineered custom work-holding solutions along with standardized configurable fixture components designed for durability, repeatability and performance. Our team stays at the forefront of evolving technologies and changing production demands. We invest in engineering capability, process improvement and long-term partnerships.
The Rentapen Culture
Precision products require a precision team. At Rentapen, our welding fixtures and components reflect the engineering discipline, accountability and craftsmanship of the people behind them. We hold ourselves to high standards — in design, execution, communication and partnership — because our customers depend on performance.
What You Can Expect from the Rentapen Team:
Engineering Expertise
We recruit engineers and fixture specialists with strong technical foundations and equip them with advanced design tools and evolving technologies. Ongoing training ensures continuous growth and capability.
Experience & Continuous Improvement
Since 1976, we have designed machines, components and welding fixtures for demanding manufacturers. Each project strengthens our knowledge, sharpens our processes and improves our next solution.
Operational Discipline
We follow proven systems to deliver projects on time and on budget. Cross-check processes, redundancy safeguards and disciplined planning deliver accuracy from design through production.
Accountability & Integrity
We take ownership of our work. We stand behind our commitments, address challenges directly, and operate with fairness and ethical responsibility. Trust is earned — and we protect it.
Transparency & Communication
We keep customers informed at every stage. Clear updates, shared visuals and open dialogue ensure alignment, reduce surprises and improve results.
Adaptability & Ownership
We welcome ideas, challenge assumptions and continuously refine our processes. When obstacles arise, we respond with solutions. When mistakes occur, we take responsibility, address the issues and improve on them.
Our History
Rentapen’s strength today is built on decades of engineering evolution and manufacturing innovation.
Founded in Rockford, Illinois in 1976 as Straley’s Services, the company began as a family-owned machine design firm. From its earliest days, engineering discipline and hands-on problem-solving defined the business.
The name “Rentapen” evolved from the phrase “rent a pencil and ink plotters,” a term once used for hired contract support engineers in the early 70’s. As CAD came into existence, the printing device used to print CAD drawings was ink based. As drafting boards transitioned to digital platforms, so did “Rentapen” — becoming early adopters of 2D CAD and later, advanced 3D solid modeling technologies. Along the way, we supported leading manufacturers in modernizing their engineering systems and improving efficiency.
In the early 2000s, Rentapen expanded into a dedicated design and work-holding fixture building company – “turn-key” in response to growing demand for precision tooling components delivered with accuracy and consistency. By creating a library of standardized commonly repeated fixture elements such as blocks, plates and shims, we reduced costs, minimized errors, and improved design and production speed.
This innovation led to the creation of the RAPid Order Processing System™ — a streamlined workflow designed to move components efficiently from order confirmation through production and shipment. Today, RAPid Tooling Components™ account for nearly half of our business.
For nearly five decades, Rentapen has evolved with manufacturing technology while maintaining a consistent commitment to precision and reliability for continuous and ongoing customer partnership.
Our Team
Gregory Leas
Co-Owner
Gregg acquired Rentapen in 2014 with Co-Owner Paul Kruschke. He is a Wisconsin-based business professional with a diverse background in manufacturing, real estate operations, real estate & business law and finance. In 2010, Gregg started Phoenix Precision Products with current Rentapen General Manager John Jordan to supply local manufacturers with CNC machined components. Phoenix operated separately until being acquired by Rentapen in 2020. Gregg currently leads business operations for Rentapen, while also managing quoting and customer relations for Rentapen’s CNC machining operations.
gleas@rentapen.com
(262) 391-1529
Paul Kruschke
Co-Owner
Paul acquired the Company in 2014 with Co-Owner Gregg Leas. He is a Wisconsin-based executive with more than 40 years of manufacturing business experience, including 10 years with General Electric Medical’s Milwaukee-area operations and 30 years as owner of Industry to Industry, a leading manufacturer’s representative firm based in New Berlin, WI. Paul currently manages Rentapen’s welding fixture design & build services, including management of engineering, quoting and customer relations.
paul.kruschke@rentapen.com
(414) 881-3693
Chris Doll
Lead Engineer
Chris is the most experienced engineer at Rentapen with 20+ years of expertise focused on designing & building weld fixtures for businesses engaged in both manual and robotic welding applications. Chris is a graduate of UW-Milwaukee’s Engineering School with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. He leads Rentapen’s engineering team in the design of all welding fixture projects and oversees its manufacturing processes from an engineering perspective.
chris.doll@rentapen.com
(414) 355-5221 x102
John Jordan
General Manager
John is a seasoned manufacturing professional with more than 30 years of hands-on operating experience. He’s an experienced CNC machining programmer and operator, proficient in both CNC milling and turning processes, working with a wide range of material types. John manages Rentapen’s machining operations including quoting, programming, job assignments, oversight of machinists and quality control.
John.jordan@rentapen.com
(414) 899-1255
Michael Zachowski
Department Manager, Rapid Tooling Components (RTC)
Mike is an experienced business and accounting professional with an accounting degree from UW-Milwaukee. He handles a wide range of operational responsibilities within the company, including quoting, material purchasing, fulfillment and shipping for the Rentapen’s RTC component operations. The RTC department includes laser cut shims and CNC machined blocks, plates and risers. Mike is also responsible for Rentapen’s general bookkeeping and payroll processing.
mike.zachowski@rentapen.com
(414) 355-5221
Legal Notices & Disclosures
Production & Delivery Times
Production times and delivery dates will be set at the time the purchase order is completed. Rentapen has an excellent track record of on-time deliveries. Our team works hard to promise only what we can deliver. Sometimes situations can arise that are beyond our control. Rentapen LLC shall not be held responsible for any delay or failure to meet delivery expectations that are beyond our control. This includes, but is not limited to labor difficulties, fires, casualties, accidents, acts of God, transportation difficulties, inability to obtain material or governmental regulation or actions.
Shipping
Rentapen wil prepay and add freight charges to your invoice if you do not supply us with a carrier account to use. Title and risk of loss pass to the customer upon tender of shipment to the carrier. If product is damaged in transit, the customer must file the claim with the carrier.
Limited Warranty
Rentapen, LLC aims to provide only quality products. If for some reason customers have a problem with a component, please contact us within 30 days after shipment. We will replace any defective RAPid Tooling Component free of charge. In no event, shall Rentapen, LLC be liable for special, incidental or consequential damages including loss of profits.
Return Policy
We stand behind our products. Rentapen will accept any defective or incorrectly shipped merchandise at our expense. Other components may be returned with a restocking charge of 25%. Return requests must be made within 30 days after shipment with a Return Material Authorization Number from Rentapen. Custom RTC components will be determined on an individual basis.
Engineering Changes
Product improvement is a continuous process at Rentapen, LLC. RAPid Tooling Components are continually subject to design improvement. We strive to update our website and catalog with engineering changes as soon as possible. However, due to inevitable lag times, dimensions and specifications are subject to change without notice.
CAD Files
3D models of components can be created and downloaded from www.weldfixturecomponts.com Here is the link to the online CAD catalog.
Certifications
