What springmaker doesn’t look forward to Spring World? The fact that it only comes around once every two years makes the anticipation all the sweeter. There is a treat for everyone in the business. Whether you are an owner, engineer, salesperson or shop floor technician, there’s a feeling of awe for a machine that can be set up with a few keystrokes and change over from springs to wireforms in a matter of minutes. Whether or not your own shop is high-volume, there is a palpable sense of excitement in watching a high-speed coiler spit out 20,000 or more springs in 60 quick minutes; it is mesmerizing. While only a select few attendees wield the pens that ink the checks that bring these marvels home to the shop floor, no one would begrudge any man or woman in attendance the chance to imagine the intricate designs that could be executed or the plum sales contract that could be clinched if that machine were to find a home in the dreamer’s plant.
Carl Atwater, president of A.I. Technology, understands the excitement for high-tech equipment. He understands the needs of owners and engineers to seek out machines that are automated to a very high standard. “It used to be that machines were more mechanical, and it was mechanical operations that controlled the machines. That type of springmaking involved artistry on the part of the setup person. But I look at it this way: You wouldn’t want a heart surgeon to operate with a hammer and a chisel, and you wouldn’t want a springmaker to struggle with a strictly mechanical machine these days. It’s like this: for spring technology, you need a computer to give you more precision.”
Computer control is much more precise than manual adjustments can be, and that improvement in technology has been driven by the demands of manufacturing. As tolerances on parts become stricter, more computer control is required to hold the exact tolerances needed. Beyond the ability to hold tolerances, there is also a demand for machines that can meet the ever-increasing need for more complex parts, which are three-dimensional. Atwater explains, “In math, there are only three axes, physically. In machinery, though, every time a motor drives a tool or slide, technically it is another axis. These axes replace the cams that had to be manually set by the setup person. This removes the human element. And, rather than being offended by this, springmakers are appreciative of the advancements in technology.”
Atwater recommends Itaya machines (www.itaya.co.jp) for precision springmaking. The newest Itaya line AIT represents is the RX Series. “One of our models has as few as six and up to 17 axes, and each axis is servo controlled, which really appeals to springmakers.” He sees these wireformers as assets to the owners because they can be operated by a “middle of the road” setup person. Through the magic of technology, a setup person can learn to make very precise parts but does not have to possess the level of finesse that was required of the artists of old. “This machine controls the forming in the third dimension. Most machines control the X and Y axis; however, the RX Series actually controls the Z-axis, as well, which is the in-and-out tools.” At Spring World, Atwater will display the RX Series in the AIT booth. He likes this series, in particular, because of its versatility. It can make extension springs as well as complex wireforms.
Michael Shapiro, president of the Gibraltar Corp., represents Simco machinery (www.simcotw.com). Shapiro likes the challenge of meeting the needs of springmakers, from operators to CEOs. “The president of a company wants a return on investment while an engineer is looking for a machine that will be easy to operate, has the fastest speed and can meet customers’ quality requirements.
He says most companies are “in tune with finding the best machine value for the money.” All day long, he hears the old refrain: “I want all that and the lowest price.” He sees the Simco line as doing a good job of answering that requirement. “Simco is supplying machines worldwide, and I think that is largely because we work to incorporate servo technology into moderately priced machines.”
Simco makes its machines in Taiwan because it is a relatively low-cost country for manufacturing. For Shapiro, one of the most salient features of Simco machines is the fact that they reflect the needs of the users. “We work with our customers to incorporate new ideas to come up with the technology that works for them in real-world manufacturing situations.
“We don’t design machines in a vacuum,” he explains. “We have to make a machine that gives customers a good return on investment. That has always been Simco’s philosophy.”
Shapiro feels this philosophy is reflected in the newest line of Simco machines, which are four-axis machines that use a rotating quill and have rotating wire capability. “Rotating wire enables the technician to set up more quickly with less tooling involved. It can run three-dimensional parts on multiple planes, and it allows the part to be moved to the tools as it is in the process of being formed, which increases both the versatility of the machine and the precision of the part.”
The Simco product that Shapiro will feature at Spring World is the 620 line. He likes it for the versatility it offers. It can make extension springs, torsion and double torsion springs, battery springs and wireforms.
The ability of this type of machine to make parts with simple tools is an asset, says Shapiro. “Customers don’t want to invest in hard tooling. They’re looking for a machine that allows you to set up and run fourslide-type parts but minimizes the need for expensive hard tools.” He also likes this line because, once a part is programmed into the machine, design modifications are easy. Modifications can be made without significant time or cost. At the same time, the 620 can use a broad range of wire sizes, from 0.4” to 2.3”.
Shapiro intends to also feature the CSC-530 at the show. Like Atwater, he is excited by the leap in machinery from old springmaking ways to high-tech methods. “In the past, machines used gears to drive cams, feeding wire and so on. Now they use gearboxes, which allow the machines to run quieter, faster and more accurately. The gearbox operation makes a product that’s more accurate, and it makes the machines easier to maintain.” Beyond forming, Shapiro likes the quality and design features that are incorporated into today’s machines. The CSC-530, for example, has a new setting feature that remembers the initial setup of a part, making subsequent setups very easy. Once the setup is final, the computer, using scales on parts of the coiler points, records the scale values for use in the next setup. The scales also make it easier to adjust the initial tension without the guesswork of tightening and loosening bolts until the correct “mystery combination” is found. Now the engineer can just turn the bolt until the scale registers the desired setting.
Jerry Jacques, president of Nichols International Machinery Systems Co. (Nimsco), represents the Simplex-Rapid line, which features a two-point CNC coiler. The MC Series is state of the art for coilers, says Jacques. “Engineers love this type of machine because it’s computer- and servo-controlled combined with the best of mechanics to give it the speed of the old mechanical machines but the easy operation, programming and setup of a CNC.”
A key feature owners and engineers look for in today’s machines is a touch screen controller with direct data entry, says Jacques. “A touch screen makes it easy to have fast setups, and easy modifications and adjustments to the design – there are few manual adjustments that need to be made to the machine itself. An engineer can tweak a design very quickly.”
New for Spring World, Nimsco will show a Simplex-Rapid model that has a patented tension control so the initial tension can be varied anywhere through the production of the spring. Jacques believes that will be a hot feature in 2006. “It’s very important for tapered springs, for example, to control the tension, especially at the ends of the spring, and that is key for this new tension controller.”
Jacques talks about the concerns of owners vs. the concerns of engineers when they’re looking for machines. “Engineers want speed and versatility. Owners want all that plus a good return on investment.”
An engineer is often looking for a machine with multiple axes. “In the case of a compression spring, seven axes are pretty good,” says Jacques. “Getting up to eight or 10 axes is more for a torsion or extension spring.”
As for speed, the question is: “How fast is fast?” The maximum feed speed on the MC series is 120 meters a minute. “In many cases we can run pretty close to the maximum, but it depends on the design, the material and the length of the spring,” he says. “The rate of spring production is always a big question. This could translate into 300 to 400 springs per minute for a small, light spring.”
Versatility is the strength of the CNC machines, explains Jacques. “This CNC machine can make just about any spring in any shape in a compression spring style. It can even do multiple diameters throughout the spring.”
Furthermore, he says, “You can run an extremely wide variety of parts just by calling up another program – so long as the wire size is the same from spring to spring.”
What’s the bottom line on a machine like this? Jacques says the costs start at $100,000 for a machine that can run a broad range of material (0.08 to 0.6 mm). The machines that take very large material (6 to 16 mm) can run near a million dollars. Add-ons, like a torsion device, can increase the versatility of the machine. Jacques’ favorite add-on is a built-in digital video gaging system: “You can actually see your positioning.”
Tim Weber, president of Forming Systems Inc., represents, among other companies, Hsin Tong Chen Machinery Ltd. (HTC) of Taiwan. “I feel, through their technological advancements, HTC has leveled the playing field, in terms of quality and value. Ten years ago, the market for someone wanting a Taiwanese machine was a company that needed a deal, but now all that has changed. Taiwan (HTC) has moved from copying the best machines to developing their own innovations. They have become a leader in springmaking equipment.”
Weber has watched this development with great interest. “HTC designs all their machines from the ground up. They’ve gone from being completely mechanical to being completely servo-driven machines.
“It used to be that the premiere spring companies would only buy German or Japanese machines,” says Weber. “Now they look at performance, reliability, quality, output and total value, and they buy Taiwanese.”
Weber also represents T. Butler Engineering, which is an Irish machine designer. “Butler’s niche is that they can automate secondary operations. There’s nobody else doing what they do. These machines can make complex springs and wireforms in the same machine. And, they don’t do the easy jobs; they do the hard jobs.” TBE is known for its high-volume machines for automotive or high-volume shops.
“They are unveiling something totally different this year, though,” says Weber. “They’ve just developed a totally servo-controlled twin-head machine that is designed for quick turnovers with minimal tooling; whereas they used to focus on building long-run, tooling-intensive machines.”
This new machine is the TBE Multibend. “It addresses the concern of lean manufacturing to keep inventory down. You can set up and run a small, medium or high-volume job, and then change over fast. The key is that, rather than moving the part through the tools, the tools move along the part to do the forming,” says Weber. It’s a revolutionary idea. “We have customers who have these machines, and they have a line of 50 parts they make using a single wire size. They can program all the parts in and make the parts with a program change, rather than a tool change.”
Weber continually looks at features with the eye of an engineer. “Speed and accuracy have been continually improving in machines. If you come to Spring World and you were also at the last one, you should see at least a 10-percent improvement in both over the last two years.
“We also see a lot of advancements toward lights-out production. That’s where the gages on the machine that monitor quality come in. These machines and gaging systems will evaluate the parts and monitor for performance, and even call you on your cell phone to let you know if it’s shutting down for a quality issue (if you want that),” he explains.
“It helps you run a shop with minimal labor on, say, only a day shift. Operators are primarily there to ensure all will run well at night. That’s an improvement that is not visible on the machine but has developed over time.” Twenty years ago, you would lack the tools to do this,” he says. “To run overnight, you’d need to have part collectors and gaging systems. Now I’m seeing more and more companies with lights-out production.”
In terms of quality, Weber represents Spring Analysis Systems (SAS) and recommends its stand-alone CTV 1600 Vision System. “Typically, you used to set up according to a window of tolerances that included the free lengths and loads. Now, your production team can use the CTV 1600 as part of the setup. Pitch tracing allows exact spring duplication from setup to setup. To test the design, Vision System digitally records and traces the pitch. Then, it compares this spring to the original by overlaying one trace on the other until duplicated. “This visualization allows you to adjust to get your ‘gold standard’ of quality,” says Weber. “It provides the knowledge required for a repeatable process because you are able to use the overlay system to ensure product consistency.”
Versatility, quality and speed will be on display at Spring World 2006. These are the qualities that delight engineers, owners and operators, as well as the sales team. Spring World will run Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2006 through Friday, Oct. 20, 2006 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL. For information, contact show organizer Chicago Association of Spring Manufacturers by phone at (847) 433-1335 or Web site at www.springworld.org.
Raquel Chole is the sales and marketing manager for Dudek & Bock Spring Mfg. in Chicago, IL. In addition she is a special contributor to Springs.
Previously, she was a freelance writer for 15 years, operating Ryan Publishing Service. Readers may contact her by phone at (630) 662-8611.
Simco CSC-530 for extension, torsion, double-torsion and battery springs.
