Springs spring 2010 vol 49 no2

T H E I N T E R N AT I O N A L M A G A Z I N E O F S P R I N G M A N U FA C T U R E

SSpring 2010,Volume 499 Number 2

AP Publication bli i off the h Spring S i M Manufacturers f IInstitute i

State of the International Spring Industry

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Snapshots from the International Spring Industry 17 What it Takes for Lean to Deliver Bottom Line Results 25

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0RESIDENT S -ESSAGE From Scott Rankin

Navigating the World of International Business ) M AMAZED AT THE OPPORTUNITIES IN FRONT OF ME AND THE 3-) ORGANIZATION ) WANT TO THANK OUTGOING PRESIDENT 2EB "ANAS FOR SHOWING ME THE PROCESS AND TECHNIQUES OF RUNNING A FIRST CLASS ORGANIZATION LIKE 3-) 2EB MADE EVERY PART OF THE JOB FUN AND USED HIS EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE TO STEER OUR ASSOCIATION INTO NEW AREAS OF TECHNOLOGY AND LEADERSHIP 2EB GUIDED 3-) TO NEW LEADERSHIP HEIGHTS WITH ,YNNE #ARR AND HER STAFF

INCLUDING ,UKE :UBEK $INA 3ANCHEZ *IM 7OOD AND 'ARY -C#OY !S A RESULT 3-) IS POISED FOR MORE GROWTH AND ) CAN T WAIT TO WORK MORE CLOSELY WITH EACH OF THEM ) M PLEASED THAT THIS ISSUE IS ABOUT INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS BECAUSE MUCH OF MY TIME AS 3-) PRESIDENT WILL BE FOCUSED ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS -Y CAREER RIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE STARTED WITH A 'ERMAN COMPANY IN 'ERMANY ) LEARNED QUICKLY TO ADJUST TO THE %UROPEAN BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT AND MADE PLENTY OF MISTAKES TRYING TO FIT INTO THE 'ERMAN CULTURE "UT BECAUSE OF THIS ) BECAME VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE %UROPEAN LIFESTYLE AND LEARNED THAT DIFFERENT CULTURES ARE FUN AND INTERESTING )N BUSINESS WE ALL FEEL THAT WE SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE AND UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER WITH A COMMON GOAL OF MAKING MONEY AND SOLVING PROBLEMS WITH OUR PRODUCTS "UT THE REALITY IS EACH COUNTRY AND CULTURE HAS ITS OWN RULES AND OBJECTIVES -Y FAVORITE QUOTE FROM ONE OF MY #HINESE CUSTOMERS IS h4HAT IS NORMAL v 7HENEVER ) DON T UNDERSTAND OR FEEL THAT ) M NOT BEING HEARD HE SAYS h4HAT IS NORMAL v )N OTHER WORDS STOP FIGHTING IT AND ACCEPT THAT IT S THE WAY BUSINESS IS DONE IN #HINA 4HE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE ARE GOING TO BE CHALLENGING AND EXCITING )N SOME CASES WE HAVE TO LEARN TO CHANGE OUR WAYS OF COMMUNICATING AND LEAVE OUR SET OF RULES BEHIND ) M EXCITED ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF LEARNING MORE THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF FRIENDS AND PARTNERS WE VE CREATED /UR 3-) MEETING IN ,AS 6EGAS INCLUDED PRESENTATIONS FROM SPRING INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES FROM *APAN 5NITED +INGDOM 'ERMANY AND )TALY 7HILE WE MAKE MANY OF THE SAME SPRINGS AS OUR FOREIGN GUESTS IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE THE MANY SIMILARITIES AND VAST DIFFERENCES IN THE ISSUES WE FACE !S ) ENTER THE HONORED POSITION OF 3-) PRESIDENT ) M AWARE THAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS AND COMPETITORS WILL BE CRITICAL TO OUR SUCCESS 7E HAVE TO SEE THE PROBLEMS THEY FACE AND KNOW THAT WE MAY FACE THOSE SAME ISSUES NOW OR SOON IN OUR OWN BUSINESSES 3-) MEMBERS HAVE BEEN THERE TO HELP ME AND MY COMPANY LEARN MORE ABOUT INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC BUSINESS AND THE SPRING INDUSTRY IN GENERAL -Y GOAL IS TO GIVE EACH SPRING COMPANY IN .ORTH !MERICA THE SAME OPPORTUNITY BY BECOMING A PART OF 3-) 4HIS IS A GROUP OF CARING KNOWLEDGEABLE AND PASSIONATE SPRINGMAKERS )T IS A SUPPORT NETWORK THAT CANNOT BE FOUND ANYWHERE ELSE )F YOU NEED ANSWERS THIS IS THE GROUP THAT CAN HELP YOU ) LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING MANY OF YOU THIS YEAR INCLUDING AT THE UPCOMING WIRE 3HOW IN $Ã SSELDORF ) HOPE YOU WILL SERIOUSLY CONSIDER JOINING 3-) TO HELP YOUR COMPANY NAVIGATE THE WORLD OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS 3UCCEED WITH 0ASSION

SMI Executive Committee President, Scott Rankin, Vulcan Spring & Manufacturing s 6ICE 0RESIDENT 3TEVE -ORELAND Automatic Spring Products s 3ECRETARY 4REASURER 2USS "RYER Spring Team s )MMEDIATE 0AST 0RESIDENT 2EB "ANAS Stanley Spring & Stamping s !T ,ARGE -IKE "ETTS Betts Spring SMI Board of Directors 4OM !RMSTRONG Duer/Carolina Coil s $ENNIS "ACKHAUS

Spiros Industries s *IM #ALLAGHAN MW Industries s Ron #URRY Gifford Spring s !NN $AVEY John Evans’ Sons s #HRIS &AZIO Diamond Wire s +URT 'ILLESPIE Century Spring s 2ICHARD 'UIMONT Liberty Spring s 'REG (EITZ

Exacto Spring s 'ENE (UBER *R Winamac Coil s "OB )ORIO Gibbs Wire s -IKO +ABESHITA Ark Technologies s 3TEVE +EMPF Lee Spring s (AP 0ORTER SEI Metaltek s 2ICHARD 2UBENSTEIN Plymouth Spring s *OE 3IROVATKA

RR Spring s 4ED 7HITE Hardware Products s #HRIS 7ITHAM Motion Dynamics Springs Magazine Staff

,YNNE #ARR !DVERTISING 3ALES LYNNE SMIHQ ORG $INA 3ANCHEZ !SSISTANT %DITOR DINA SMIHQ ORG ,UKE :UBEK 0% 4ECHNICAL !DVISOR LUKE SMIHQ ORG 'ARY -C#OY -ANAGING %DITOR

GMCCOY FAIRWAYCOMMUNICATIONS COM Springs Magazine Committee #HAIR 2ICHARD 2UBENSTEIN Plymouth Spring s #AROL #ALDWELL Century Spring/MW Industries s ,YNNE #ARR

SMI s 2ANDY $EFORD Mid-West Spring & Stamping s 2ITCHY &ROEHLICH Ace Wire Spring & Form s 4RESSIE &ROEHLICH Ace Wire Spring & Form s ,U!NN ,ANKE

Wisconsin Coil Spring s 4IM 7EBER Forming Systems s %UROPE ,IAISON 2ICHARD 3CHUITEMA, Dutch Spring Association s 4ECHNICAL ADVISORS ,OREN 'ODFREY, #OLONIAL 3PRING s ,UKE :UBEK 0% SMI Technical Director Advertising sales - Japan Ken Myohdai, Sakura International Inc. (ARIMACHO #HOME !BENO KU /SAKA *APAN 0HONE s &AX % MAIL INFO SAKURAIN CO JP Advertising sales - Europe Jennie Franks, Franks & Co. 3T !NDREWgS 2OAD #AMBRIDGE 5NITED +INGDOM #" $( 0HONE &AX % MAIL FRANKSCO "4OPENWORLD COM Advertising sales - Taiwan Robert Yu, Worldwide Services Co. Ltd. & " .O 3EC 7EN (SIN 2D 4AICHUNG 4AIWAN 0HONE s &AX % MAIL STUART WWSTAIWAN COM Springs (ISSN 0584-9667 IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY 3-) "USINESS #ORP A SUBSIDIARY OF THE 3PRING -ANUFACTURERS )NSTITUTE -IDWEST 2OAD 3UITE /AK "ROOK ), 0HONE &AX 7EB SITE WWW SMIHQ ORG !DDRESS ALL CORRESPONDENCE AND EDITORIAL MATERIALS TO THIS ADDRESS 4HE EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS OF Springs DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WITH RESPECT TO ADVERTISING AND EDITORIAL CONTENT AND WITH RESPECT TO ALL MANUFACTURING ERRORS DEFECTS OR OMISSIONS MADE IN CONNECTION WITH ADVERTISING OR EDITORIAL MATERIAL SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION 4HE EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS OF Springs DISCLAIM ALL LIABILITY FOR SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM ERRORS DEFECTS OR OMISSIONS IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THIS PUBLICATION ANY SUBMISSION OF ADVERTISING

EDITORIAL OR OTHER MATERIAL FOR PUBLICATION IN Springs SHALL CONSTITUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH AND ACCEPTANCE OF SUCH LIMITED LIABILITY 4HE EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS OF Springs ASSUME NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE OPINIONS OR FACTS IN SIGNED ARTICLES EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT OF EXPRESSING THE VIEW

BY THE FACT OF PUBLICATION THAT THE SUBJECT TREATED IS ONE WHICH MERITS ATTENTION Do not reproduce without written permission.

Scott Rankin 0RESIDENT 6ULCAN 3PRING -FG #O SCOTT VULCANSPRING COM 2 SPRINGS Spring 2010

#OVER BY 3UE :UBEK Zubek Design, Inc. #OVER ART CREATED USING IMAGES FROM )STOCK ¥)STOCK ZBRUCH

4ABLE OF #ONTENTS FEATURES

17

17

Snapshots From the International Spring Industry: Economic Crisis is Waning, but More Challenges Ahead

By Gary McCoy

25

What It Takes for Lean to Deliver Bottom Line Results Part One: Strategic Issues

By David Kwinn

30

Beware of The Trust Fund Penalty Tax

By Mark E. Battersby

35

Manufacturing Resurgence — A Must for U.S. Prosperity

COLUMNS 13

Spotlight on the Shop Floor 2ATE 4ESTING ˆ 2EMOVING THE -YSTERY OF 0RELOAD

By Randy DeFord

15

Be Aware Safety Tips /3(!gS 4OP -ONEY -AKERS FOR

By Jim Wood

56

IST Spring Technology #AUTIONARY 4ALE %XTENSION 3PRINGS ))

By Mark Hayes

30

59

Technically Speaking &EEDING THE 3EAGULLS #HARACTERIZATION OF 4RANSVERSE )NNER $IAMETER #RACKING $UE TO (YDROGEN %MBRITTLEMENT

By Luke Zubek, PE

DEPARTMENTS 2

President’s Message .AVIGATING THE 7ORLD OF )NTERNATIONAL "USINESS

7 10

Global Highlights

47

Regional Spring Association Report

36

Flashback 0LUGGING )NTO A 7ORLD #ONNECTION

40

Wire Forming Wisdom ! 0RIMER ON 7IRE &ORMING ˆ 0ART )

47

Springmaker Spotlight 3COTT 2ANKIN 6ULCAN 3PRING -FG #O )MPARTING 7ISDOM TO A .EW 'ENERATION

53

Inside SMI .EW "OARD !NNOUNCED FOR 3-) 4O (OST h&UNDAMENTALS OF 3PRING $ESIGNv 3-) )S 'OLD 3PONSOR OF ,ONG 0RODUCTS 3UPPLY #HAIN 3YMPOSIUM )NTRODUCING THE 92# 3TANDARD 3ERVICE 'UARANTEE

59

New Products

67

Advertisers’ Index

68

4 SPRINGS Spring 2010

62

Snapshot #HRIS 7ITHAM -OTION $YNAMICS

6 SPRINGS Spring 2010

'LOBAL (IGHLIGHTS North America Industrial Steel and Wire (ISW) president Dr. Brian Furlong has announced the relocation of their City of Industry, Calif. facility to a new 32,000 sq. ft. warehouse in Santa Fe Springs, Calif. The move was scheduled to be completed by March 1, 2010. This new warehouse has been custom engineered to ensure a

machinery and wire straightening equipment, as well as a more modern and expanded wire racking system for even faster ex-stock wire deliveries. “This move

in the Western United States, Canada and Mexico,� says Furlong.

This move follows ISW’s recent expansion into Texas, where they opened a new warehouse in Houston.

ISW’s new California address is 12906 Telegraph Rd, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670. Contact ISW Santa Fe at (562) 320-0540; Fax (562) 320-0546; or toll-free (800) 827-9473.

The Eleventh International Conference on Shot Peening will take place September 12-15, 2011 in South Bend, Ind. The ICSP-11 Organizing Committee is seeking papers that further the understanding and knowledge of shot peening. Related mechanical surface treatments, such as deep rolling, laser peening, ultrasonic peening, combined processes, and other cold work processes inducing compressive surface residual stresses, are within the scope of the conference, especially when compared to shot

uses are crucial as the need grows for stronger and lighter metal components in transportation, medical and many other applications.

Topics for the conference include: Applications for Automotive, Aerospace, Welds, Mining, Gears, Springs, and Medical; Modeling and Simulation; Alternative Processes; Fatigue and Fracture; Surface Characteristics; Technological Developments; Special Applications; and other miscellaneous topics.

To submit a paper abstract or poster to the conference by June 1, visit www.shotpeening.org/ ICSP-11

This facility consists of an automated pickling

advanced computerized system assures exceptional

consistency.

Central Wire is a leading worldwide supplier of stainless steel, nickel, brass and other alloy wires.

The acquisition allows Central Wire to expand its product line into a broader array of ferritic and martensitic stainless steel grades up to 1.0� diameter.

The state-of-the-art plant will enable Central Wire to consistently provide unparalleled quality and service to their customer base.

Central Wire also acquired the bearing steel division of Hitachi Metals and transferred the equipment to its Lancaster, S.C. facility. This facility has been in operation since January 2009, and now produces bearing steel and other alloys in coil form, centerless ground bar and blanks for machining and ball bearing applications servicing the automotive, medical and other business sectors. In addition, the Lancaster location can supply stainless and nickel wire in a diameter range from .030" – .750" in coil form, reels and pay-off packs serving the forming, cold heading, weaving/belt and spring wire markets.

The National Association for Surface Finishing (NASF) Washington Forum is scheduled for April 27-29, 2010 at the L’Enfant Plaza Hotel in Washington, D.C. Topics will closely track some of the major issues facing the industry. This year, the program will also feature an industry panel discussion on pending U.S. and Canadian chromium and nickel regulations.

Other key updates include: The 2010 Elections and the impact on manufacturing; The Economy and Competitiveness and Congress’ involvement to help strengthen manufacturing; Energy and Climate Change and how the North ! #

driven by energy legislation and the climate change debate; Workplace and Labor Issues and how NASF members can have a stronger voice in opposing new mandates; Environmental Regulation and rewriting air emission rules for surface coatings; Reforming U.S. Chemicals Policy, and how tough Congress will Larry Smith, president and CEO of Central get in overhauling existing U.S. chemicals laws under Wire, recently announced the acquisition of Charter the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); Emerging Steel’s

Technologies and Defense, and the status of research and new restrictions on defense surface coatings uses.

Lac, Wis.

SPRINGS Spring 2010 7

The full agenda will be released shortly. For questions or additional information, contact Christian Richter at crichter@thepolicygroup.com or Jeff Hannapel at jhannapel@thepolicygroup.com.

Effective immediately, Ringfeder Corporation is now Ringfeder Power Transmission USA Corporation.

Ringfeder, an industry leader in power transmission components, has changed their name in an effort to

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not only unify our image, but also strengthen our brand globally in the power transmission market,� says Carl Fenstermacher, president of Ringfeder Power Transmission USA Corporation. “Three brands will fall under Ringfeder Power Transmission: RingfederŽ, EcolocŽ and GerwahŽ.�

Ringfeder Power Transmission USA Corporation markets a wide range of quality power transmission components and has been the industry leader in keyless shaft/hub technology for more than 38 years.

For more information, phone (888)746-4333 or visit www.ringfeder.com.

The Baumann Group announces the following changes: Baumann Springs Texas, Ltd. has changed its name to Baumann Springs USA, Inc. Baumann also has announced the appointment of Martin Herrera as sales manager for North America. Herrera replaces Chris Skinner, who is now vice president of operations.

Vistagy, Inc., a leading provider of industry

that 2009 sales of its software grew more than 200 percent in emerging markets while global professional services surged more than 50 percent.

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its target industries—aerospace, automotive, wind energy, transportation interiors and marine—as manufacturers and suppliers continued to seek out &

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support the entire design-to-manufacturing process for highly engineered products.

In 2009 VISTAGY also announced the sale of FiberSIM to Premium AEROTEC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of EADS and a Tier One supplier to Airbus and Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, a premier developer of launch vehicles and spacecraft for government and commercial use.

For more information, contact Vistagy at (781)250.6800 or visit www.vistagy.com.

The city of Wixom, Michigan welcomed Manufacturing Solutions and Technologies, LLC, d/b/a Vitullo and Associates, a precision machining company, and new owner David Townsend to town. Townsend purchased the company in late 2009.

Vitullo Precision Machining currently has nine employees in a 16,000 sq. ft. facility in Wixom. Since *+<=

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agricultural, aviation, alternative energy, information technology and consumer goods industries. The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s services include CNC machining, EDM and Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) work >

and the technology to convert European designs and drawings into English.

Mayor Kevin W. Hinkley comments, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are thrilled that MST purchased Vitullo Machining and chose Wixom for their home. We stand ready to help Mr. Townsend and the entire company compete globally from their Wixom location.â&#x20AC;?

Townsend is still in the transitional phase and his company is busy with contracts and work as ordered.

For more information, phone (248)869-0000, or visit www.vitulloinc.com. X

8 SPRINGS Spring 2010

Event Dates Former SMI President Ed Lanke wire 2010 Dusseldorf, Germany www.wire.de April 12 – 16, 2010 National Association for Surface Finishing (NASF) Washington Forum Washington, DC www.nasf.org April 27 – 29, 2010 Wire Expo 2010 Milwaukee, WI www.wirenet.org May 12 – 13, 2010 Wire Asia 2010 Tianjin, China www.wireasia.com May 12 – 14, 2010

China International Fastener, Spring &Equipment Exhibition Guangzhou, China www.fastenerchina-gz.com June 23 – 26, 2010 wire China 2010 Shanghai, China www.wirechina.net September 21 – 24, 2010 SpringWorld 2010 Rosemont, IL www.springworld.org October 13 – 15, 2010 Eleventh International Conference on Shot Peening South Bend, IN www.shotpeening.org September 12 – 15, 2011

It is with deep regret that Springs announces the passing of Edward H. Lanke, 81, on March 10, 2010.

Lanke proudly served his country in the United States Marines Corps during the Korean War. He founded and owned Wisconsin Coil Spring, which has now been in operation for over 52 years. He was a member and past president of SMI. Lanke was president of SMI from 1987 to 1989.

An avid golfer, Lanke loved to golf at Tuckaway Country Club where he was a member for 40 years.

Lanke was married to Erla for 57 years.

He is also survived by his daughters, LuAnn (John Fauber) Lanke and DiAnn (Harry) Stasik; grandchildren, Campbell, Harrison and Remy; his brothers, Richard (Beverly) and Lowell (Carol); and brother-in-law of Walter (Phyllis) Weis and Marion Kohler.

SPRINGS Spring 2010 9

2EGIONAL 3PRING !SSOCIATION 2EPORT

Bill Hickey Presents CASMI With American Manufacturing Agenda

After his popular presentation at the Fall 2009 SMI Meeting, Bill Hickey, president of LaphamHickey Steel Corporation, was the guest speaker at the January 2010 CASMI Meeting at the Rosewood Restaurant in Rosemont, Ill. Hickey presented new material to CASMI on a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Manufacturing Agenda for America.â&#x20AC;?

Hickey boldly stated that he devised this agenda with this question in mind: â&#x20AC;&#x153;What can we do so that 10 years from now we can keep manufacturing products?â&#x20AC;?

He outlined the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Four Pillars of Manufacturing Policyâ&#x20AC;? for the U.S.,

re-regulation, a national energy policy, a balanced trade policy and tax neutrality on consumption versus investment.

Financial Industry Re-Regulation Using graphs and charts, Hickey illustrated that the U.S. economy is shrinking at 20 percent per year.

With eight million manufacturing jobs gone and the U.S. deficit soaring, Hickey said re-regulation

overdue. He said the debt threat

now at 118 percent of the GDP. He pointed out back in 1978, it was only 18 percent of the GDP. He said imbalances in the housing sector, world trade, credit and currencies are exacerbating the problem and points to the long overdue need for a change to

10 SPRINGS Spring 2010

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The lack of an energy policy is wrecking our economy... manufacturing growth would increase if we had a national energy policy.â&#x20AC;?

National Energy Policy â&#x20AC;&#x153;The lack of an energy policy is wrecking our economy,â&#x20AC;? said Hickey.

He illustrated the problem with the U.S. dependence on imported oil and explained that â&#x20AC;&#x153;manufacturing growth would increase if we had a national energy policy.â&#x20AC;?

Balanced Trade Policy Hickey next turned to a subject heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long championed: the imbalance in trade that the U.S. has with other nations. He focused

exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the Chinese yuan. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Without a balanced trade policy, U.S. manufacturing employment has gone from nearly 20 million in 1980 to 12 million in 2010,â&#x20AC;? said Hickey. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve lost 32 percent of our manufacturing jobs in the last decade.â&#x20AC;?

Tax Neutrality on Consumption vs. Investment Finally, Hickey advocated for tax neutrality from the U.S. government because â&#x20AC;&#x153;our tax system favors consumption and not investment.â&#x20AC;?

He pointed out that because of the valued added tax (VAT) and the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s currency subsidy that the Chinese have now passed Germany as the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest merchandise exporter.

Hickey said something must be done to help keep manufacturing jobs in the U.S., and he believes the four pillars is a good place to start.

NESMA Philanthropic Efforts

WCSMA Ready for Spring Fling 2010

by Ted White, Hardware Products

The West Coast Spring Manufacturers Association (WCSMA) will hold its annual â&#x20AC;&#x153;Spring Flingâ&#x20AC;? from May 14â&#x20AC;&#x201C;16, 2010 at Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

Room rates are $169 per night and $89 to golf. !

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weekend and some fun on the green, this resort is located near Agua Caliente Casino, shopping malls, Palm Spring Aerial Tramway, outlets and a lovely day spa that is offering 10 percent off their regular pricing for this weekend.â&#x20AC;?

To make hotel reservations, phone (866) 423-1195 and be sure to mention that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re attending the WCSMA Spring Fling.

For more information, contact WCSMA chairman Colleen Trost at (626) 442-7436, e-mail: colleen@vaga. com, or visit www.wcsma.us. X

The New England Spring & Metalstamping Association (NESMA) has used the quiet post-holiday winter months to focus on two of its philanthropic efforts.

For years NESMA has supported the Bristol Technical School. It has repeatedly cajoled manufacturers of spring manufacturing equipment to loan the school machinery so the school can offer a hands-on spring manufacturing course.

Recently Bristol Tech, which is not part of the Bristol Connecticut School System, has faced a significant round of state budget cuts. NESMA, along with the Bristol Chamber of Commerce and several other groups, has lobbied hard just to keep the school open. Through the efforts of these groups, funding was found and the school remains open.

And recently, in an effort not to compromise quality with a diminished budget, the school published a list of industrial supplies needed to teach the various courses. NESMA was once again able to assist by partially funding this effort.

More recently, largely through the efforts of Bill Lathrop, the president of NESMA and the president of Colonial HanDee Spring, NESMA constructed a larger-than-life pinball display at Imagine Nation Museum. This facility is an innovative center for early childhood education. In the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Made in Connecticut Exhibit,â&#x20AC;? NESMA funded and students from the Bristol Tech School constructed a replica of a pinball machine which covers two entire walls. The hands-on replica requires a young child to press a button which actuates an air pump. The pump then pushes a ball up to the top of a wall where it is released and begins to fall. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;bumpersâ&#x20AC;? for the replica are actual springs supplied by NESMA members.

Recently the Imagine Nation Museum held a reception for contributors to the exhibit and NESMA was honored for their efforts. The administrator of the project told the NESMA Board of Directors at a recent breakfast that the exhibit is quite popular with the children and that it is always busy. It kept the board mesmerized for a while as well.

SPRINGS Spring 2010 11

12 SPRINGS Spring 2010

Spotlight

Rate Testing â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Removing the Mystery of Preload

By Randy DeFord

on the Shop Floor

4

esting the Rate of compression springs is one of the more common activities for spring houses. Spring Rate is the force created when a spring is deflected an inch. It is, therefore, the basic determinant of all loads at any height. The load created with a given travel (deflection) can be determined with the following formula. ^ _ ` { | _

{

Example: A compression spring has a Rate of 103 }~

Â&#x20AC; Â Â Â&#x201A;Â&#x192;

will be the resulting load?

P = .660â&#x20AC;? * 103 #/in P = 67.98# Here is an example of some requirements that could be shown on a typical compression spring blueprint.

Load: 67.98# +- 10% at 1.520â&#x20AC;?

Rate: 103 #/in +- 10% Free length: 2.180â&#x20AC;?

Now that we know the Rate requirement, how do we test? A standard Rate test requires that the spring be

Â&#x2039;Â&#x201A;

 Â&#x201A;

Â&#x152;

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spring. To test a spring correctly, two heights must be used. Here is where the mystery comes in.

Many people do not understand why it is necessary to use two heights to verify Rate. Since Rate is the load

Randy DeFord is the engineering manager at Mid-West Spring & Stamping in Mentone, Ind. He has 35-plus years in the spring industry, and believes that educating both customers and associates is the key to great customer service.

Readers may contact him at rdeford@mwspring. com or phone (574) 353-7611.

Figure 1: Slight Variations in Free Length due to coiling and/or grinding

ANY height, record the load at that height, and then calculate the Rate.

By formula, this would be correct. However, there is one issue that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get taken into account with this scheme â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the variation in free length.

When production quantities are involved or 100 percent testing is required, a standard method of Rate testing is needed.

So, what does the variation in free length have to do with a Rate test, since Rate has nothing to do with the spring pitch? It has to do with the inherent variation in free length from both coiling and grinding.

In todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spring houses, most coiling machines use free length gaugers that monitor the free length of each spring. This method allows sorting and elimination of springs that may not meet the free length requirement. However, this still doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean each spring is exactly the same length when it drops from the coiler. The gaugers are set to pass only conforming parts and scrap the rest. If the ends are ground, free lengths will vary, somewhat. The result

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slightly different free lengths, even though they were processed on the same coiler and the same grinder.

This example is not only typical, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expected on a formed product.

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different free lengths, preloading to a height means each spring would have a slightly different

SPRINGS Spring 2010 13

preload. By preloading to a load, and not a height, you keep the Rate testing consistent by always starting at the same base preload.

A typical Rate test for the spring in this example, with a 10 percent tolerance, would be as shown.

Preload to 25.0# - with an additional .700â&#x20AC;? travel, read a total load between 89.9# and 104.3#

14 SPRINGS Spring 2010

As you can see, every spring tested will begin at the same 25.0#, and then travel the same additional

=Â&#x201A;Â&#x201A;Â&#x192;

reading is within the two loads shown, the spring Rate is within the +- 10 percent requirement.

One caution: Testing the Rate of a spring does not insure the loads are correct at the required height(s). Unlike Rate, loads are a function of pitch. It is

wholly possible for the Rate to be correct, but the load(s) to be outof-tolerance. Free length must be

for the loads to be correct. X

Be Aware

OSHA's Top Money Makers for 2009

By Jim Wood Safety Tips

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ach year we try to keep the spring industry abreast of OSHAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities and where their efforts have been concentrated. Â?\Â&#x2018;! \ Â&#x2039;Â&#x201A;Â&#x201A;+ showed a shift in their inspection activities.

In most prior years, Hazard Communication violations have taken the top spot as the most cited. Last year, Lockout/Tagout violations were number one.

The following table lists the 25 most frequently violated standards for 2009 along with adjusted penalties for general industry within the NAICS 331 group, which includes SIC 3493, 3495 and 3496. Please note that the

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initial penalties.

Whenever a safety violation does not have a particular standard that applies, OSHA cites the violation under the General Duty Clause 5(A) (1) which states: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Each employer shall furnish to his employees and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.â&#x20AC;?

OSHA used this clause 77 times in the spring and wire form industry with an average penalty of $1,620. This catchall clause was used to cite such violations as forklift drivers not wearing seat belts and ergonomic violations.

Jim Wood is an independent regulations compliance consultant to the Spring Manufacturers Institute (SMI). A certified instructor of the OSHA Out-Reach Program, Wood conducts seminars, plant Safety Audits and In-House Safety Trainings. These programs help companies create safer work environments, limit OSHA/Canadian Ministry of Labor violations and insurance costs, and prepare for VPP or SHARP certification. He is also available for safety advice and information by phone at (630) 495-8597 or via e-mail at regs@smihq.org.

25 Most Frequently Violated Standards of 2009 Standard

Violation

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Lockout/Tagout â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the control of hazardous energy Respiratory Protection Guarding, for all machines Hazard Communication Electrical violations, general Forklift trucks Mechanical power presses Electrical, general requirements Abrasive wheel machinery Mechanical power transmission apparatus Spray ďŹ nishing with ďŹ&#x201A;ammable materials Personal protective equipment, general requirements Overhead and gantry cranes Occupational noise exposure Portable ďŹ re extinguishers Hexavalent Chromium Injury and illness reporting form #300 General requirements, housekeeping and egress Guarding ďŹ&#x201A;oor and wall openings Maintenance and safeguards of egress routes Welding and cutting Electrical, design and protection Lead exposure Permit required conďŹ ned spaces General requirements, welding and cutting

1910.147 1910.134 1910.212 19101200 1910.305 1910.178 1910.217 1910.303 1910.215 1910.219 1910.107 1910.132 1910.179 1910.95 1910.157 1910.1026 1904.29 1910.22 1910.23 1910.37 1910.253 1910.304 1910.1025 1910.146 1910.252

Penalty $1443 774 2612 482 762 635 4634 825 737 1237 1518 808 2081 1173 452 2808 200 534 490 508 803 756 5351 3380 794

Jimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Regulatory Tip: Lockout/Tagout violations have become a prime target during OSHA inspections, and carry very large penalties. All employees should receive Lockout/Tagout informational training and more in-depth lockout training for those employees authorized to lockout machinery. Lockout is essential during repair, maintenance and set-up of all machinery. X

SPRINGS Spring 2010 15

Be proud that you are part of an industry that provides vital parts for all sectors of manufactured products.

Truth.

Almost nothing man-made moves without springs.

Truth.

It takes knowledge, skill and experience to be a successful spring manufacturer.

Truth.

A complete supplier support system of equipment, materials, test equipment and services are required to maintain the spring manufacturing industry.

Be Proud. Success in this industry, whether manufacturer or supplier, demands championship performance.

Be Proud. Together at SPRING WORLD® we share remarkable achievements in applying the latest technologies to create more productive machinery, advancements in metallurgy and fabrication of production materials, a higher level of quality and consistency of product and the means to measure it. These efforts enable improvements in products we all use and the tools to make them.

Be Proud. Your work contributes to the improvement of the quality of life for people from all corners of globe.

CASMI is proud to cheer for all of the Champions of the Spring Manufacturing Industry Manufacturers and Suppliers.

We’re Proud to Be on Your Team!

Celebrating 50 Years We welcome you back for SPRING WORLD® 2010 Donald E Stephens Convention Center Rosemont, IL October 13-15, 2010 16 SPRINGS Spring 2010

www.casmi-springworld.org

Snapshots From the International Spring Industry: Economic Crisis Is Waning, But More Challenges Ahead

By Gary McCoy

4

here is no doubt that the past two years have been tumultuous for the international spring industry.

Not only have the recessionary effects been acutely felt in North America, but the waves of economic decline have rippled across the globe in various degrees of intensity.

To help bring understanding to the current world order, Springs sent a questionnaire to the associations that represent the world spring industry. Responses were received from Australia, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, South Africa and United Kingdom.

What follows is a snapshot of answers received from the period of January to March 2010. Most responses were provided by association executives from these countries.

In the case of the Australasian Wire Industry Association (AWI), director/secretary Malcolm Michael had representatives from two of his member companies provide answers. As Michael points out, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Both companies (Jubilee Springs and Marsh Springs) are into their third generation and represent the larger sized manufacturers.â&#x20AC;?

In the case of the Institute of Spring Technology (IST), an economic analysis was provided for both the United Kingdom (UK) and India. In addition, Giovanni B. Manenti, editor, magazine, and president, !Â&#x2019;Â&#x2019;[Â&#x201C;] ' ! Â&#x201D; ]

a more detailed look at spring production trends in Italy (see â&#x20AC;&#x153;Spring Industry Perspective: Italy, United Kingdom, Indiaâ&#x20AC;? on page 18).

Overall, a picture emerges that the recession had deep effects across the globe in late 2008 and into most of 2009. However, a hint of cautious optimism is projected for the rest of 2010 and beyond. Also, note the insightful and varied comments regarding the future of the international spring industry.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re no longer a United States industry. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a world industry.â&#x20AC;?

- Incoming SMI president Scott Rankin

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SPRINGS Spring 2010 17

1. What impact has the economic crisis had upon the spring industry in your country/region of the world?

“South Africa’s economy has been and is affected by the global crisis in very much the same way as most countries.

Customer orders are down (quantities ordered) and some have closed their doors. The effect is an almost 40 percent loss on turnover.”

- Emil Maritsch, CEO, Spring Manufacturers of South Africa (SMSA) “The most important impact is that the turnover in the spring industry in 2009 has gone down by an average of 22 percent compared with the year 2008. This percentage may differ from company to company.

Companies that are highly dependent on the automotive sector and/or office automation sector may show a larger increase in turnover. Companies that are delivering springs to the railway sector and the food processing machines industry show a much smaller increase.”

- Richard Schuitema, secretary general, Dutch Spring Association (DSA)

Spring Industry Perspective: Italy, United Kingdom, India Presented here is a more detailed look at the current state of the spring industry in Italy, United Kingdom (UK), and India.

A perspective on the Italian springmaking industry is presented

by Giovanni B. Manenti, editor of the Mollificio magazine since 1982.

In addition, Manenti is the founder and first president of ANCCEM, the Italian springmakers association.

Mark Hayes, senior metallurgist at the Institute of Spring Technology (IST) in Sheffield, England and

18 SPRINGS SPRINGS Spring Spring2010 2010

“The crisis had the greatest effect on our sector starting in October of 2008, with the hardest months being from December 2008 to February 2009. Some of the main companies in our sector, which belong to ASEMU, entered Chapter 11 and many of them even closed as a result of the reduction in business. Luckily we have recovered as of the spring of 2009, but the year 2009 closed below the previous one. Overall, the situation has improved remarkably.”

- Valentín Huerta, president, Asociación Española del Muelle (ASEMU), Spain “The spring industry is continuing to shrink in Australia due to the mass move of major manufacturers to China, plus the (economic) crisis.”

- John Guest, managing director, Jubilee Springs, Sydney, Australia

a regular columnist for Springs, provides insights on the spring industry in the UK and India.

ANCCEM on Quantity Produced and Known Value of Sales According to ANCCEM, the assessment of spring production trends could be based on the consumption of raw materials or the value of sales. The association says the consumption of raw materials by springmakers is neither available nor known. The value of the springs sold is known, but it is influenced by the variations in raw materials prices and by the inertia of the variation of prices of springs compared to the variation of orders from customers. Since 2000 there have been decreases in production that have forced spring prices

“Material demand eased, allowing raw material costs to return to more respectably competitive levels.

Material allocations were lifted, allowing a return to the free flow of raw material. Initial assessments suggested a 20 to 30 percent potential reduction in demand in various sectors involving spring components, such as new housing and product manufacture.

These reduction figures have since diminished to 5 to 10 percent, as the Australian economy has generally performed better than expected, with continued export demand on raw materials, a strong dollar supporting imports, and a continued high employment rate propped up by government incentives.”

- Peter Bell, sales and marketing manager, Marsh Springs, Brisbane, Australia

down. In addition, there have been speculative steel price increases that have pushed the price of springs up with inertias that year after year have distorted the perception of the real variation in the production of springs.

The Italian springmakers’ production in 2005 was estimated to be the same as in 2000, and the economic crisis began producing a modest negative effect on the estimated production in the last quarter of 2008.

Data on the Italian spring market is collected by ANCCEM in market surveys among its members conducted in April and November of each year, with estimates close to those perceived. It also comes from ANCCEM’s “Annual Market Survey,” prepared from the

2. What is your outlook for the spring industry for 2010 and beyond?

“Our expectations are that a full recovery of the economy, up to 2007 levels, may take until 2014. For the spring industry this will mean a very slow recovery and we must take into account that the building sector in the Netherlands will further slowdown, which means that companies delivering to this sector have not reached the bottom yet.”

- Schuitema, DSA “The major problem is there is no forward ordering these days and we have had to adapt to a just-in-time (JIT) mentality with much smaller orders making it difficult to fully predict.”

- Guest, Jubilee Springs “Sustained hammering from imported products and components over the past 10 years has reduced the spring industry to supplying less in high-volume items, and more to niche markets where efficiency gains have ensured the manufacture capabilities are globally competitive; where the volumes are not large; and/or where a high service level and JIT supply are important.

I see these facets remaining as the main potential for springmaking growth in Australia. By adapting, to cater to these markets with the highest possible degree of flexibility, a good return is possible and the outlook remains positive for a limited number of springmakers in Australia.”

- Bell, Marsh Springs “Look for the spring industry to remain at 2005 levels. However, the present Japanese economy is said to be under deflation and some economists say that a second bottom can be expected.

Therefore, it is difficult to make any precise prediction about 2010 and beyond.”

- Kanji Inoue, executive director, Japan Spring Manufacturers Association (JSMA)

results extracted from the annual financial statements of 47 springs manufacturers (26 percent of the 180 Italian springmakers) that are chosen among member and non-member companies.

processing of the “Annual Market Survey” (based on the comparisons of the actual sales of 47 Italian springmakers), indicated a drop in sales for 2008 of 4.86 percent compared to 2007.

ANCCEM Estimates Sales Variations Since 2008 In ANCCEM’s April 2008 economic survey, sales forecasts still indicated an estimated growth in sales for 2008 of approximately +2.5 percent compared to 2007. In the November 2008 survey, sales forecasts for 2008 were estimated to drop by 2.5 percent with respect to 2007.

From January to September 2009 Italian springmakers experienced a decrease in orders quarter after quarter. Only during the last months of the year was the end of the drop perceived.

In the April 2009 survey, sales forecasts in 2008 confirmed the estimate of -2.8 percent compared to 2007. ANCCEM’s statistical

In the November 2009 economic analysis, sales forecasts of springs for 2009 compared to 2008 was estimated pessimistically, based on the 20 to 24 percent drop in the price of springs. The trend is likely to be confirmed with an 18 to 20 percent drop (by the statistical

processing), based on the 2009 financial statements which will not be available until November 2010.

ANCCEM says, “One can reasonably assume that the real drop in production for 2009 will be around 15 to 16 percent compared to 2008 and 20 to 22 percent compared to 2007.”

Economic Crisis Impact in the UK IST offered the following information about the markets in which the association has a presence, first looking at the situation in the UK. (continued)

SPRINGS Spring Spring2010 2010 19 SPRINGS

“2010 is seen with cautious optimism by all Italian spring manufacturers ufacturers and the November 2009 economic survey provided an estimated ed increase in production of 5.5 percent in 2010 compared to the disastrous us sales of 2009, even without a price increase. This optimism is still failing ng to become confidence in an upturn of the market expansion beginning in 2010, but it seems that the fear of more drops in sales is over.

In the Italian market (and in the eurozone) the demand for springs ngs comes from the products manufactured by small- and mediumsized industries. Many are family enterprises managed by chief executives attentive to long-term gains and not very inclined toward rapid dismissals and adventurous relocations. Large internationalized industries, from the automotive to the household electric appliances sector, already made their choices in recent years by transferring their plants to East Europe and Asia. So the springmakers’ budgets for 2010 adjusted to their market territory, which has always had a radius of less than 500 km, and which seems to be stabilizing its overall demand on a value moderately lower than that of 2000.”

- Giovanni B. Manenti, president, ANNCEM - Associazione Mollificio Italiani “The outlook for 2010 is positive, partly because of the FIFA World Cup; however, beyond that we will have a rocky ride. The spring industry will survive, at least most of us, as long we don’t get too greedy and have no debts.”

- Maritsch, SMSA “Japan is an industrial country which should supply high quality products under a reasonable price to global markets.

For this to remain, a stable financial circumstance and an appropriate currency exchange rate are essential. The retirement nt of engineers who supported Japanese industries is gradually increasing. Technology transfer to young generations is one of the he most important issues.”

- Inoue, oue, JSMA

Springs are used in the following markets in the UK: Automotive Rail Aerospace Construction Electrical Electronic Medical Engineering

45% 5% 10% 10% 10% 5% 5% 10%

IST reports that the automotive and construction sectors have seen downward pressure of seven percent and 50 percent respectively

20 SPRINGS SPRINGS Spring Spring2010 2010

in 2009 compared to 2008. UK manufacturers that specialized in any one sector have suffered the most, with some reporting unit production down 50 to 70 percent in some months. Broader based UK manufacturers, while also sustaining downward pressure, have collectively seen reductions in turnover of about 10 percent across the board.

Currently, order volumes are nudging higher, and inquiries are returning for which there are probably two key drivers. First, clients have generally been de-stocking and

are now returning to order but with shorter lead times; they are ordering at the last minute, which gives manufacturers additional challenges such as material procurement and turnaround of sub-contract services.

Throughout the supply chain, stock levels are down and only those manufacturers who can procure and hold material stock should see greater opportunity moving forward.

Second, the UK currency (Sterling) is under some pressure and as a consequence offers typical savings of some 20 percent to spring users

3. What factors in your country/region are making it favorable to produce springs?

“Consistently high-quality, world competitive raw material supply from local sources with relatively short supply lead times is a factor. The option of low-cost imported material remains.

Another factor is low inventory strategies from customers requiring high service levels, with supply in small, regular volumes.

Investment capability in relatively low-cost world standard automated CNC springmaking equipment-minimizing labor content and costs, and maximizing flexibility and competitiveness.”

- Bell, Marsh Springs “The most favorable factor for us is the short distance to first country economy producers. Others have too many problems with service, quality verification and deliveries, which in my book is still our major advantage.”

- Maritsch, SMSA

“As Holland has only one truck manufacturing plant, one truck assembly plant and one car assembly plant--the automotive sector is relatively small in the Dutch industry.

Only a few Dutch spring companies are more or less dependent on this sector.

Most Dutch springmakers produce relatively small series of springs and have a relatively large number of customers in many different sectors of the industry. This makes them less vulnerable to extreme downturns in a specific sector.”

- Schuitema, DSA “Thankfully Australia has a huge prototype and design industry. These seem to be the areas that have grown, but the mining industry has also been good.”

- Guest, Jubilee Springs

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throughout Europe, USA and beyond.

This is evident by the number of international tenders (quotes) reported across the industry.

While there is a general increase in demand, it is unlikely that production will return to 2007 levels until 2011 or 2012. UK manufacturers anticipate 2010 being similar to the second half of 2009. Significant growth is thought to be unlikely, especially after the end of the UK car scrappage scheme ends (February 2010), and when interest rates start to rise as they inevitably will in

2010. As such, capital investment across the industry is forecast to be limited throughout 2010 and some consolidation is anticipated.

Employment levels were reduced at most UK spring manufacturing companies in 2009, but are expected to be more stable in 2010.

A Quick Look at India In India, springs are used in the following markets: Automotive 65% Rail 15% Others 20%

IST reports the automotive market for both four- and two wheelers is up 30 percent on 2008. No other sector is in recession. Hence the market has increased by more than 20 percent. The prospects for continued growth in 2010 are excellent in India.

The economic crisis made spring manufacturers cautious when demand fell 70 percent for a month or two early in 2009, but hit India much more briefly than in other countries.

“Prospects for capital and labor investment in 2010 in this market are positive,” reported IST. X

SPRINGS SPRINGS Spring Spring2010 2010 21

4. What factors are making it more challenging?

“There are no factors that make it more challenging; it is and it always was: ‘Give the best you can, enthusiastically, knowledge-based and loving--to serve your friend, the customer.’”

- Maritsch, SMSA “Continued competition from imported products, reducing product manufacturing capabilities in Australia, thereby reducing local component demand.

Finding new niche markets that are able to present a reasonable return for manufactured items.

Maintaining sufficient flexibility and expertise to take advantage of a broader range of niche markets as the opportunities arise.”

- Bell, Marsh Springs “As customers are reluctant to order larger series due to the uncertainty in the market, more companies will have to adapt to this tendency and make their organization more flexible and reduce their fixed costs further. For companies that had to lay off part of their workforce in order to save costs, the big challenge is how to keep up the knowledge of specific production techniques in the company. Having skilled workers on the shop floor is essential in order to remain in business and to distinguish yourself from the competition.”

- Schuitema, DSA “Supplying high quality springs under an appropriate price and satisfying consumer’s requirements.”

- Inoue, JSMA “The competition of other manufacturers in nearby countries forces our industry to be more and more prepared and to continue investing in technology. It is important to flee from products and pieces that are commodities, and to concentrate more on the pieces of greater technical complexity.”

- Huerta, ASEMU

22 SPRINGS SPRINGS Spring Spring2010 2010

5. What new trends in springmaking have emerged or will soon emerge in your country/region?

"Electronic equipment and the computerization of production processes were the two great innovations of the springmaking world and other changes are not expected. In Europe, springmakers are almost all family businesses tied to the area and nearly all of them are managed by second generation family members, some even by third generations. Even springmakers will be subject to natural selection, according to the rules of genetics and the market--a market that does not increase demand when prices go down.

Over the past 10 years, the spring industry and the markets that generate the demand for springs did not experience big changes. Few springmakers have followed the wave of consumerism of the last 40 years and the illusion of globalization. A wave that now is shifting to Eastern Europe and all the way to Asia and which will leave behind in Europe is a widespread need to go back to the sobriety and way of life of past generations.

What effect will this have on those who manufacture components for other sectors?”

- Manenti, ANCCEM

“The production transfer to China and Asian countries has been increasing these past 10 years. Although this means that domestic production can decrease, the key issue is the development of new technologies in Japan related to spring material, design, manufacturing and quality.”

- Inoue, JSMA “Emerging new trends? I don’t know! Maybe the same we have always aspired to: Be honest, sincere, love what you are doing, keep up with the latest technologies (your magazine is a very valued part of it) and keep close contact with your customers. The personal touch is missed by many in our electronic communication. Some of the old-fashioned things we have to keep, or we will become ‘faceless suppliers’ where only numbers count, and that is not where I want to be.”

- Maritsch, SMSA X

“The most important trend is: due to the uncertainty in the economy the trend of producing more and more parts (such as springs) in low-cost countries has come to a standstill. Delivery times in companies from the Far East are simply too long in order react adequately to sudden changes in demand. This makes some customers reconsider their decision to buy their parts from suppliers in countries where the delivery time is much longer due to less flexibility and a longer transportation time.”

- Schuitema, DSA “New automation and adapting to different requests from clients. In summing up, I think that 2010 is going to be a slower recovery than they are telling us.”

- Guest, Jubilee Springs “As high volume production runs become less available, and smaller volume/short lead time manufacturing (over wider ranges of product and components) become more important, I see springmaking being incorporated with other metal manufacturing capabilities that offer a broad ‘one stop’ service for product or component manufacture.”

- Bell, Marsh Springs

SPRINGS SPRINGS Spring Spring2010 2010 23

24 SPRINGS Spring 2010

What It Takes for Lean to Deliver Bottom Line Results

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f there is a criticism about many Lean deployments, it is that although the efforts are worthwhile, the results cannot be seen in the bottom line. Many people see this as an accounting issue. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Practical Lean Accountingâ&#x20AC;? by Brian Maskell and Bruce Baggaley looks at Lean from an accounting point of view and points out how accounting itself can become a Leaner process.

Although accounting practices are certainly an issue in tracking |

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possible, what would be involved in capturing them, and what would happen once the savings were achieved. That is, Lean deployment

just having a series of kaizen events. Kaizen is the Japanese word for â&#x20AC;&#x153;improvementâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;change for the better.â&#x20AC;? It refers to a philosophy of continuous improvement in manufacturing, engineering, supporting business processes, and management events. To capture Lean savings there should be some strategic decision making at the highest levels of a business before Lean deployment starts.

It also requires a strong commitment from the accounting community to track and validate the savings. The attainment of Lean

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Lean efforts typically report the following range of outcomes

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SPRINGS Spring 2010 25

There is no debate about whether Lean can achieve these results, but what does it take to see them in the bottom line? First of all, the percentage improvements assume that all other things are equal. That product lines, product mix, workforce composition, level of business, etc., are all constant. If a business is very stable, it is easy to see the changes.

However, if some of the elements are changing, things get much more complex. For example, if old products are ramping down and new ones phasing in, productivity gains on the dying line will be offset by losses on the new products while they ramp up.

If employee turnover becomes an issue, productivity gains may be lost.

If there are changes in suppliers that impact lead

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have to be evaluated in a dynamic environment. It

so that waste in one area does not swallow up newly achieved savings in another area. What follows are some of the variables that need to be analyzed strategically to ensure that potential savings turn into real savings.

26 SPRINGS Spring 2010

Productivity: What Are You Going to Do With What the Labor Lean Frees Up? At its simplest level, a productivity gain means achieving more output with the same input. Perhaps the most controversial part of Lean deployment is the issue of headcount. When Toyota initiated what became known as Lean manufacturing, one of the key tenets was that there would be no layoffs as a result of kaizen continuous improvement events.

Lean is supposed to provide a competitive advantage, and as a result of lower cost and higher quality, there should be more business and no layoffs.

There are two major assumptions behind this concept: Lean is a competitive advantage, and you

However, what happens if everybody does Lean? Are the differences in Lean deployment enough to create a competitive advantage? What happens if you can Lean out a production line faster than demand will grow for your products? And most importantly, what happens if markets are declining?

Lean was originally thought of as a win-win situation, but the reality in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s markets seems to indicate that the probability of reductions in workforce needs to be addressed up front in the deployment process. The risk of not addressing this risk at the beginning is to face painful decisions later for which the workforce may not have been prepared.

Linked to the idea that Lean shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t result in layoffs is the idea that if there were a layoff as a result of Lean, the remaining employees would refuse to participate in further Lean activities. This is a potential issue, but there may be situations where they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a choice.

I have worked in plants where people were made redundant immediately after a kaizen, and the people who did not lose their jobs did not stop participating in kaizens because they wanted to keep their jobs.

They continued to do what they had to do to keep their jobs.

In the current economic environment, pretty much everybody understands that if the demand for a product drops precipitously for a long period of time, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t keep manufacturing that product just because you would like to. Perhaps people would like to get paid for not working (like a farm subsidy), but most people realize that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t viable over the long term, as the layoffs in 2009 showed.

the table before Lean deployment is what would be done with the labor that might become redundant.

If an assumption is made that 30 percent of the staff might become redundant with a successful Lean deployment, what are the options?

What happens if everybody does Lean? Are the differences in Lean deployment enough to create a competitive advantage? What happens if you can Lean out a production line faster than demand will grow for your products? And most importantly, what happens if markets are declining?

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increased productivity and lagging demand.

efforts should be directed toward a better prospect for longer-term payback. The next step would be to perform kaizens on the lines to meet the productivity target. People made redundant by these actions would need to be redeployed or made redundant.

The cost system needs to be updated to make sure that the system starts reporting reduced labor content by product line. The cost saving should be easy to capture and not subject to debate. If the cost out does not turn up on the bottom line, then the cause of this anomaly has to be discovered. What

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potentially redundant employees did not come off the payroll, blame cannot be placed on whether Lean tools were used effectively. The tools may have done their job, but management may not have been willing to face the consequences.

In the event that the business is growing and the increase in productivity is used to produce an increased number of products with the same number of people, then the cost avoidance of not hiring more people needs to be captured. In any event, the bottom line should look better because revenue has increased without a corresponding increase in labor.

In the happiest of all scenarios, expected growth in demand would result in the same number of employees building more products, with no redundancy required.

Once there is a plan for redundant labor, management can explain why change is necessary and what is going to happen to the staff. Once the staff understands where they will end up as a result of the productivity improvement, the question of buyin should be easier to manage. One would hope that the plan would result in increased job satisfaction and possibly higher job security. If proper planning is not done, it should be expected that employees would feel suspicious and threatened when the company starts to deploy Lean. !

| deployment. The head count to be made available

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deployment begins, be it 30 or 300 heads. The people deploying Lean must keep this number at the forefront from the start. The target needs to be apportioned among the various direct and indirect employees. Product lifecycles have to be considered.

Products should be ranked in terms of their expected remaining product life and growth prospects. For example, if a product is declining and expected to become obsolete in six months, Lean

SPRINGS Spring 2010 27

Higher Throughput: Can the Market Absorb the Additional Product Lean Will Enable You to Build, Without Diluting Your Margins?

Lean achieves higher throughput in a variety of ways, especially by reorganizing line layouts for

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process steps can be addressed. A classic example is a paint line that was restricting throughput of parts until someone asked why the parts were being painted at all. When no one could come up with a reason to paint the parts, the painting operation was eliminated

routings and timing in the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system must be addressed. Unless

potential savings from the improved throughput will

them. Every line should have a production tracking system visible to everybody on the line, and after a kaizen improves throughput, the new throughput level should be tracked to ensure that it becomes a permanent change.

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28 SPRINGS Spring 2010

The result of higher throughput is only going to appear on the bottom line if there is a way to sell at an acceptable margin the incremental product that the plant is capable of making. In other words, if the plant can make 200 units a day instead of 100, the additional products should carry an adequate margin, and the plant certainly should not be building inventory just to absorb overhead. The excess inventory runs the risk of becoming obsolete or sold at a discount.

Thus, the Lean effort has to be based on a good understanding of incremental market demand. If the demand isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t there, increasing throughput may not be a top priority.

Shorter Lead Times: Do Your Market and Your Marketing Department Value Shorter Lead Times?

Lean certainly can shorten lead times by linking operations. Shorter lead times should result in

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with reduced buffers. To see the result of shorter lead time in the bottom line, the supply chain must be synchronized with the new demand pattern. This

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continuous supply of components, parts and supplies, such that workers have what they need, where they need it, when they need it) are deployed correctly.

Planning lead times and order quantities in the ERP system must be updated or incoming inventory could actually go up because the system may be ordering items before they are needed. Additionally, in a make-to-stock business, the stocking levels have to

Perhaps most interesting of all, is the sales/ marketing area willing to advise the customer base of shorter lead times? That is, does the sales/marketing community trust the shortened lead times enough to publish them to the customers? Lead times have to be calibrated against the competition as well as customer requirements. If the customers value shorter lead times and plant provides them, then revenue should increase and the bottom line should have a positive impact.

productivity, throughput, and shortened lead times, tactical issues concerning inventory, yields, and manufacturing footprint need to be addressed. X Process improvement expert Dave Kwinn is a coach with the Milwaukee School of Engineeringâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Business Excellence Consortium and works on Lean deployment in a wide variety of organizations with both administration and manufacturing. Contact Kwinn at (636) 328-5708 or dckwinn@yahoo.com.

Beware of The Trust Fund Penalty Tax

By Mark E. Battersby

!

Imagezoo/Punchstock

ll federal, state and local governments are suffering from the effects of the U.S. economic downturn. So it should come as no surprise to anyone in the spring industry that stricter enforcement of tax laws—to increase plummeting revenues—is inevitable. The surprise comes in just how far the tax collector’s reach extends. This frequently ensnares unsuspecting parties with seemingly no involvement in the spring manufacturing operation’s unpaid tax liabilities.

One of the nastiest and most feared taxes currently imposed is the “Trust Fund Penalty Tax,” a whopping 100 percent penalty on payroll taxes withheld from a spring manufacturer or supplier’s employees, but not forwarded to the Federal government. The fear stems from the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS’s) authority to assess the penalty on “responsible parties,” a label that can include the owners, shareholders,

spring manufacturing business.

Payroll Taxes All businesses are required to collect and remit payroll taxes. Federal employment taxes usually include the following: federal income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare taxes, and Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA).

While some of these taxes are not directly paid by a spring manufacturing business, they must be collected as withholding and turned over to the IRS. There is a legal presumption that when a partial payment of these withheld taxes is made to the IRS, the corporate or business portion is being paid and the employee-withheld portion has been retained. It is the “unlawful retention” that forms the basis for the 100 percent penalty tax — a penalty tax that accrues additional penalties and interest the longer it goes unpaid.

30 SPRINGS Spring 2010

The Breathtakingly Expensive but Legal Penalty Whether the government has received the taxes withheld by employers or not, the IRS is required to pay refunds to taxpayers. Since the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest source of revenue and its immediate cash

>

the IRS has been granted extraordinary powers to enforce collection.

Because these withheld payroll taxes are the property of the U.S. Government and not a spring company, the government has stripped many of the protections provided to business entities like corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs).

In other words, the corporate officers and LLC members are liable for these employment taxes and they cannot hide behind a â&#x20AC;&#x153;corporate shieldâ&#x20AC;? to avoid payment.

The tax law also imposes liability on all responsible persons, not just the most responsible person.

Responsibility The IRS aggressively pursues unpaid payroll taxes and is quite willing to prosecute those who

>

taxes. More often than not the IRS seeks to collect the unpaid taxes from anyone who had anything to do with running the spring manufacturing business,

handled the books or signed the checks.

Generally, there are two major tests used by the IRS to determine if someone is subject to the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty. They are primarily questions of fact, such as (1) whether the party against whom the penalty is proposed had the duty to account for, collect, or hand over trust fund taxes; and (2) whether he or she willfully failed to perform this duty.

Ultimately, however, a â&#x20AC;&#x153;responsible personâ&#x20AC;? is usually determined by position or status. Thus, while the owner of a business is usually responsible, the IRSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s investigation doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop there. The IRS also #

checks and who decided what bills are to be paid. This may even include outside accountants, bookkeepers and consultants/advisers.

The Trust Fund Recovery Penalty may also be

#

Â? this individual is not a responsible person unless he or she furnishes funds to a business and directs how the funds are to be distributed, or directs the business not to pay the taxes.

It is not unusual for the IRS to assess the penalty against several responsible persons. In situations where the IRS assesses the penalty against several persons, it may collect the entire liability from any of those persons.

The Loophole (Sort Of) When an incorporated spring business or one operating as an LLC owes payroll taxes, only the trust fund amount (that portion made up of federal withholding, FICA and Medicare that remains unpaid) can be charged to a responsible party. The trust fund

by the spring manufacturer or supplier. It is this

Knowingly or Willfully Guilty The IRS is required to prove a second element for liability under the trust fund rules. That element is â&#x20AC;&#x153;willfulness.â&#x20AC;? A responsible person need not have failed to pay the taxes with a fraudulent or evil purpose, that person must merely be shown to have knowingly and intentionally disregarded the duty to pay trust fund taxes to the IRS. !

$

conscious, and intentional,â&#x20AC;? according to a 1983 5th Circuit Court ruling. A responsible person acted willfully if he or she â&#x20AC;&#x153;knowinglyâ&#x20AC;? used available funds to pay other expenses of the business instead of the withholding taxes.

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SPRINGS Spring 2010 31

amount that can be, and often is, charged to each responsible party that the IRS feels owes the tax.

The IRS would have everyone believe they are liable for the trust fund if they are a signature authority on the spring manufacturing operationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bank account, or if they sign checks, if they are a shareholder, if they sign tax reports, and more. The law, however, states that an individual who signs checks as a convenience to the employer, and does so only when instructed, but doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any authority to decide who to pay, when or how much to pay, is not a â&#x20AC;&#x153;responsible person,â&#x20AC;? providing a loophole of sorts.

Under our tax laws, a Trust Fund Recovery Penalty must be assessed by the IRS within three years of the April 15th following the year during which the quarterly liabilities arose. If, for example, the penalty arose during 2005, it must be assessed on or before ! *Â&#x2014; Â&#x2039;Â&#x201A;Â&#x201A;+

April 15th following the year during which the liability arose, the statutory period for assessment is three

Fighting the Good Fight In many cases, the IRS assesses responsible persons and begins collection from them even though the business continues to operate and make payments on its overdue taxes.

Precision Quincy / 1625 West Lake Shore Dr. / Woodstock, IL Made in USA / 800.338.0079 / www.precisionquincy.com

32 SPRINGS Spring 2010

Once the IRS determines someone is a responsible person, they will notify them. Once the penalty has been asserted, the IRS begins collection action against the responsible personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal assets. They can,

>

Â&#x201D;

responsible partyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal assets.

The IRS views the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty as a collection tool, and correctly believes the threat of personal liability will encourage a spring manufacturing business to maximize payments to the IRS. For anyone about to be assessed a trust fund penalty from their business, if they are not liable, they must attempt to prove this to the IRS collection personnel as soon as possible.

Why is proving a lack of responsibility important?

Because of the legal entity concept and other rules, the IRS can only look to the assets of the company for payment of the full debt. If the spring manufacturing business doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any assets or minimal asset value ($3,100, forced sale value), the IRS can only collect the remaining trust fund from the responsible parties.

Someone who is willful and responsible canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t prevent the assessment, although they may be able to postpone it with the help of a tax attorney. Many experts advise anyone faced with this situation to use their money wisely and pay the trust fund portion of the debt immediately. This provides personal protection and reduces further penalties and interest.

Failure to tell the IRS how to apply the payment may, however, result in the amounts being used to reduce penalties and interest leaving the individual on the hook for any remaining trust fund portion.

Where an employer fails to properly pay over its payroll taxes, the IRS can seek to collect a penalty equal to 100 percent of the unpaid taxes from a â&#x20AC;&#x153;responsible person,â&#x20AC;? i.e., a person who: (1) is responsible for collecting, accounting for and paying over payroll taxes; and (2) willfully fails to perform this responsibility.

Although a person must be both â&#x20AC;&#x153;responsibleâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;willfulâ&#x20AC;? in order to be liable for any failure to collect or pay over trust fund taxes to the government, the burden of proof of innocence falls on the shoulders of that individual. While the IRS does investigate and willingly listens, it is up to anyone who is targeted as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;responsible personâ&#x20AC;? to prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that they are not a responsible person who willfully failed to collect, account for, or pay over the operationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trust fund taxes withheld from their spring manufacturing operationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s payroll.

And the best time to think about proving that is now, before becoming an IRS target. X

SPRINGS Spring 2010 33

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Manufacturing Resurgence â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A Must for U.S. Prosperity

!

ŠIstock.com/Klaas Lingbeek- van Kranen

s U.S. manufacturers struggle to recover from the recession, a new report finds that manufacturing fuels economic prosperity but requires pro-growth policies to create jobs and remain globally competitive. The report released by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the Council of Manufacturing Associations (CMA) was written by economists Dr. Joel Popkin and Kathryn Kobe, noted experts on issues related to prices, wages, productivity and technology. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Policymakers must recognize that a vibrant manufacturing sector is important to our nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic recovery and long-term growth and prosperity,â&#x20AC;? said Lori Anderson, chair of the CMA and president and CEO of the International Sign Association. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Manufacturing generates more economic activity per dollar of production than any other business sector in the country. Manufacturing industries perform almost twothirds of the private sector research and development (R&D), driving Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading edge in innovation and break-through technologies.

But manufacturers in America face serious challenges that threaten to undermine their contributions to U.S. prosperity.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capacity to generate wealth and long-term economic growth and jobs depends on the enactment of federal policies that encourage manufacturing

U.S. manufacturing base is essential to our countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic future,â&#x20AC;? said Dr. Popkin. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In 2008, U.S. manufacturers produced and exported $918 billion worth of goods to other countries. Those exports helped pay for more than half of our manufactured imports, but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not enough to slow our indebtedness to foreign countries.â&#x20AC;?

Dr. Popkin cited the erosion of Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leadership in R&D as another major challenge facing U.S. manufacturers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The United States is still the leader in the absolute number of dollars spent.

Its strong R&D position, however, is being eroded by the impact of the economic downturn and the rapidly expanding R&D programs in other countries. When the data is available, we expect to see the U.S. share of world R&D fell in 2009.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future prosperity depends on policies that accelerate and strengthen manufacturing production here in the United States,â&#x20AC;? noted William E. Gaskin, president of the Precision Metalforming Association and former CMA chair. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To remain strong players in a competitive world, U.S. manufacturers need government policies that encourage continued innovation and productivity gains. In particular, we need policies that encourage public and private investments to enhance productivity, such as those in R&D, capital goods, worker training and early education that nurtures math

Â&#x192; The new report, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Manufacturing Resurgence â&#x20AC;&#x201D; A Must for U.S. Prosperity,â&#x20AC;? is available at www. nam.org/popkinreport. It is the third in a series of reports by Dr. Popkin $ Â&#x153; \

featuring data and analysis about the one of the starkest reminders of why importance of U.S. manufacturing to a strong, productive and innovative the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy. X

innovation, productivity and competitiveness,â&#x20AC;? stated NAM President John Engler.

The report offers a number of specific recommendations to create jobs and enhance U.S. manufacturing innovation, productivity and competitiveness including the following: Â&#x2013; {

tax rate on profits earned from production in the United States to match those of our major trading partners. Â&#x2013; ] # opment (R&D) tax credit permanent to provide more certainty for private sector decisions to undertake R&D. Â&#x2013; ] #

that will guide private sector decisions on R&D investment for cleaner energy technologies and more varied energy sources. Â&#x2013; [

education system to enhance the pool of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) graduates and support programs of technical training and certification. Â&#x2013; !

businesses, for example, by widening the lowest corporate income tax bracket. They are niche suppliers of components and parts for finished goods manufacturers. And they are also important investors in and initiators of high-risk, ground-breaking innovative endeavors. Â&#x2013;

structure â&#x20AC;&#x201D; transportation, communication channels and the energy grid.

SPRINGS Spring 2010 35

&LASHBACK In the autumn of 1991, representatives of 15 North American spring companies visited Europe to gain insights into the spring industry there.

In this edition of Flashback, we reprint an article written

by Alex Rankin that appeared in the May 1992 issue of Springs. Rankin, who served as SMI president from 1989â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1991, provides an instructive report on the state of the spring industry, nearly 20 years ago.

36 SPRINGS SPRINGS Spring Spring2010 2010

Plugging Into a World Connection

by Alex Rankin Vulcan Spring & Mfg. Co.

4

remendous changes have taken place in Europe in the past year and as we planned our portable seminar, we were brought up short by civil war and changing political conditions. However, springmakers traditionally have been flexible and quick to respond to change, so we coped.

Originally, we planned to route our European jour ney through Yu goslavia to examine the manufacturing challenges and opportunities in that newly free nation. Unfortunately, political unrest in Yugoslavia quickly led to civil war and we were forced to revise our plans.

Z

^ [Â&#x201D; #

about noon, and at 3 p.m. we met at the embassy with Shirley Temple Black, the U.S. ambassador to Czechoslovakia, and Robert Shipley, the senior

knowledgeable.

Under Russian rule, Czechoslovakia supplied the machinery, tanks, armaments, locomotives, steel, springs, and cars to the communist block countries.

The auto industry consists of Skoda passenger cars, Tetra limousines, and Avia trucks which do not meet international standards for performance

Â&#x2019;

to commercial products, such as bulldozers, forklift trucks, and snowcats. Although the Czechoslovakian people have the skills to manufacture these products, they face serious obstacles. The world has plenty of capacity to produce such items already and competition is stiff. If you were to purchase a bulldozer, would you buy a Czechoslovakian machine with an unknown past and a questionable future, or would you purchase one from Caterpillar, John Deere, or Komatsu?

The workers of Czechoslovakia are honest and hard working and have the skills required to produce commercial products, but I believe it will take a large company with tremendous resources and markets to harness those talents. (After our visit, Mercedes Benz bought a 31 percent interest in Avia and plans to spend our $226 million to replace the entire product

line in three years.) Modern manufacturing techniques, such as statistical process control, in-line processing that reduces labor demands, machine capability studies, and just-in-time (JIT) delivery, must be implemented. For the last 45 years, the objective of industry was to keep numbers of people

this entire mentality must be changed.

We were told that crossing the border into Western Europe can take two to three days for trucks, due to inspections, regulations, and general bureaucracy.

Couple this with political unrest and civil wars, and

Â?

[Â&#x201D; #

percent per year. The nation has a debt of about $8 billion; however, it is also owed about $8 billion !

Â&#x203A;

| # Â&#x201C; Â&#x17E;

[Â&#x201D; #

little or no value outside its own borders, so any trade must be on a barter system. How much wine can you accept as payment for springs?

Those considering joint ventures or the outright purchase of a Czechoslovakian plant must recognize

that acquisitions are risky and complex because of

' ership and in establishing value. When industry was nationalized in the 1940s and 1950s, no payment was made to the owners and titles did not change hands in any orderly way. Establishing who has the right to sell a company today is a major problem. Similarly, no records were required for the past 40 years and now ownership of additions in equipment and facilities is also unclear. Finally, the marketplace establishes the value of a company, but there is no viable market to use as a yardstick.

Prague is the place to be for business in Eastern Â&#x201C; Â&#x;

> Â?

for $100 sq. ft. Hotels would be a good investment. The country needs 14,000 more hotel beds every night.

The Atrium, where our group stayed, is owned by a

The main fuel used in Czechoslovakia is soft brown coal and it burns dirty. The air in Prague is so polluted that inhaling it is, we were told, equal to smoking two packs of cigarettes a day. Forty percent of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s electricity is generated by nuclear reactors that are of the old Russian design. Westinghouse has a

SPRINGS Spring 2010 37

contract to make them safe. Additional nuclear power is clearly the hope for cleaning up the air.

In Hungary, too, we began our visit at the U.S. embassy, meeting with Patrick C. Hughes, the acting commercial attachĂŠ there. We were given commercial

Â&#x153; \ position on various issues facing the country.

Â&#x2018; Â&#x2122;Â&#x201A; Â&#x2DC;Â&#x201A;

annually. There are no bank, government or private loans or incentives available. Taxes are 25 percent on

Â&#x2DC;Â&#x201A;

that are taken out of the country. A value-added tax is anticipated, but at the time of our visit it was not yet in place.

Many of the issues confronting Czechoslovakiaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Â&#x203A;

manufacturing facilities and meth odsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;are also facing Hungary. In both countries, we encountered

Â&#x2019; social conversation proceeded easily, but it was

Â&#x;

in part, to the existence of regional dialects and languages which people want to maintain out of pride in their individual heritages. We could see that such communication barriers would cause problems between an outside owner, customers, suppliers, and employees.

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We found the representatives of spring companies in both Hungary and Czechoslovakia to be friendly, welcoming, and eager for a sharing of information and opportunity. They realize that capital investment is necessary if they are to succeed in competing in a world market and are open to discussion of joint ventures.

Our plant visits in Italy provided us with a welcome

companies of that country. As might be expected, they were concerned with the rapid political changes taking place in Europe, EC 92, and slow economic growth. The pros and cons of protectionism, especially as it would relate to transplant companies, are a key topic of discussion.

We experienced a major highlight of our journey in Milan where machinery supplier Simplex Rapid hosted a luncheon that was attended by our group, as well as members of the European Spring Federation (ESF); ANCCEM, the Italian spring association; and the Verband der Deutschen Federnindustrie, the German association. The luncheon provided an informal setting for friendly discussion which was an excellent preface to a meeting in which the following subjects of mutual concern were reviewed: I. The impact of political changes in Eastern Europe on the manufacturing world, in general, and

^

#

in Eastern Europe.

2. Standardization of spring design through computerization.

3. Safety-guarding. What type of guarding is required for coilers? What penalties are in place for violation of regulations?

4. Japanese transplant companies. What has been your experience with these companies? What do you expect from them in the future?

5. ESF development of standards for tolerances, design, and materials.

6. Material quality. What problems have you experienced? What steps have you taken to encourage the improvement of material quality?

7. Recruitment and training. Do you have a training program in your plant? What are the requirements? Who teaches it?

8. JIT. Do you receive a surcharge for providing JIT? Have you reduced your inventories through the use of JIT? 9. Environmental regulations. Do you have hazardous waste regulations? Clean air? Storm water?

10. Quality guides. ] #

\Â? +Â&#x201A;Â&#x201A;Â&#x201A;

to the spring industry.

It was agreed that despite national quirks and idiosyncrasies, we all had a great deal in common

“Unbelievable”

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and could benefit from future collaboration and a sharing of information. To begin, we hope to work with the ESF on the issues of material quality, standards, and quality guides.

That evening, ANCCEM hosted a casual dinner at which we enjoyed good food and music and got to know one another better. Thinking about all we saw and learned on the 1991 European Spring Industry Seminar, I have come to the conclusion that governments, institutions, and associations can do a lot to promote international cooperation and development, but private initiatives and personal, one-to-one contacts—such as those made on this trip—are essential for success. X

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Participants in the 1991 SMI European Spring Industry Seminar

Jack & Dovie Bazz Bazz-Houston Company

John & Robbie Mink Rockford Spring Company

William M. & Mary Jane Betts Betts Spring Company

A. H. & Della Peterson Peterson American Corporation

W. C. & Martha Carson Instrument Specialties Company

Alex & Joanne Rankin Vulcan Spring & Manufacturing Company

Edward & Nancy Garst Alambre Products Corporation David B. & Marilyn Habicht Kirk-Habicht Company Ronald A. & Ginger Hubbard Newcomb Spring of Texas G. Donald & Janet Jacobson Newcomb Spring of Connecticut Robert Kupczak Jackson Spring & Manufacturing Company

Daniel C. & Jeannine Schellinger Schellinger Spring Inc. Glenn W. & Sue Tehel Industrial Spring Corporation Philip J. & Betty Wallbank P. J. Wallbank Manufacturing Company, Ltd. Patricia Williams Spring Manufacturers Institute

SPRINGS Spring 2010 39

7IRE &ORMING 7ISDOM A Primer on Wire Forming â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Part 1

by Drew Greenblatt

(Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: With this issue of Springs we begin a new column called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wire Forming Wisdom.â&#x20AC;? Recognizing that many springmakers are also involved in making wire forms, this column will provide timely technical and trend information on the subject.)

7

ire forms is a term that incorporates many shapes, textures and dimensions. The forms are engineered in two or three dimensions and commonly generated from wire and sometimes from tube. Typically, the raw stock for wire forms is fed off a coil that can weigh as much 5,000 pounds (2,300 kg) or as little as five pounds (2.3 kg). In some cases, the raw material commences production in blank forms that are fed from a hopper.

Z

force applied to it that changes the shape of the wire. Wire can be round,

> Â&#x203A;

 ' %

name a few. Wire can be made of low-carbon steel, medium- carbon and high-carbon steel. It can also be made of stainless, aluminum, copper, brass and an assortment of alloyed materials.

Wire can be formed by applying a force that changes its contour. It may be bent, punched, swaged, spanked, pierced, chamfered, sheared, cold formed or headed, along with other techniques. A myriad of secondary operations are available: punch, cut, bend, stamp, form, head and coin the wire to create the desired shape.

These forces may be applied by a number of different means. A simple, hand method using a lever and a spindle can produce a number of different forms along with simple air benders, hydraulic benders, presses and dies, fourslide machines, up to high- volume, 3D CNC programmed benders. Volumes, tolerances, chemical

and intended use help determine the best method of forming. The desired wire form will be based on what the end product is and what it must do.

The ingenuity of the methods to manipulate the material is stunning. This article will cover the breadth of wire forming options, with pictures and links to videos to add clarity for the manufacturing engineer trying to get his/ her arms around a vast and important topic.

How It Started Forming is typically created in a continuum, from a dedicated tool that is very fast but takes

'

range of options that are more nimble with slower production speeds.

The process of bending wire forms began by manually bending a wire around an anvil and a post. Manual benders then became mass-produced by companies like Diacro, which built

ŠIstock.com/Feng Yu

40 SPRINGS Spring 2010

robust units where many bending operations could be done with preset pins. These machines were plagued with a lack of consistency since operators got tired over time and did not bend the handle fully, which resulted in poor quality. In addition, as labor became expensive, more productive means were required to be competitive.

Later, companies like Penn Machinery built hydraulic benders to bend two or three wires at a

but the march of progress required faster speed and better quality. To increase production speeds, fourslide machines came into vogue to mass produce wire forms utilizing mechanical tooling and enabling higher production rates of simple wire forms. However, a big drawback of fourslides was the inability to complete a quick changeover or

new tooling set.

Examples are fourslide machines made by Finzer, Bihler or Nilson. These machines can make over 3,500 simple wire forms consistently in an hour with a one-time tooling investment of dedicated dies.

Sophisticated fourslide die makers try to make tools that have universal applications as much as possible to improve tool production turnaround. Die makers

A more nimble approach, because fewer dedicated tools are needed, are computer numerically controlled (CNC) two-dimensional or three-dimensional bending machines. These machines take less than an hour to changeover from one wire form project to another as opposed to the weeks it takes to make fourslide tooling.

CNC benders are manufactured worldwide by companies like AIM (Chicago, Ill.), Ultimat (UK), Z

Â&#x153;ÂĄÂ&#x20AC; Â&#x2019; Â&#x20AC; Z (Germany). AIM and Numalliance machines have the ability to download programs from AutoCAD software into the robot which saves programming time.

Numalliance has a nice system that allows one to â&#x20AC;&#x153;hand crankâ&#x20AC;? a straightener rolling positioner for quick changeovers of wire diameters. AIM has spearheaded integrating robots (they specialize in Fanucs) to do secondary tasks like punching, bending, and forming with the auxiliary robot. AIMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s machines are fast-feeding wire as fast as 495 feet per minute and bending wire 3600 degrees a second with their blistering servo motors. Ultimat and Whitelegg specialize in two dimensional bending that has an integrated butt welder in their product line so that frames can be welded closed without a secondary operation. Ultimat even has machines that can

$ ' Â&#x192;

off of a second coil integrated into the production cell.

For very long runs (over 5 million pieces) with minimal needs to changeover, Numalliance has created a machine that produces over seven thousand complex parts per hour. It utilizes elaborate hard tooling that creates parts in a parallel forming line linked to each other called a Numacell. The big drawback is the expensive tooling and time to changeover from one style of part to another part. If the runs are very long,

# >

the machineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s productivity.

How Does the Wire Forming Process Start?

The most common method of wire forming starts with wire in coil form. Wire forming requires the material to be straight so that wire forms are consistent. Eckehard Albert has stated that the process of straightening â&#x20AC;&#x153;is the apparent removal of stresses accumulated by a material due to the forces and moments applied to it in the course of its production.â&#x20AC;?

Albert, famous for his leadership in the straightening industry, was a co-founder of Witels-Albert.

The most common way to straighten is with precisely machined rolls. The rolls are adjusted by a set-up operator or in more sophisticated factories with

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SPRINGS Spring 2010 41

automatically adjusted CNC straightening. Typically the bottom rolls are fixed and the top rolls are adjusted. There are several ways to make adjustments on the rolls. One can use a rail adjustment or individual roll adjustments. The positioning of each of the rolls against the zero line manipulates the wire to turn in different directions, so that residual stresses in the coil are relieved.

Another method used to straighten wire is the

Z Â&#x17E; and Lewis Straighten & Cut machines. This style of

>

instead uses rotating straighteners because they believe that it will create a straighter wire.

According to Witels-Albert, there are two types of stresses in wire: avoidable and unavoidable.

Examples of avoidable stresses are overhead pull

Â&#x203A;

changes of direction and wrongly implemented straightening processes. One must make sure that avoidable stresses are not occurring so that the wire has a better chance of being straight.

Some unavoidable stresses occur during drawing,

a high-quality mill that provides consistent wire with the same helix and camber is critical. We have found suppliers like Taubensee, J&L, Sivaco and Mid-South Wire are able to provide this consistency.

Your source for the best in close tolerance strip and edging. 䥲

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tel. 847.537.2881 䥲 toolkinginc.com Wheeling (Chicago), Illinois 60090 USA

42 SPRINGS Spring 2010

Some imported material, although cheaper, does not have consistent properties throughout the coil. As a result of inconsistent wire, the machine operator needs to adjust the wire straighteners for proper wire â&#x20AC;&#x153;behaviorâ&#x20AC;? which is a time wasting exercise that ties up key talent.

What are Different Ways to Form Wire Ends?

There are many ways to shape a wire form or the ends of a wire form. Some wire formers load material into dies with a hopper, which is the most common method. This involves an extra direct labor step to move wire from a Straighten Cut machine to the hopper. Several companies like Numalliance and AIM have incorporated a pick-and-place robot that is integrated with the secondary process (watch a movie of the AIM pick and place process http:// www.marlinwire.com/wireforming_pickandplace_ lightvision.htm).

The various wire form machines detailed above are specialized to form wire in two and three dimensions.

Some of the machines can also form a variety of ends and interior geometry. Here are some common wire form techniques: As Cut - This is the term for what the wire form looks like when the machine cuts the material with a die like a guillotine knife. It is sometimes called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Machine Cut.â&#x20AC;?

Typically, this is the result after the machine has been straightened and cut off by a Lewis, RMG, or Shuster cut machine. The resulting burrs are very small (maximum +0.005â&#x20AC;? [0.13mm], which is hardly noticeable in most applications) and usually acceptable.

Chamfered or Deburred - This additional step is performed after the part has been cut, in order to remove any burr from the wire and thus make it safer and smoother to the operator and the client. Deburring usually refers to grinding down the side with the burr. This picture shows a wire form with a uniform deburring or grinding (or could be in a Lathe option). AIM and Latour have machines that can do this operation in-line, so that the part production is not delayed.

Swaging or Winging - Typically using a press, a die is used to push down on a wire, thus carving out (or hogging out) material and displacing the material.

Swaged & Pierced - This twostep process typically starts with a press and a special die that is pushed down on a wire, carving out material and displacing the material. Then a second die â&#x20AC;&#x153;piercesâ&#x20AC;? out a hole through the material.

Specially-Shaped Holes - This two-step process typically starts with a press and a special die that is pushed down on a wire, carving out material and displacing the material. Then a second die punches-out out a specially designed hole through the material.

Pinch Point - With dies on the end of a punch, a pointed end is created similar to the bottom of a stake. This is a coarse approach but an effective way to create a sharp edge.

Diagonal Cut-Off or Chisel Point - This is a technique to make an end similar to a pinch point end, in which material is removed by a die in a

punch operation in a jagged manner so that the end of the wire form is sharp and cut off in a diagonal slope or chisel point.

Turned End - With a lathe or roller dies, this end is created with a smooth, pointed end. This method is similar to chamfering except that it produces a smaller

Ball End - The end of the material is formed into a ball typically by a lathe operation.

Grooved - Typically used to hold a retaining ring, grooved material is lathed out of the wire.

This results in a continuous piece of wire carved into three adjacent wire forms of different diameters. The picture adjacent to this description, demonstrates one of many different grooving techniques that are available to the client.

SPRINGS Spring 2010 43

SMART SOLUTIONS... ...for TANGLED SPRINGS

Heading or Cold Heading - Heading is a process in which material is formed by a pair of gripping dies which grab material (wire typically) to form a carriage out of the wire. This operation holds the material tight before the next violent action occurs--a punch smashes down on the gripped wire that is being held tightly by the gripping dies.

This is how nails are made.

Button Heading - This type of heading is common in bolt heads with a rounded head created from the punch die.

Carriage Heading - Carriage Heading creates a washer-like portion of material below the button head.

UNTANGLE YOUR SPRING PROBLEMS AND...

Improve employee morale Save money, time, and hours of frustration Use before vibratory feeder bowl for less jams Ship springs in bulk without extra separators or trays Eliminate expensive tack (fly) paper and special handling

Collar Heading - This heading

$ > Â&#x192; in the middle of the wire and not in the end of the wire.

In part two of this article, I will complete my discussion on the many ways to shape a wire form.

In addition, I will look at some of the new wire forming capabilities that are available and the future innovations that wire forming will likely see. X

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If the D-Tangler can separate these treble hooks efficiently with no damage, just imagine what it can do with your springs!

DISPENSE WORKS INC 4071 Albany Street . McHenry IL 60050 815-363-3524 phone / 815-363-8089 fax info@dispenseworks.com / www.d-tangler.com

44 SPRINGS Spring 2010

Drew Greenblatt is the president of Marlin Steel Wire Products (www.MarlinWire.com ) and is on the executive board of the National Association of Manufacturers, the chairman of the board of the Regional Manufacturing Institute and a member of Maryland International Advisory Council. Marlin Steel Wire Products LLC is a wire former in Baltimore, Md., bending stainless steel, plain steel and galvanized wire for industrial clients in the aerospace, medical, pharmaceutical, military and automotive markets.

SPRINGS Spring 2010 45

46 SPRINGS Spring 2010

3PRINGMAKER 3POTLIGHT

The Rankin family (l-to-r): Sharon, Scott, Melanie, Robby, Alec and Bula, the family dog.

Scott Rankin, Vulcan Spring & Mfg. Co. Imparting Wisdom to a New Generation

by Gary McCoy

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ach year Alexander “Scott” Rankin VI, president of Vulcan Spring & Mfg. Co., picks out a word and puts it on a sticky note above his computer. This year the word is “wisdom.” And Rankin explains that it gives him something “that I can look at every day.”

He says the question he’s trying to answer this year is: “How can I use wisdom?” Rankin admits that “I don’t know that I have it (wisdom), but I want it.”

As the incoming president of the Spring Manufacturers Institute (SMI), Rankin hopes to learn more about wisdom and is ready to apply it to his new role during the next two years at the helm of the association.

Association involvement is not new to the Rankin family. Scott’s father, Alexander “Alex” V, was the president of SMI from 1989 to 1991.

Talking G.I. Joe and Cut Fingers Learning about the spring industry started for Rankin when Vulcan Spring was launched in 1967 in his parent’s basement. Alex had worked for Hunter Spring, a company that was an innovator of constant

SPRINGS Spring Spring2010 2010 47 SPRINGS

"...my dad bought a machine, loaded it into a friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s station wagon, brought it home and put it up in the basement of our house. He rebuilt the machine and all the tools himself, and started making this spring.â&#x20AC;?

force springs. When the company was bought by Ametek, Alex and all the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s managers were let go. It was at that point when the entrepreneurial spirit kicked in and Vulcan Spring was born. &

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a machine, loaded it into a friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s station wagon, brought it home and put it up in the basement of our house. He rebuilt the machine and all the tools himself, and started making this spring.â&#x20AC;?

Scott recalls he and his sister, Heather, picking up

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$! they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t roll up quite right and it was thin material.

Â&#x192; He remembers sitting in front of the TV, winding up springs and making sure they went into the right box for shipment.

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48 SPRINGS Spring 2010

Shortly after that, Vulcan Spring moved out of the house, into a suburban Philadelphia area factory and, some 40-plus years later, the company continues to grow. Unlike most springmakers who work with round wire, Vulcan has always specialized in making

Vulcan Spring has pioneered constant force and variable force spring technologies. In addition, the company has developed PULLBOXÂŽ product security devices, plastic scrolls for informational displays, counterbalances for beverage truck doors, and the

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control.

Over its history Vulcan has manufactured over 6,000 individual products for more than 2,000 customers. The company currently employs 70 people in North America and eight in international countries.

Joining the Family Business Like many in the spring industry, Rankin started

#

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Saturdays when Alex went into work. But actually { #

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the age of 10. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would vacuum the church and clean the toilets,â&#x20AC;? explained Rankin. But things changed when the church bought a printing machine and he learned to operate the A.B. Dick tabletop, offset printing press for the church. This later turned into a nice little business for Rankin. In fact, he ended up printing some materials for the local school district.

After graduating from high school, Rankin attended Penn State and later transferred to Temple University where he graduated with a degree in marketing.

During college he had worked at a gas station

>

education. So it was no surprise that upon graduation he moved to Europe to work for Porsche.

Even though he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t speak German or know anything about where he was going to live, Rankin said he jumped on an airplane and headed for Porsche headquarters in Germany. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was one of those life-changing things where you take a chance on yourself,â&#x20AC;? related Rankin.

Being a marketing person, Rankin said he had

Â&#x201D;

Porsche â&#x20AC;&#x153;that I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like or that they were doing,

Vulcan Spring & Mfg. Co. headquarters in Telford, PA.

Taking over the business, says Rankin, was not something that happened overnight but something that occurred in stages. Â?

mid â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;80s when Alex allowed Rankin to start a new

material instead of steel to make plastic springs. !

! > vice president of SMI in 1987 and president in 1989.

With his dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heavy involvement in SMI, Rankin said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a slow progression of me taking on more and more of the day-to-day operations of the company.â&#x20AC;?

Another stage occurred when Alex helped start a bank and Rankin took over more responsibilities in running Vulcan Spring. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My father had the ability, which I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen in too many dads, that as I took something over, he let it go,â&#x20AC;? explained Rankin. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He gave me advice, but he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t second-guess me.â&#x20AC;?

Taking the Reins ! #

{ #

While Rankin started buying the business from his dad in the mid â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;90s, it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until the early stated, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a very unique quality in an Â&#x2039;Â&#x201A;Â&#x201A;Â&#x201A;

entrepreneur that starts a business.â&#x20AC;?

In taking over the business, Rankin said his greatest majority owner. Alex still owns a small percentage of the business and is at Vulcan Spring nearly every challenge has been turning his dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s start from scratch day. The day we talked, Alex was out in the factory culture, â&#x20AC;&#x153;which created an excellent foundation,â&#x20AC;? into a growth culture. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One where weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re focused on constantly rebuilding an electric motor.

Rankin says his dad is still a great source of advice

#

Â&#x192; >

and â&#x20AC;&#x153;he loves working on the machines.â&#x20AC;? which I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fond of at the time.â&#x20AC;? He said he then cut out all the ads he liked from Porsche competitors and presented both stacks of clippings to his boss.

He recalls saying to his boss: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what I like and hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t.â&#x20AC;? Rankin said his boss nicely said to him: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really care. Just do your job.â&#x20AC;?

After that conversation, Rankin realized that he might need to communicate differently down the road. He spent about six months in Germany with Porsche and another year working for the company from the U.S. It was while he was still in Europe that Rankinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dad came to visit and said â&#x20AC;&#x153;that I should probably come work for him because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m his only son.â&#x20AC;?

So it was in late 1983 that Rankin came to work at Vulcan. He actually worked for a time for both Vulcan Spring and Porsche, before joining the family business full time.

SPRINGS Spring 2010 49

Rankin admits that while heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proďŹ cient at designing a spring and all the mechanics involved in that, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more proud of being proďŹ cient at helping people solve their problems.

And to Rankin that comes down â&#x20AC;&#x153;to listening to what people actually need and helping them achieve it.â&#x20AC;?

Listening - To Solve Problems When asked about his business philosophy and the things heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s learned about business during his career in the spring industry, Rankin believes listening is the key.

Rankin admits that while heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proficient at designing a spring and all the mechanics involved in

people solve their problems. And to Rankin that comes down â&#x20AC;&#x153;to listening to what people actually need and helping them achieve it.â&#x20AC;?

He said by doing that: â&#x20AC;&#x153;You become more than a spring company. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve become a solution company.

And thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve tried to do for our customers.â&#x20AC;?

Among the advice he would pass along to others is: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Treat people with respect. Pay attention. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t

50 SPRINGS Spring 2010

assume you know everything. And listen more than you talk.â&#x20AC;?

Rankin says heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the type of person who gauges #

loss statements. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I like to see happy clients; I like to see happy employees,â&#x20AC;? explained Rankin. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If that has happened, I know that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a good week at Vulcan. And if people have trusted us enough to give us their orders, then it was a successful week.â&#x20AC;?

Excited About the Future of Vulcan and SMI While it would be easy to be depressed or upset over the current economic climate, Rankin sounds a note of optimism about it. In studying what happened during the Great Depression and following the patterns of companies that emerged as a result, Rankin believes the companies that make it through these times will be some of the biggest and strongest companies around. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m kind of excited because we plan on making it through this whole time,â&#x20AC;? said Rankin. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I see the exact patterns that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been through before.â&#x20AC;?

While he cautions that the worst may still not yet be behind us, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hopeful that â&#x20AC;&#x153;I can take the lessons that those business people learned and use that instead of trying to guess whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to happen next.â&#x20AC;?

His optimism about the future of Vulcan Spring carries over to his enthusiasm for SMIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future. He is quick to compliment outgoing SMI president Reb Banas, and says the two have worked well together during Banasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; term. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s excited about SMI programs, especially the work done to expand SMIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s testing capabilities.

One area that he hopes to lead the association forward is to expand SMIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relationships in the international market. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re no longer a United States industry,â&#x20AC;? declared Rankin. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a world industry. And I want to keep working to make sure that we make those relationships a little bit more solid and structured,â&#x20AC;? he says, especially the relationships between SMI and all of the other spring associations worldwide.

As a â&#x20AC;&#x153;marketing guy,â&#x20AC;? Rankin also hopes â&#x20AC;&#x153;that

of SMI.â&#x20AC;? His desire is that people will understand the

network that SMI provides and the importance it can be to the growth of their companies. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not only the knowledge that you get as far as whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s there, but how you do things,â&#x20AC;? he relates. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To be able to call somebody and say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Look, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a problem and I need some help, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a network of people that can help.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?

He wants to promote an atmosphere where people are willing to share and â&#x20AC;&#x153;lend a hand as needed.â&#x20AC;?

Rankin says he wants to get people to understand that â&#x20AC;&#x153;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not SMI against the other organizations. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s SMI joining with the world to network so that we can all survive and thrive.â&#x20AC;?

Away From The Office Life is never dull at the Rankin house. He and his wife, Sharon (who is a professional photographer), are the parents of three teenagers, Alexander VII â&#x20AC;&#x153;Alec,â&#x20AC;?

17, Robby, 15, and Melanie, 14.

When heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not busy with the kids, Rankin admits: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love playing with cars.â&#x20AC;? His current collection numbers fourteen, and the garage behind his house is his â&#x20AC;&#x153;playroomâ&#x20AC;? where he tinkers with all of these vehicles.

His other â&#x20AC;&#x153;hobbyâ&#x20AC;? is helping others. Rankin says it all started at a church missions conference many years ago where the desire to be a part of something bigger started. He said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The next thing I knew, I was tied in with this guy in Philadelphia who was feeding a few people on the streets.â&#x20AC;?

That ministry, Chosen 300, helps feed 400 people in inner city Philadelphia every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Rankin helps run

the ministry, which he is quick to point out is not a homeless shelter but simply a feeding/serving center.

When Rankin is in town, he faithfully works there on Monday nights, serving food. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And then again, just to see Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got a sense of humor, I ended up supporting an orphanage in India called Hebronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Children Home.â&#x20AC;? Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a part of the Pocket Testament League, a mentor for the â&#x20AC;&#x153;FIRSTâ&#x20AC;? robotics team at his kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; school (Chestnut Hill Academy) that is sponsored by Vulcan, and a board member of the Anthony Robbins Foundation.

Through that last endeavor, Rankin helps run the foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s camp each year called the Global Youth Leadership Summit. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I call myself the oldest camper,â&#x20AC;? says Rankin with a chuckle. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I help run and coordinate that and help the coaches so they can interact with the kids and make a difference in the world.â&#x20AC;?

If thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not enough, Rankin also volunteers at the Philadelphia Zoo in a program called JZAP, which stands for â&#x20AC;&#x153;Junior Zoo Apprentice Program.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about taking inner-city kids and getting them to work with animals and trying to get them to think outside of their environment,â&#x20AC;? which Rankin admits is normally a violent one. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These kids really need help, and all they need is for somebody to listen and pay attention to them.â&#x20AC;?

While it may sound like a clichĂŠ to some, Rankin is passionate about â&#x20AC;&#x153;wanting to make a differenceâ&#x20AC;? in peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives.

He says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to leave the world knowing that I could have helped somebody. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help everyone, but I want to do something. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more to life than making springs and watching TV.â&#x20AC;?

Parting Words of Wisdom When asked about any words of wisdom for the next generation of springmakers, Rankin paused and admitted that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard because â&#x20AC;&#x153;my kids are the next generation.â&#x20AC;? And he says they currently donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any interest in running Vulcan Spring someday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I grew up, when Reb grew up, your dad started this company and it was in your family the whole time, and you thought: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Man, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m gonna do, I guess.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?

He says that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to be the way kids think anymore, but Rankin is okay with that. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I guess that would be the wisdom,â&#x20AC;? says Rankin, â&#x20AC;&#x153;be your own person. If this is the right industry for you, get in it and do it with all your heart. But if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Â&#x192; And without hesitation he imparts, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing like getting paid for doing your passion.â&#x20AC;? X

SPRINGS Spring 2010 51

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52 SPRINGS Spring 2010

)NSIDE 3-) New SMI Board Announced for 2010â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2011 The Spring Manufacturers Institute (SMI) has announced that the following individuals will comprise the associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Executive Committee and Board of Directors for 2010-2011.

Executive Committee: President: Scott Rankin (Vulcan Spring) Vice President: Steve Moreland (Automatic Spring Products) Secretary/Treasurer: Russ Bryer (Spring Team) Past President: Reb Banas (Stanley Spring & Stamping) At Large: Mike Betts (Betts Spring)

In addition to the elected ofďŹ cers, SMI is governed by the board of directors listed below along with their committee chair assignments: Regional s )LLINOIS Joe Sirovatka (R-R Spring) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2011 s -ID !TLANTIC n Steve Kempf (Lee Spring) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2012 s #ONNECTICUT n Ted White (Hardware Products) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2012 s #ANADA n Richard Guimont (Liberty Spring) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2011 s 3OUTHWEST n Ron Curry (Gifford Spring) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2012 s -ICHIGAN n Chris Witham (Motion Dynamics), Technical â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2012 s 7EST n Kurt Gillespie (Century Spring) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2012 s 0ITTSBURGH /HIO n Chris Fazio (Diamond Wire) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2011 s 3OUTHEAST n Tom Armstrong (Duer/Carolina Coil) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2012

At-Large s Bob Iorio (Gibbs Wire), Associate â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2011 s Dennis Backhaus (Spiros Industries), Benchmarking â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2011 s Ann Davey (John Evansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sons), Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2011 s Richard Rubenstein (Plymouth Spring), Magazine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2011 s Jim Callaghan (MW Industries) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2012 s Miko Kabeshita (Ark Technologies) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2011 s Greg Heitz (Exacto Spring) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2011 s Gene Huber, Jr. (Winamac Coil) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2011 s Hap Porter (SEI Metaltek) - 2012

SPRINGS Spring Spring 2010 2010 53 SPRINGS 53 Score by AďŹ&#x201A;o/Punchstock

SMI to Host â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fundamentals of Spring Designâ&#x20AC;?

SMI will host its popular â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fundamentals of Spring Designâ&#x20AC;? seminar on June 22-23 at the Naperville, Ill. campus of Northern Illinois University. This is a practical problem-solving seminar created for those who design compression,

extension and torsion springs. It is also appropriate for those who select materials.

The course will be taught by Luke Zubek, technical director, SMI and Dick Carter, engineering manager, Michigan Spring and Stamping. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With the pressure to meet deadlines plus superior quality considerations, todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spring

designer faces problems that were virtually unknown just a few years ago,â&#x20AC;? explained Zubek. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This seminar will cover the basic problems faced by designers and offer solutions to help meet customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs.â&#x20AC;?

The course is designed for those interested in acquiring a basic understanding of spring design, blueprints, and SMIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Advanced Spring Design (ASD) 7.0 software.

Registration for the seminar is $600 per person for SMI members, and $750 for nonmembers. The registration deadline is May 14.

For more information see the flyer and registration form on pages 65 and 66, or contact SMI at (630) 495-8588.

SMI Is Gold Sponsor of Long Products Supply Chain Symposium

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54 SPRINGS Spring 2010

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The American Wire Producers A s s o c i a t i o n ( AW P A ) A n n u a l Meeting has moved to May this year, and will take place in conjunction with a new event, the Long Products Supply Chain Symposium (LPSCS), and the Wire Association Internationalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wire Expo. SMI is a gold sponsor of LPSCS, which is scheduled for ] *Â&#x201A;'**

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downtown Milwaukee, Wis. The AWPA Annual Meeting will be held ] +'*Â&#x201A;

^

the Wire Expo will be held from May 12-13 at the nearby Midwest Airlines Arena.

The LPSCS is designed to bring together key decision makers from all strata of the carbon, alloy or stainless Long Products Supply Chain, including rod and bar manufacturers, wire manufacturers, wire products and fastener manufacturers and wire fabricators. Among the topics to be discussed include: â&#x20AC;&#x153;U.S. Economic and Manufacturing Policy,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Manufacturing Economy in the U.S. and The World,â&#x20AC;? and a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Supply Chain Outlook.â&#x20AC;?

Confirmed speakers for LPSCS include: Â&#x2013; John J. Ferriola, COO, steel-making operations, Nucor Â&#x2013; Russ Rinn, executive vice president, CMC Americas Â&#x2013; Jay Timmons, executive vice president, National Association of Manufacturers Â&#x2013; Kenneth Simonson, chief economist, Associated General Contractors of America Â&#x2013; James Kerkvliet, vice president of commercial sales, Gerdau Ameristeel Â&#x2013; Charles Blum, director, Coalition for a Prosperous American & Fair Currency Coalition Â&#x2013; Thomas Danjczek, president, Steel Manufacturers Association Â&#x2013; David Phelps, president, American Institute for International Steel Â&#x2013; Kurt Fowler, managing director, SteelFacts The early bird fee for the LPSCS is $980 when you register by April 16 and is $1,030 after April 16. The spouse/guest registration fee is $200. Discounted rates are available for AWPA members.

The registration fee covers all events at the LPSCS, including a lunch and two receptions, as well as entrance and activities at Wire Expo. To register, visit www.awpa.org. Go to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Upcoming Events,â&#x20AC;? select the 2010 LPSCS and click on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Event Registration.â&#x20AC;? If your spouse/guest is attending, make sure their name is listed in the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Manage Special Requests and Guest Informationâ&#x20AC;? section of the registration form. For more information, contact AWPA at (703) 299-4434.

Introducing the YRC Standard Service Guarantee \]

YRC has introduced a no-fee, money-back â&#x20AC;&#x153;Standard Service Guarantee.â&#x20AC;? Under the program, when you ship with YRC you will receive a no-fee, money-back guarantee on all standard LTL transit schedules across the contiguous 48 states and between the U.S. and Canada. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even need to request the guarantee because it is automatically applied.

If the shipment fails to deliver on the scheduled day of service, you are eligible to receive a 100 percent refund.

As an SMI member, you receive a 70 percent discount on qualifying less-than-truckload (LTL)

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SPRINGS Spring 2010 55

Cautionary Tale: Extension Springs II Spring Technology

BY -ARK (AYES

4

he cautionary tale in the Winter 2010 edition of Springs promised a continuation of research results that showed how to improve the performance of extension springs.

So far, in this cautionary tale, it has been shown that German loops are better than English but only at small index (L8) .

Often there is no difference between those two loop types providing that both are made accurately (loop not protruding) and

#

also been shown that shot peening will improve end loop fatigue life, but by a relatively small amount.

Finally, the debate about enlarged or reduced loops was closed in favor of reduced diameter loops.

This tale is intended to illustrate by how much the end loop should be reduced so that the loop is no longer the weakest position in the spring.

The research was conducted by IST and its European partners with the Techspring Research Project. IST is always looking for opportunities to undertake fundamental research

#

funding for this type of R&D activity.

Batches of extension springs were made from carbon steel wire to EN 10270-1 DH quality, an example very similar to ASTM A228. They had reduced diameter end loops and the last body coils before the hook were coned down, as seen in Figure 1.

The spring designs are shown in Table 1.

Table 1: Spring Designs d*/ mm

Do*/mm

Rate/ N/mm

Fo*/ N

Loop inside dia./mm

2A

2.80

29.83

0.98

13

18.75

2B

2.80

29.52

1.03

11

15.82

2C

2.80

29.50

1.10

11

13.41

Figure 1

Mark Hayes is the senior metallurgist at the Institute of Spring Technology (IST) in Sheffield, England. He manages ISTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spring failure analysis service, and all metallurgical aspects of advice given by the Institute. He also gives the spring training courses that the Institute offers globally.

Readers are encouraged to contact him with comments about this cautionary tale, and with subjects that they would like to be addressed in future tales. Contact Hayes at (011) 44 114 252 7984, fax (011) 44 114 2527997, or e-mail m.hayes@ist.org.uk.

56 SPRINGS Spring 2010

*d = wire diameter, Do = outside diameter, Fo = initial tension

These springs were fatigue tested at a speed of 200 rpm and in each test the position of failure was noted. Failures in the end loop are designated L in Table 2, and those in the body B. The fatigue results are shown in Table 2.

Table 2: Fatigue Results 2A

2B

2C

Lengths

Body stress/ MPa

Loop stress/ MPa

Fatigue lives/k cycles

173 – 327

177 – 715

282 – 1142

91L 94L 119L 106

173 – 348

177 – 789

282 – 1259

48L 50L 53L 73L

Lengths

Body stress/ MPa

Loop stress/ MPa

Fatigue lives/k cycles

165 – 313

177 – 715

251 – 1017

141B 143B 193L 106

165 – 334

177 – 792

251 – 1126

63L 86B 96B 107B

Lengths

Body stress/ MPa

Loop stress/ MPa

Fatigue lives/k cycles

160 – 300

178 – 722

226 – 916

149B 189B 2 x 106

160 – 320

178 – 800

226 – 1014

130B 131B 139B 152B

All the springs from batch 2C broke in the body, thus indicating the reduction in loop diameter that was effective in preventing fatigue failure in the loop — the usual position of fatigue failure in extension springs.

These results, together with others

generated in the Techspring Project, will enable the production of very much improved Goodman Diagrams for extension springs that take account of end loops performance.

These will be incorporated into IST’s CAD software. X

sizes range: 0.827”- 0.001” quantities: from 10ft profile: available in round, flat & shaped wire

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SPRINGS Spring 2010 57

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58 SPRINGS Spring 2010

Technically Speaking

Feeding the Seagulls: Characterization of Transverse Inner Diameter Cracking Due to Hydrogen Embrittlement BY ,UKE :UBEK 0%

7

orking in the failure analysis business sometimes leaves me wondering if anyone makes springs that don’t break. A review of an article I wrote in April 2008, “A Look Back at the Causes of Spring Failures,” reveals that chrome silicon grades encountered the highest rate of fractures, based on usage.

Next to fatigue, the most common cause of these fractures was from hydrogen embrittlement (HE). In this article I will characterize some of the common and maybe not so common mechanisms of failure.

My hope is that a better understanding of this phenomenon will help prevent these transverse inner diameter cracks from forming.

Mechanism The steel becomes embrittled when these three effects are simultaneously present: tensile stress, nascent hydrogen and susceptible material. Chrome silicon is one of the most susceptible spring materials due to the high hardness and alloying constituents.

The harder the steel, the greater the sensitivity.

The embrittlement process begins with the nascent hydrogen diffusing to the area that is in tension, and over time pressure increases in the grain boundaries. If the tensile stress is above a certain critical threshold, the steel will fracture intergranular.

After the steel fractures, the hydrogen escapes into the environment and ductility returns to the steel. This can be seen in the fracture features as a transition from intergranular features to ductile

Luke Zubek, PE is the technical director of the Spring Manufacturers Institute, providing failure analysis services, technical assistance and educational seminars to the spring industry.

Prior to that, he was a metallurgical engineer for a major steel producer for 10 years.

He holds a masters of materials and metallurgical engineering degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology and a bachelors in metallurgical engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Readers may contact Zubek at (630) 495-8588 or email luke@smihq.org.

Figure 1: Typical appearance of a transverse ID crack that results from hydrogen embrittlement. These cracks always appear intergranular on oil tempered spring grades at the point of origin.

overload features. This last transition (from brittle to ductile features) on the fracture surface is probably one of the most overlooked pieces of evidence in diagnosing hydrogen embrittlement in spring steels.

If the fracture features do not transition to ductile features then the embrittlement mechanism is most likely related to improper thermal processing, like temper embrittlement.

Appearance, Crack Morphology The cracks are generally oriented at about 90 degrees to the wire axis as shown in Figure 1.

Sometimes there’s a slight angle to them but not usually more than 5 degrees. This crack orientation is the result of the applied stresses that are the residual tensile stresses created from the coiling operation.

These tensile stresses are predominately present at the spring ID and run parallel with the wire axis.

In general, most cracks from HE are partial cracks that can progress across the entire diameter after the springs are loaded or cycled. These pre-cracked springs commonly break during setting, load testing, or installation.

SPRINGS Spring 2010 59

Figure 2: Fracture Surface and Potential Causes Found Where?

Fracture found after stress relief.

Appearance of the Fracture Surface

Potential Cause(s)

A small thumbnail-shaped area on the fracture surface emanating from the spring ID. This thumbnail area is typically dark blue or strawcolored, indicating that the crack was open during the thermal cycle.

Excessive delay between the coiling of the spring and the relieving of the ID stresses below a critical level.

Stress relief temperature insufďŹ cient or overloaded furnace.

Nothing on the fracture surface, indicating the crack most likely formed after the stress relief.

Plating, like zinc or cadmium, identiďŹ ed on the fracture surface.

Fracture found after electroplating.

Nothing on the fracture surface, therefore the crack most likely occurred after plating operation.

Missed the stress relief operation.

Spring came into contact with an acid (an increase in the hydrogen level in the steel) sometime after the stress relief.

Spring broke early in the plating operation as a result of the increased amount of hydrogen generated during the plating operation.

Spring was not baked properly or promptly after the electroplating operation.

In sharp contrast to this crack morphology is inner diameter cracks that are angled closer to 45 degrees from the wire axis. These cracks are more characteristic of the torsion created from the spring under load, either extension or compression.

For example, if a spring failed from HE itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to ask: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Why on this spring since weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been making this spring for 10 years and never encountered any problems?â&#x20AC;? Many times the appearance of the fracture surface can give very good clues to the root cause of the failure. The fracture surface can look different depending on where in the processing the crack or cracks are discovered.

Some general observations on the fracture surface and the potential root causes of the fracture due to HE are seen above in Figure 2.

Appearance, Fracture Surface Hydrogen embrittlement on oil tempered grades, like chrome silicon, always appears intergranular at the point of fracture origin. As mentioned earlier, this intergranular appearance transforms to a more ductile fracture mode. On springs that are electroplated, the intergranular features will be plated over to some Final Thoughts In my experience most cracked martensitic degree.

springs that are plated contain plating of the fracture

!

60 SPRINGS Spring 2010

possible reasons for the fracture, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure that there are others albeit less probable. This is a great example of why you can rarely get the same answer from any two metallurgists, and why processing history is so important.

The following questions need to be considered before the â&#x20AC;&#x153;most likelyâ&#x20AC;? cause can be determined:

So ÂŽound, So Smooth, So Prompt, So Perfect, So Precision.

Â&#x2013; Z

between coiling and stress relief? Â&#x2013; Â&#x17E;

Â&#x161; Â&#x2013;

ric) washed before plating? Â&#x2013; Â&#x2018;

plated? Â&#x2013; Z

stress relief the spring?

The spring steels we offer are made expressly for us - meeting our demand for the best.

We have the edge, the width, the quality and the experience that makes your product even better.

One final thought about plating chrome silicon springs.

Of all spring grades this grade is the most sensitive to HE. Virtually all cases of transverse cracking as a result of HE occur on this grade. For that reason, many springmakers wisely refuse to be responsible for electroplating this grade. This message seems to be slowly getting out to the end users.

The question: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Can chrome silicon grades be electroplated without cracking?â&#x20AC;? is akin to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Can sea turtles make it to the sea without being eaten?â&#x20AC;? Sure they can, but theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re really feeding the seagulls. X

z 50 Carbon z 75 Carbon z 95 Carbon z Stainless Steel-All Tempers z AISI-SAE 4130 Heat-Treatable Strip z Bainite Hardened z Blue Tempered & Polished Strip z MartiNsiteÂ&#x160;, Low Carbon C.R. Sheet z Tempered (Scaleless) Strip z Special Temper High Carbon Strip

P R E C I S I O N S T E E L WA R E H O U S E www.precisionsteel.com Franklin Park, IL 1-800-323-0740 Fax: 847-455-1341 Charlotte, NC 1-800-438-5646 Fax: 704-393-3312

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Celebrating 70 Years Of Service

SPRINGS Spring 2010 61

.EW 0RODUCTS

Shaft Collars Eliminate Need for Machine Disassembly A line of two-piece and hinged shaft collars that can be assembled onto the middle of installed shafts, where there is no access on either end, is available from Stafford Manufacturing Corp. of Wilmington, Mass.

Stafford two-piece and hinged shaft collars are ideally suited for assembly onto existing shafts where there is no access to the ends, where space is limited, or where disassembly is undesirable. Offered in stainless steel, steel, and aluminum, they both exhibit the same axial holding power and are available with round, square, hex, or threaded bores in a variety of sizes.

Providing two alternate choices for installing stops, spacers, and device holders onto existing shafts, Stafford two-piece shaft collars come in 1/16â&#x20AC;? to 16â&#x20AC;? I.D. sizes and the hinged collars in 3/8â&#x20AC;? to 8â&#x20AC;? I.D. sizes. Hinged collars feature a triple-link hinge and captive clamping screw and both can be modiďŹ ed with tapped holes on the face or O.D. and other modiďŹ cations.

Stafford two-piece and hinged shaft collars are priced according to size and quantity. Samples and pricing are available upon request. For more information phone (800)695-5551, or visit www.staffordmfg.com.

Robotic Shot Peener Changes Tools Guyson Corporation has introduced a robotic shot peening system that changes blast heads to automatically per for m multiple peening operations without manual adjustments or other human intervention. So equipped, a single robotic shot peener can do a variety of metallurgical shot peening processes that would otherwise require two or more automated blast machines.

The tool-changing robot blast machine features a slotted rack inside the shot peening chamber, where the blasting tools are stored by the nozzle manipulator when not in use. The assortment of tools required is determined by the

62 SPRINGS Spring 2010

range of components to be shot peened and the peening process specifications, but may include straight nozzles of different bore sizes, a lance with an angled nozzle for ID peening, a rotary lance tool for small ID peening or a blasting tool that delivers a different size of peening shot.

Prospective users of robotic

surface preparation systems are invited to submit sample components for free laboratory testing and application engineering evaluation at the blast machine builderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s factory in northeastern New York state.

For more infor mation, contact Guyson at (518)5877894, or visit www.guyson.com.

New Silicone Insert Couplings A new series of silicone insert couplings from Sterling Instrument features electrical isolation and no backlash. These metric couplings, identiďŹ ed as the S54HSAM (clamp type) and S5PSAM (set screw type) Series are stocked in ďŹ ve different bore sizes ranging from (6 mm to16 mm).

These couplings have aluminum hubs with either set screws or clamps for fastening to shafts. The insert is silicone 40 ShA. Operating temperature ranges from -50° C to +150° C. They range in length from 26.5 mm to 57 mm, with a maximum speed of 5000 rpm. They can be used in various applications and are especially able to accommodate tight or skewed connections.

Quotes, online orders, available stock, and 3D CAD Model downloads are available at www.sdp-si.com/eStore. For detailed speciďŹ cations contained in Catalog D795, phone (516)328-3300, or visit http://sdp-si.com/web/html/ newprdcouplings11.htm

New Portable Label Printer Brady Worldwide, Inc. has announced the launch of its most versatile portable printer, the new BMPâ&#x201E;˘71 Label Printer. With more than 400 different label options and the fastest print speed on the portable printer market, the BMPâ&#x201E;˘71 labeler is a timesaving, multi-functional labeling tool for multiple applications and industries.

The BMPâ&#x201E;˘71 Label Printer packs the print precision and versatility of a large, desktop printer into a compact, portable printer that can be carried on the jobsite. It can print on more than 30 different types of label materials, including self-laminating

~

Â&#x2039;Â&#x192;

die-cut labels, raised panel labels and more. The labeler can create more than 400 different label parts, giving users an impressive variety of label types, sizes and colors to choose from.

With such a wide selection of labels, the BMPâ&#x201E;˘71 labeler offers

>

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markers, patch panel labels, pipe markers, visual workplace labels,

For more information on the BMPâ&#x201E;˘71 Label Printer, including BMPâ&#x201E;˘71 Printer demo videos and sample pack information, visit www.bradyid.com/BMP71. In Canada, visit www.bradycanada. com/BMP71.

New Series of 500 Clamping and Adjustable Levers A new series of 500 clamping and adjustable levers from All Metric Small Parts (aMsp) are stocked for immediate delivery. IdentiďŹ ed as the MPAX, MPAN, MPAY and MPAL Series, they range in length from 39 mm to 148 mm and in height from 26 mm to 83 mm. Materials include nylon 6, glass-ďŹ lled PBT, black polymer, steel, die cast zinc, and aluminum. To make it easier to create assembly drawings, 3-D CAD models are available for download at the aMsp web site. aMsp offers an extensive selection of all Metric standard industrial machine components. Their products include handles, handwheels, cranks, grips, levers, knobs, latches, locks, catches, hinges, screws, washers, springs, keys, plungers, pins, leveling and support feet. All of these products are 100 percent RoHS compliant.

Detailed speciďŹ cations are contained in catalog M100, available free upon request from All Metric Small Parts, (516) 302-0152, or www. allmetricsmallparts.com/press/Levers.htm

SPRINGS Spring 2010 63

New Power Transmission Components Catalog Quality Transmission Components (QTC), a leading supplier of quality power transmission components designed for use in industrial automation applications, announces the availability of their free catalog Q470. This 352page catalog contains over 16,000 off-the-shelf standardized components for use in MRO, R&D and production applications. The catalog, in its six

timing pulleys, timing belts, bushings, belt clamping kits, roller chain sprockets, roller chains, diametral pitch gears, belt and chain tensioners, sonic tension testers and planetary gearheads.

For a free catalog, visit www.econobelt.com/Press/Q470Cat.htm.

New High Speed Coiler / Extension Spring Machine

64 SPRINGS Spring 2010

HTC has developed the all new HTC45EX, which combines the HTC 45CF-III CNC automatic coiling machine with the EX looping station for high speed production capability of many Ger man and English extension spring requirements. Its wire range is 1.8mm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4.6mm. The system will utilize seven servo axes, coiling at high speed with automatic looping. The new system almost doubles the production speed of forming and looping performed on

conventional spring formers. When the EX looping attachment is not in use, the machine provides the added function of a stand-alone high speed 4.5mm camless CNC coiling machine. This machine will be exhibited at wire 2010 in DĂźsseldor f, Ger many. For additional information, contact Forming Systems, Inc. at info@ formingsystemsinc.com or phone (269) 679-3557. X

SPRINGS Spring 2010 65

66 SPRINGS Spring 2010

!DVERTISER S )NDEX A Admiral Steel

/ 31 Alloy Wire International

/ 57 C Chicago Association of Spring Manufacturers Inc. (

/ 16 D Diamond Wire Spring Co.

/ 23 Dispense Works, Inc.

/ 44 E Elgiloy Specialty Metals

/9 F Forming Systems Inc.

/ inside front cover, back cover G Gibbs Wire & Steel Co. Inc.

/ inside back cover Gibraltar Corp.

/ 29 I Industrial Spring Steel

/ 41 Instron

/ 38 InterWire Products Inc.

/1

J JN Machinery

/ 50 K Kiswire

/6 L Lapham-Hickey Steel

/ 11 M Maguire Machinery

/5 Mapes Piano String Company

/ 48 Mount Joy Wire Corp.

/ 58 N NIMSCO

/ 14, 22 P Park Thermal

/ 51 Precision Quincy

/ 32 Precision Steel Warehouse

/ 61 Proto Manufacturing

/ 26 PyromaĂŽtre Inc.

/ 55 R Radcliff Wire

/ 27

R RK Trading

/ 34 S Shinko Machinery

/3 Simplex Rapid

/ 24 Spring Central Ind. Co.

/ 63 Spring Manufacturers Institute

/39, 43, 52 SPX Precision Components

/ 54 Suzuki Garphyttan

/46 T Tool King

/ 42 U Ulbrich Stainless Steels

/ 12 United Wire Co.

/ 28 V Vulcan Spring & Manufacturing Co.

/8 Y YHM Springtech Machinery

/ 33 Z Zapp Precision Strip

/ 45

Visit the Springmakers Exchange at www.smihq.org to buy surplus materials or machinery from SMI members.

SPRINGS Spring 2010 67

3NAPSHOT Chris Witham Motion Dynamics Corporation Favorite books/author: ) AM NOT REALLY A BOOK READER BUT ) READ THE Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, Street Rodder, and Hot Rod MAGAZINES Favorite song/musician: h"LUE ON "LACK v +ENNY 7AYNE 3HEPHERD Hobbies: -AYOR OF .ORTH -USKEGON

-ICH RUNNING CARS Favorite places: .ORTHERN -ICHIGAN .EW /RLEANS Best times of my life: 7ATCHING MY THREE KIDS BECOME ADULTS Chris Witham with wife Stephanie

Name: #HRIS 7ITHAM Company: -OTION $YNAMICS #ORPORATION &RUITPORT -ICH Brief history of the company: &OUNDED IN BY MY FATHER 2ICHARD 7ITHAM AND OTHERS WHO PREVIOUSLY WORKED TOGETHER AT -ICHIGAN 3PRING #O Job title: President Birthplace: ,ANSING -ICH Current home: .ORTH -USKEGON -ICH

A really great evening to me is: 'OING OUT WITH MY WIFE FOR A GREAT DINNER AND RENTING A MOVIE The one thing I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stand is: 0EOPLE WHO TELL ME HOW GREAT THEY ARE WITHOUT DEMONSTRATING IT IN THEIR PERFORMANCE My most outstanding quality is: 7ILL DO ALMOST ANYTHING TO MAKE THE CUSTOMER HAPPY People who knew me in school thought I was: 1UIET AND KIND OF A NERD

Family: 7IFE 3TEPHANIE THREE CHILDREN

2ICHARD ))

!BBY

AND %MILY AND GOLDEN RETRIEVER 3HELBY

I knew I was an â&#x20AC;&#x153;adultâ&#x20AC;? when: ) PURCHASED MY lRST HOME

What I like most about being in the industry: 7ORKING WITH CUSTOMERS TO SOLVE PROBLEMS USING WIRE

If I werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t working at Motion Dynamics, I would like to: 4OUGH QUESTION 0ROBABLY START ANOTHER -OTION $YNAMICS

Favorite food: &RACANO S 0IZZA

68 SPRINGS Spring 2010

The most difďŹ cult business decision I ever had to make was: ,EAVING '- AFTER YEARS WHEN TIMES WERE GOOD Role models: 2ICHARD 7ITHAM FOR TEACHING ME TO NEVER GIVE UP AND GIVE PERCENT EFFORT IN ANYTHING ) TOOK ON $OUG *ENNINGS FOR NOT LETTING LIFE PASS BY AND TEACHING ME TO MAKE MYSELF BETTER $AVE 3TEPANOVICH FOR HAVING CONlDENCE IN ME AND BEING VERY DEMANDING

BUT CARING I would like to be remembered in the spring industry for: (AVING A GREAT GROUP OF EMPLOYEES AND PROVIDING INTERESTING WORK But people will probably remember me for: "EING THE MAYOR