Springs, Winter 2021, Vol 60 No 1

WINTER 2021

A Publication of the Spring Manufacturers Institute / Vol. 60, No. 1

THE INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE OF SPRING MANUFACTURE

SOCIAL MEDIA

AND THE

#

SPRING INDUSTRY Join the Conversation: Digital Marketing Tools for Spring Manufacturers 28 Kern-Liebers North America and Social Media 31 Social Media with Ace Wire Spring and Form 32 Forecast 2021: Return to Normalcy 38

2001 Midwest Rd., Suite 106 Oak Brook, IL 60523-1335 Change Service Requested

Prsrt Std US Postage PAID Newsburyport MA Permit No. 88

Save the date!

September 28-30, 2021 South Point Resort & Casino

Las Vegas

OFFICIAL EVENT OF

Connect with SMI:

metalengineeringexpo

Learn more at www.metalengineeringexpo.org @metalengexpo

@springmanufacturersinstitute

We Are Here For You. We’ve missed being able to personally see you, shake your hand, and thank you for your continued support.

It’s always been the personal relationships that have driven the success of your business and ours. But our service infrastructure is still operating at full steam.

There’s no instruction manual for how to feel during a time like this. Our long history of values and relationships move us to encourage you to stay safe, stay healthy and continue to care for each other.

And finally, we’d like to salute the unselfish heroes who keep emerging during this pandemic, including first responders, medical workers, and those courageous souls who put their lives at risk to save others.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

All your friends at The InterWire Group

1-800-699-6633 www.interwiregroup.com

President’s Message From Bert Goering

SMI Executive Committee President: Bert Goering, Precision Coil Spring Vice President: Gene Huber, Jr., Winamac Coil Spring Secretary/Treasurer: Don Jacobson III, Newcomb Spring At Large: David DeVoe, Plymouth Spring Past President: Steve Kempf, Lee Spring Executive Director: Lynne Carr, SMI

SMI Board of Directors

Using Social Media to Connect with People Social media is different in the world of spring manufacturing versus normal consumer products or services. Not many people find heavy duty machinery and fabricated metal “sexy,” and it doesn’t always lend itself to the public stage of social media. While we have not had success in posting pictures of our products or equipment to display our capabilities, we have learned to use social media for its intended purpose of connecting with people to share information, pictures and stories.

Precision Coil Spring (PCS) uses social media to highlight the thing that matters most to us, people. After we hold big plant celebrations or holiday gatherings at PCS, we like to post pictures and stories to share with the people who follow our page. We have learned that the people who follow us are typically previous or current employees and their families who really enjoy seeing the fun we have here at PCS. We also hope that, should a prospective employee check us out on social media before joining the team, they would feel the warm, family environment and be inclined to come join us for some fun!

We also use social media to help in our recruitment efforts.

We have posted jobs on our Facebook page to reach our extended network and a local audience. While this is not the normal channel for job postings, we have been able to reach a unique audience of current and previous employees and their extended social network.

We have found that if our loyal employees know someone who is looking for a job, they will happily share the place where they work and recommend them to apply. And as a family-held organization, we appreciate having family and friends working together.

In this issue of the magazine, you’ll see how our industry is using social media to communicate and engage with their audiences. One of the important things you’ll find with social media is you must provide value to your followers, which is much the same as how we conduct business on a daily basis. When we provide value to our customers, they will come back to let us help them over and over again.

Regardless of how much or how little you use social media, it is an absolute must to create something that your audience finds useful. We have found that when we use social media to connect with people, it is a winning strategy and lots of fun!

Cheers!

Bert Goering

Jennelle Carlier, S3 Wireform • Kelley Christy, Diamond Wire Spring • Dave Deerwester, The Yost Superior Co. • Joe Devany, Betts Company • Chris Fazio, Diamond Wire Spring • Linda Froehlich, Ace Wire Spring & Form • Brett Goldberg, International Spring • Agustin Estalayo Ibanez, RPK Mexico SA de CV • Don Lyons, JonSpring • Peter Mendel, Kern-Liebers USA • Rob Meyers, RK Trading • Alex Melnikow, Midstate Spring • Tony Pesaresi, Winamac Coil Spring • Daniel Pierre III, JN Machinery • Keith Porter, Newcomb Spring • Chris Witham, Motion Dynamics Corp. • Tim Zwit, Michigan Spring and Stamping

Springs Magazine Staff Lynne Carr, Advertising Sales, lynne@smihq.org Gary McCoy, Managing Editor, gmccoy@fairwaycommunications.com Dina Sanchez, Assistant Editor, dina@smihq.org Sue Zubek, Art Director, zubekdesign@gmail.com

Springs Magazine Committee Chair, Keith Porter, Newcomb Spring • Reb Banas, Stanley Spring & Stamping • Lynne Carr, SMI • Ritchy Froehlich, Ace Wire Spring & Form • Tim Weber, Forming Systems • Europe Liaison: Wolfgang Herrmann, VDFI • Technical Advisor: Dan Sebastian, Honorary Member Advertising sales - Japan Ken Myohdai, Sakura International Inc. Head Office: 3F,4F, ENDO Sakaisuji Bldg., 1-7-3, Bingomachi, Chuo-Ku, Osaka 541-0051, Japan Phone: 81-6-6624-3601 • Fax: 81-6-6624-3602 Tokyo Global Office: 5F Kamei No. 2 Bldg., 2-17-13, Kiba, Koto-Ku, Tokyo, 135-0042, Japan Phone: 81-3-5646-1160 • Fax: 81-3-5646-1161 E-mail: info@sakurain.co.jp Advertising sales - Europe Jennie Franks, Franks & Co. 63 St. Andrew's Road Cambridge United Kingdom CB41DH Phone/Fax: +44-1223-360472 E-mail: franksco@BTopenworld.com Advertising sales - Taiwan Robert Yu, Worldwide Services Co. Ltd. 11F-B, No 540, Sec. 1, Wen Hsin Rd. Taichung, Taiwan Phone: +886-4-2325-1784 • Fax: +886-4-2325-2967 E-mail: stuart@wwstaiwan.com Springs (ISSN 0584-9667) is published quarterly by SMI Business Corp., a subsidiary of the Spring Manufacturers Institute: 2001 Midwest Road, Suite 106, Oak Brook, IL 60523; Phone: (630) 495-8588; Fax: (630) 495-8595; Web site www.smihq.org. Address all correspondence and editorial materials to this address.

The 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.

The 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.

The 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.

2 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

Efficiency “+”

The FUL line just went into overdrive. Introducing FUL+, the next generation in high-speed WAFIOS Spring Coiling Machines. Available in two sizes, the FUL 26+ and FUL 36+ already offer high speeds, but for even higher speeds, the optional 4-speed versions – with a water-cooled drive system and innovative wire accumulator system – enable feed speeds up to 600 m/min.

•Pay-off

FUL 26+ FUL 36+

units of the AHT and AHP line with an increased load-bearing capacity and designed for wire feed speeds of up to 600 m/min, safely process wire from coils and from spools • The wire accumulator box compensates for fluctuations between the wire coiling machine in start/stop operation and the pay-off unit in continuous operation. The wire enters the connected machine free from tension.

• Highest performance due to new, water-cooled drive technology, increases output and reduced unit costs • Innovative and modern machine design with enhanced ergonomics

FUL+ Series Technical Data

FUL 26+ 0.2 - 1.6 2,300 0.2 - 1.8 1,900 45 240 600

Wire Ø (WM >4) RM Wire Ø (WM >4) RM Outer spring Ø Max. feed speed 4-speed (option)

mm N/mm² mm N/mm² mm m/min m/min

Economical • Versatile • Profitable Engineered for What’s Next WAFIOS Machinery Corporation 27 NE Industrial Road, Branford, CT 06405 WAFIOS Midwest Technical Center 9830 W. 190th Street, Mokena, IL 60448 USA www.wafios.us / 203 481 5555 / sales@wafios.us Canada www.wafios.ca / sales@wafios.ca WAFIOS Machinery Corporation is a subsidiary of WAFIOS AG

FUL 36+ 0.5 - 2.8 2,3000 0.5 - 3.0 2,000 65 220 500

mm N/mm² mm N/mm² mm m/min m/min

#

Contents FEATURES 24 Social Media and the Spring Industry

By Gary McCoy

26 Survey Says: Spring Industry Social Media Usage Has Increased

By Gary McCoy

28 Join the Conversation: Digital Marketing Tools for Spring Manufacturers

By Kurt Witham

30 IDC Spring Creates “Manufacturing Nice” Podcast

By Gary McCoy

31 Kern-Liebers North America and Social Media

COLUMNS 13 Be Aware Safety Tips

OSHA’s New Era and An Important Topic for the Spring Industry

By Laura Helmrich-Rhodes

17 Dean of Springs

Leadership and Trust Matter

By Dan Sebastian

19 Technically Speaking

Types of Tests Used to Characterize Spring Materials— Part 5: Reverse Bend Testing

By C. Richard Gordon

23 Spring Design Tips and Tricks

Spring Design Classes Go Virtual

By Gary Van Buren

By Victor Cruz

DEPARTMENTS

32 Social Media with Ace Wire Spring & Form

2 President’s Message

By John Higgins

Using Social Media to Connect with People

34 2021 Trade Show Heads to Las Vegas

7 Global Highlights

36 Spring Design Classes Pivot to Online Format

10 Regional Spring Association Report

By Gary McCoy

38 Forecast 2021: Return to Normalcy

By Phillip M. Perry

43 Reliable Measurement of Axial and Lateral Forces Improves Spring Performance

By Aleksander Koprivc

46 Copper-Based Alloys for Spring Applications

57 Five Questions Gibbs

59 Springmaker Spotlight

Transforming Power Into Potential: A Profile of Jodi Boldenow and IDC Spring

By Gary McCoy

67 Book Corner

By Terry Bartel

69 CTE News

51 Considerations When Purchasing a Conveyor Oven

71 Inside SMI

By Daniel Pierre III

74 Committee Connection

55 Flashback

76 New Products

Pride of Craftsmanship

By F.R. Downs

79 Advertisers’ Index 80 Snapshot

Todd Miller, Myers Spring Co.

4 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

THE ONLY TOOL YOU’LL EVER NEED

RK Service

847-640-9771 Calling

At RK Trading, we’re here for you, every day, just in case—because your business depends on reliable service. That’s why we start by selling quality Herdon machinery, but we don’t stop there. Our commitment to you is through the life of the machine. With our U.S.-based service and the extensive tooling and parts inventory you need, we aren’t across the ocean—we’re just a phone call away, which means less downtime for you. Quality products with quality customer care mean you will be up and running for years to come. That’s why over 90% of our customers buy their next machine from us.

Wire can be the difference between a good day and a bad day.

Your high-performance products depend on high-performance suppliers.

Trust ISW for wire that’s up to the challenge.

Count on ISW for: • Competitively-priced carbon, stainless and non-ferrous wire • More than 400,000 sq. ft. of warehousing in North America • Innovative logistics management services • Expert materials knowledge • Custom wire services For quality wire products backed by unmatched dedication to your total satisfaction, visit www.industeel.com or call us today.

©2021 Industrial Steel & Wire Company

Bristol CT 800-767-4792

Chicago IL 800-767-0408

Cleveland OH 800-767-4434

Charlotte NC 800-767-0089

Toronto ONT 800-767-0408

Querétaro MEX 800-767-0408

©iStockphoto.com/DNY59

Global Highlights North America MW Industries, Inc., a leading provider of highly engineered springs, specialty fasteners, bellows, specialized precision wireforms, metal stampings, tubular components and other precision components, has announced that affiliates of American Securities LLC have completed the transaction to acquire NN, Inc.’s Life Sciences division. The Life Sciences division will be combined with MW Industries, a portfolio company of American Securities.

Life Sciences will be operated and financed separately from MW Industries. Life Sciences and MW’s existing medical division (Marox, Economy Spring & Stamping, and LaVezzi Precision) demonstrate complementary, but distinct, manufacturing capabilities and offer different product portfolios.

Under the terms of the transaction, NN, Inc.’s Life Sciences division was purchased for $825 million, including $755 million (subject to customary adjustments) in cash payable at closing of the transaction and an additional $70 million earnout payable in cash based on the 2022 performance of the Life Sciences division.

Diamond Wire Spring Co (DWS), located in Pittsburgh, announced the following succession leadership appointments.

Second generation member Donald G. Fazio moves to chairman, in a semi-retired status. Frank E. Fazio moves to executive director in a retirement status.

Third generation members are: Chris Fazio (Frank’s son), who becomes the new Diamond Wire Spring president. Kelley L. Christy (Don’s son-in-law) is executive vice president and general manager of the Pittsburgh plant. Frank Fazio, Jr. (Frank’s son) is executive vice president and general manager of the Taylors, South Carolina plant. Other family members active either on a full time or semi-retired basis are Nina Fazio Williams, SW sales manager, Paul T. Fazio, vice president, facilities manager and Gary Schuessler, vice president of manufacturing.

DWS is a multiplant operation, with facilities in Tyler, Texas, Pittsburgh and Taylors, South Carolina. In addition to the manufacturing plants, Diamond has a full-service catalog division of springs that includes die springs.

Founded in 1939, DWS has been family owned and operated from the beginning and has positioned itself to carry on the tradition.

Betts Spring Manufacturing has welcomed Jim Parsons as regional sales manager. Most recently, Parsons was the manager of statewide faculty technical assistance for the Purdue Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

Parsons will report to Betts Company vice president of manufacturing Joe Devany, responsible for all manufactured products at Betts Springs.

“Jim comes to Betts Spring as an experienced sales and strategic planner, trained and developed by highly regarded institutions,” said Devany. “We are thrilled to welcome Jim to our team and further contribute to his legacy of success. Jim Jim Parsons has an impressive track record of spring manufacturing experience serving both automotive and agricultural OEMs. His experience with spring design will benefit our customers.”

Since 2018, Parsons worked for Purdue University as an industry advisor for local high schools, as well as a project manager to manufacturers all over the state of Indiana.

Parsons is a double degree holder in computer and electrical engineering from Purdue University, and went on to earn a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification, Advanced Manufacturing Lean Practitioner certificate, and multiple leadership certificates from the Purdue Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

He has more than 10 years of spring manufacturing experience in a fast-paced environment, serving both automotive and agriculture OEMs. His leadership helped lead to record sales and profit by empowering team members to reach their full potential, and by utilizing lean principles and continuous improvement. Parsons was responsible for every area of the company including sales, P&L, operations and HR. He has experience in spring design, helping companies produce robust springs at a competitive price.

Parsons served on several community boards including three advisory councils for local high schools. He was involved in starting MFG Day events, giving school presentations, and setting up job fairs for manufacturers at these schools, building a pipeline of new employees for his company, as well as other local manufacturers.

The Manufacturing & Technology Show, produced by Endeavor Business Media’s IndustryWeek, EHS Today and Machine Design, will showcase the full ecosystem of manufacturing excellence at the Huntington Convention Center in Cleveland, Ohio from Nov. 9–11, 2021.

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 7

Global Highlights

Three generations of the Pesaresi family of Winamac Coil Spring attend SpringWorld in 2016.

M&T 2021 will combine IndustryWeek’s Manufacturing & Technology Conference with EHS Today’s Safety Leadership Conference and Machine Design’s IDEA (Industrial Design, Engineering & Automation) Conference. The result is an event to serve the total manufacturing industry, from effective executive management to efficiency-driven plant leadership, from

Your source for the best in close tolerance strip and edged products. strip: cold rolled high carbon/pre-tempered spring steels, coated, low carbon stainless, copper based alloys and aluminum ultra-narrow width, close-tolerance slitting 8

edging: round, square, semi-round, deburred, custom, etc. oscillate (traverse) and ribbon wound coils ISO 9001: 2015 certified 43 years servicing the industry

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

8 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

cutting-edge engineering breakthroughs to world-class safety practices, from process to discrete industries, all in a cohesive conference and expo designed to provide actionable intelligence to fuel process improvement and market dominance.

The three-day event will include extensive pre-conference workshops for each vertical, hands-on tours of local manufacturing plants and facilities, and two days of conference sessions with industry expert speakers, supported by a comprehensive expo floor where attendees can experience the latest manufacturing products, solutions and technologies while they discover new vendors, win prizes, and network with their peers across the industry.

For information on registration, exhibiting and sponsorships, go to www.mfgtechshow.com/2021.

Winamac Coil Spring, Inc., a global manufacturer of springs and wireforms based in Kewanna, Indiana, was inducted into the Indiana Manufacturers Association’s (IMA) Hall of Fame at the annual Hall of Fame Inductions and Manufacturing Excellence Awards event held virtually in November.

Companies inducted into the Hall of Fame are chosen for their outstanding contributions to the development of a healthy, dynamic business environment in Indiana, and to the state’s overall economic well-being.

Winamac Coil Spring, Inc. was founded in 1948 by Walter Pesaresi, and today is owned and operated by third generation family members. Receiving the award were president, Anthony Pesaresi; executive vice president, Gene Huber, Jr.; and vice president of operations, Chad Huber.

Winamac Coil Spring has plants in both Fulton and Pulaski counties, employing 170 people. “From rural Indiana we supply six of the world’s top 10 agriculture equipment companies, as well as some of the most recognized brands in the off-road power sports industry,” commented Pesaresi.

Global Highlights

“The dedication, innovation and skill of our employees have helped our company become leaders in the large spring and wire form industry,” added Gene Huber.

Indiana manufacturing continues to be one of the highest paying industry sectors in the state, and accounts for nearly 30 percent of Indiana’s total GDP. During the keynote presentation at the Virtual ASSEMBLY Show, Leonel Leal, director of global advanced manufacturing engineering at Whirlpool Corp., provided attendees with insight on the importance of focusing on agility, resiliency and capability to foresee what a factory will look like in the future. Prior to the keynote, Austin Weber of ASSEMBLY Magazine presented Murakami Manufacturing USA with the magazine’s Plant of the Year Award.

Michael Rodenberg, chairman and CEO of Murakami Manufacturing USA, accepted the Plant of the Year Award as the company celebrates their 20th anniversary, assembling over 10,000 rear view mirrors a day.

All content from The ASSEMBLY Show will be available until June 2021 at www.theassemblyshow.com, including 21 sponsor-produced sessions, two workshops, the keynote presentation and three webinars.

The 2021 ASSEMBLY Show will be held Oct. 26–28 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois.

International After close consultation with exhibitors and partners, Messe Düsseldorf canceled the wire and Tube trade fairs as well as the Valve World Expo that had been planned for December 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic developments. In accordance with their regular cycles, the next editions of the three events will take place in Düsseldorf, Germany in 2022 as scheduled.

The trade fairs planned by Messe Düsseldorf for 2021 are not affected by this decision.

For further information and FAQs for exhibitors and visitors, visit www.wire-tradefair.com, www.tube-tradefair.com, www.valveworldexpo.com or contact Messe Düsseldorf North America at 312-781-5180 or email: info@mdna.com.

The staging of wire China, International Wire & Cable Trade Fair was held with strict hygiene protocols Sept. 23–26, 2020 in Shanghai. At Asia’s first influential international trade fair for the wire and cable industry held in 2020, 725 exhibitors showcased their products and technologies on 581,200 square feet of exhibit space. A total of 36,552 trade visitors participated in wire China and the concurrently held Tube China trade fair.

Due to the COVID-19 related travel restrictions, foreign participations decreased this year, but in addition to 640 Chinese companies, wire China 2020 featured two overseas pavilions from Germany and France, where the companies’ branch offices or agents in China presented the latest innovations.

The 2nd International Conference on Spring Technologies (ICST), Sept. 6–8, 2021 in Düsseldorf, Germany, has transitioned from an in-person event to an online-only format. The event was originally to be held last year, Sept. 14-16, 2020, but was postponed for a year due to the global pandemic. The ICST is sponsored by VDFI. Wolfgang Hermann, who is head of VDFI and the international committee chair for the event, said an announcement with more details about the new format will be issued at a later date. The organization stated that the “current fight with the second COVID-19 wave in Europe makes any planning for a face-to-face event impossible.”

For the latest information, visit www.icst2020-germany.de/

Obituary

Lars Ove Ojert, 86, died peacefully Oct. 1, 2020, surrounded by his loving family.

Ojert was born April 21, 1934, in the southern part of Sweden and was the son of Marta and Ove Ojert. He graduated from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm with a metallurgic engineering degree. Ojert also spent two years in the Swedish Military Service. He was a decorated athlete, excelling in soccer, bandy and European handball.

In addition to his wife of 61 years, Gudrun, Ojert is survived by his three children: Catharina Petronio of Woodbury, Minnesota; Magnus (Lisa) of Doylestown, Pennsylvania; and Hokan (Andrea) of Alpharetta, Georgia; and 11 grandchildren, Nicholas, Alex and Sam Petronio, Kalin, Maxwell, Erik, Jake and Emma Ojert; Ian, Annika and Eli Ojert. He is predeceased by his grandson, Mason Ojert. Ojert is also survived by his sister Ingrid Norman (Stockholm, Sweden) and his brother Anders (Inger) Ojert (Nykoping, Sweden). He also leaves many friends and relatives whom he dearly loved.

Ojert spent his entire career as an international sales and marketing executive within the steel industry. In 1973, he and his family moved to the United States while working for Sandvik Steel, a company he had been with since 1962. In 1988, he transitioned his career to Haldex-Garphyttan Corporation where he served in various leadership roles, including as president.

Ojert was larger than life and could speak to anyone, anywhere, about anything. It was almost like he was running for an elected position. Few people ever left a discussion with Lars without a good laugh, a small world experience, or just a new friend. He could go to a party and not know anyone, but before he left, he knew everyone. He had an unbelievable way of communicating with people. Lars loved to travel and to visit with friends and family, as well as to play tennis and golf (he had three holes-in-one in his lifetime). What Ojert loved most was the time he spent surrounded by his family, especially during the Christmas holidays. He loved to share Swedish traditions, including leading the family in singing traditional Swedish drinking songs.

He will be dearly missed by friends and family!

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to go to The Gabriel House of Care in Jacksonville, Florida. https:// gabrielhouseofcare.networkforgood.com/ n

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 9

©iStockphoto.com/Scott Hirko

Regional Spring Association Report CASMI Report

By Michael Bandy, CASMI, Co-Executive Director

Upcoming Events Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, scheduled events are subject to change.

For the latest information, please visit the CASMI website at www.casmispringworld.org, or call the office at 630-359-4273. Speaker presentations for scheduled dinner meetings may be offered virtually if live attendance is not possible.

• Jan. 21, 2021, Membership Dinner Meeting, Cooper’s Hawk, Orland Park, Illinois • Feb. 18, 2021, Membership Dinner Meeting, Lowes Chicago O’Hare, Rosemont, Illinois • March 18, 2021, Membership Dinner Meeting, Maggiano’s, Oak Brook, Illinois • April 8, 2021, Annual Plant Tour, SGS MSi, Melrose Park, Illinois

CASMI Hosts Successful Golf Tournament in September CASMI hosted its 2020 Golf Outing Sept.

16 at the Bridges of Poplar Creek Country Club, Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The tournament was originally scheduled for June, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Illinois’ guidelines for hosting an event.

Under the guidelines, attendance was limited to 50 individuals, but it was a beautiful day as CASMI members and SpringWorld exhibitors took part in the 18-hole, best-ball tournament and dinner. The event included lunch for

10 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

golfers, and the tournament was followed by a reception, dinner and the presentation of awards. Awards were presented for the first and second place teams in two divisions (four total), as well as closest to the pin, longest putt and longest drive.

Additionally, two “wine and beer” gift baskets were raffled off as door prizes.

CASMI designated charity support to Chicago Veterans, a nonprofit community of military veterans who share a common passion for helping fellow veterans, whether it is veteran homelessness, PTSD awareness, trauma, benefits or camaraderie building. Nearly $400 was donated by participants to support this worthwhile cause.

CASMI’s 2021 Annual Golf Outing will be held June 16 at Bridges of Poplar Creek Country Club.

SpringWorld Will Take Place in 2022 SpringWorld 2022 will take place Oct. 5–7 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. CASMI was forced to cancel SpringWorld 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Call 630-3594273, or email info@casmi-springworld. org. Information will also be posted on the organization’s website, www.casmispringworld.org.

SpringWorld, which is presented by CASMI every-other-year, provides a unique opportunity for spring manufacturers, wireformers, OEMs and their suppliers to network, including one-onone discussions with colleagues to share challenges, discuss solutions, and provide new insights for business.

Regional Spring Association Report

NESMA News

By Jim Mintun, Gibbs

Golf Outing a Success With the coronavirus pandemic forcing us to cancel or postpone most events this year, the New England Spring and Metalstamping Association (NESMA) was able to hold our annual Golf Outing on Sept. 14, 2020, at Chippanee Country Club in Bristol, Connecticut. We were treated to a spectacular day filled with sunshine and mild temperatures. The event had 96 golfers, which was great participation during these trying times. Despite the new safety protocol for social distancing, we were able to fit in a lot of networking and a fantastic evening to enjoy the patio and talk amongst friends. NESMA would like to thank all of our sponsors for helping us make our only event for the year one for the ages.

New Members NESMA would like to welcome our new exclusive member, Markum LLP, an independent public accounting and advisory services firm in West Hartford, Connecticut. Our new industry member is Hygrade Precision Technologies LLC in Plainville, Connecticut. Hygrade provides metal finishing services as well as complete machining capabilities.

Education and Training The state of Connecticut has invested in the future of small business through a recent development with 180 Skills. The goal of the Connecticut-180 Skills initiative is to help individuals acquire the skills necessary for employment, grow the skills they need to advance in their current job and help companies grow and retain skilled workers. The program is free to all Connecticut residents, employers and colleges, and offers more than 700 online courses focused on all facets of manufacturing and business. The grant remains free through June 2021; please visit: 180skills.ccat.us to enroll your business or for additional information.

The Connecticut Department of Labor has developed the Manufacturing Innovation Fund Apprenticeship Program to provide financial assistance to Connecticut manufacturers that have a registered apprentice program as well as approved apprentice-related Instruction training providers. The on-thejob training program is a paid training program of earning while learning. Please visit nesma-usa.com for more details.

NESMA regrets to advise that our Fall Spring Winding and Fourslide Machine Technologies classes at Bristol Tech were canceled due to social distancing guidelines and requirements for remote learning that would jeopardize the hands-on requirements of the curriculum. We hope to reschedule these classes for the spring semester and will provide an update in the NESMA Press, our new quarterly newsletter.

Job Connections NESMA member companies now have the ability to post available positions via the Job Connections section on our website.

Enrolled member companies can receive manufacturing job applicants’ leads directly to their inbox. Please visit nesma-usa. com for additional detail and information.

Coronavirus Cancellations The pandemic forced us to cancel any scheduled in-person events for the remainder of 2020. The NESMA annual meeting was held via Zoom on Dec. 4, 2020. Our popular Casino Night has been postponed until March 25, 2021. Sponsors who have paid for the event have been given the choice to be reimbursed in full or to carry the funds that they have paid over to the 2021 event. We hope the uncertainty created by the virus will be abated and we will be able to move forward with the event, as it has been great fun and has helped attendees to network with many member companies.

We hope that all our member companies and their employees and families continue to stay safe and healthy during these uncertain times.

For the latest updates regarding NESMA activities and membership, please sign up to receive our newsletter or consult our expanded website: www.nesma-usa.com. n

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 11

Be Aware Safety Tips

OSHA’s New Era and An Important Topic for the Spring Industry

By Laura Helmrich-Rhodes, CSP, Ed.D.

A

s this article is being written, the presidential ballots are being counted. It looks like we will be under the leadership of the Democratic Party, which usually leads to greater regulation, oversight and enforcement of safety, health and environmental laws. As the new era begins, we can anticipate the hiring of more Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspectors and the filling of the assistant secretary of labor for OSHA opening quite quickly. A new agenda will emerge and will likely focus on greater enforcement since that was a frequent criticism of the Republican-run OSHA. The apparent new administration’s emphasis on limiting the spread of COVID-19 will likely be a part of the OSHA agenda for workforce protection. To date, there have been more than $2 million in citations for COVID-19 related violations, mostly in health-related work sectors and the food industry.

This is likely to encompass other work sectors, streamline the employee complaint process and increase inspection priority. It is important that your company follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, OSHA respiratory protection standards and abides by the OSHA recordkeeping rules (see helpful links below for guidance). It is also important to be ready for wall-to-wall inspections should an inspector arrive for whatever reason.

Material Handling Important Regulations — All Spring Companies Can Relate

The efficient movement of materials in a company may be one of the most important decisions made for profitability, quality and employee well-being. Industrial engineering assures the most efficient set up, but it is the department supervisors and shop floor workers who keep safe and efficient products moving.

There are many regulations addressing how materials are transferred into, around and out of your facility. These regulations vary by state, so be sure to look beyond the federal regulations that include, but are not limited to, walking working surfaces, cranes and hoists, forklifts, conveyors and ropes/ chains/slings. This discussion will pinpoint employers’ obligations to prevent injury due to slings as well as help to implement the management of this key operation using 6S methodology.

There are regulations also which depend on specific operations.

For example, if you are dipping or coating or subjecting hoist and slings to high temperatures, then you would need to consult those obligations too.

The loss of raw materials and finished product are far outweighed by the loss of an employee due to crushed fingers,

caught between equipment or even struck by the load. There is not only the downtime associated with the loss, but there is an obvious moral imperative to protect employees. Prevention of loss increases efficiency and employee morale by demonstrating a culture of caring. Loss of profits to citations is another consideration. For the period October 2019 to September 2020, OSHA cited all employers more than $2 million for just the material handling general standard alone (29 CFR 1910.176) More specifically, U.S. manufacturers incurred 32 citations at 27 facilities and carried $127,466 or almost 59 percent of all the penalty cost.

It is important to define what constitutes a “sling” for this discussion. According to OSHA “slings are made from alloy steel chain, wire rope, metal mesh, natural or synthetic fiber rope (conventional three strand construction), and synthetic web (nylon, polyester and polypropylene).”

Examples of slings can be found on page 16 and are taken from the OSHA standards.

It is easy to find information on the care, use and storage of slings. Always start with the manufacturer’s requirements then move to the OSHA standards. Never use any slings or components that are not legibly marked with the manufacturers name and capacities. Remember that repairs can only be made by the manufacturer - no bolts, splices or welds to any material handling equipment!

Finding information on the “how to” of material handling safety management is more elusive. Knowing the regulations is the easy part. The day-to-day implementation of safety can be the real challenge. (I equate this to the doctor telling a patient to lose weight but doesn’t give the “how to be successful” guidance.) A formal written sling or material handling safety program is best and should look like any of your other written

Laura Helmrich-Rhodes, CSP, Ed.D., is an independent regulations compliance consultant to the Spring Manufacturers Institute (SMI). A former member of PA/OSHA Consultation, she is an associate professor in the Safety Sciences Department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania where she teaches graduate and undergraduate classes on topics such as OSHA standards, safety communications, workers’ compensation and human relations. Rhodes is available for safety advice and information. Contact SMI at 630-495-8588 or laurahrhodes@gmail.com.

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 13

ISO procedures or SOPs, as long as they include the key elements of responsibility, accountability and authority. Inserting the sling safety steps into your established quality initiatives works well so that everyone is equating personnel loss/ injury to error.

For the sake of connecting safety to the quality product/service efforts, let’s look at where you can insert sling safety into a 6S, Lean or any quality product program. Using the 6S methodology

example of OSHA sling requirements will be shared. Let’s look at each of the 6S components:

Sort

In the sort step we eliminate whatever is not needed. It is obvious that what is not used needs to be removed from the work area to assure only the items needed are on hand.

OSHA is very clear that slings that are damaged or defective must not be used.

Leaders In Double Disc Technology

Jack and Jeff Shoemaker, second and third generations continuing the tradition at Anchor Abrasives.

Certified to ISO 9001 since 1994.

At Anchor Abrasives we specialize in the design and manufacture of resin, epoxy and oxychloride bonded nut inserted discs and cylinders...plus centerless and rollwheels.

Today, in our modern manufacturing facility, we are ready to continue our tradition of innovative quality products and unmatched customer service. For more information contact Anchor Abrasives Company, 7651 West 185th Street, Tinley Park, IL 60477 U.S.A. Phone: 708-444-4300; Fax: 708-444-1300.

www.anchorabrasives.com

156742_ANCHR_AdPlancement_SpringsMagazine_DiscTechAd.indd 1

14 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

They actually talk about the removal of damaged slings and attachments more than once in the regulations. Surprisingly, the regulation is very specific on the removal of items. For example, it is worth learning the threshold for discarding both hooks and wire rope: if hooks are cracked, have been opened more than 15 percent of the normal throat opening measured at the narrowest point or twisted more than 10 degrees from the plane of the unbent hook they must be discarded. 1910.184(e)(9)(ii) and Wire ropes must be discarded if there are 10 randomly distributed broken wires in one rope lay, or five broken wires in one strand in one rope lay. 1910.184(f)(5)(i)

Set in Order

This step gets us to organize what remains to allow for easy access for use. This includes organizing the workspace so that items are in close proximity. OSHA addresses setting things in order in standards for the storage of materials in 29 CFR 1910. 176 by requiring secure storage and housekeeping. They also require that permanent aisles and passageways be permanently marked if mechanical handling equipment is used. See 29 CFR 1910.176 (a).

A manufacturer,s recommendation will indicate if the slings, and especially ropes, should be hung for storage or coiled. Avoiding sharp edges for hanging slings over is important. Building a specific storage jig to properly store ropes, chains, and rigging attachments is a great way to keep these items in order.

Shine

In the quality world, cleaning the work area daily (or at some set frequency) advises using cleaning times as an opportunity for inspection. OSHA addresses this in material handling by specifically requiring that areas be kept clear of accumulations of materials that constitute a hazard and assuring safe clearances. See 29 CFR 1910.

176(c) There are also specific inspections frequencies set forth. It is likely that most employers are out of compliance on this

2/10/20 9:21 AM

specific standard, especially the documentation portion which states: Inspections: Each day before being used, the sling and all fastenings and attachments shall be inspected for damage or defects by a competent person designated by the employer. Additional inspections shall be performed during sling use, where service conditions warrant.

Damaged or defective slings shall be immediately removed from service. 29 CFR 1910.184 (d) Creating accountability for this activity is paramount by determining who will perform the inspections. For alloy chain slings, OSHA has a formal definition of a competent person. The easiest way to remember it is one who has skill, knowledge and authority given by the employer.

There are additional inspection requirements for attachments and specific types of slings in the standard that should be reviewed. An example

inspection form can be found in the helpful links section below.

Standardize

The 5S and 6S protocol instruct us to standardize by scheduling regular cleaning and maintenance, as well as formalizing best practices in the work area. Every process is done in a standard way. This supports the idea of formal written procedures for all aspects of safety, including forklift safety, cranes and hoists, slings, chains and ropes.

Slings have to be padded to protect from sharp edges. This should be a standard practice to not only protect the employee and the load, but it can also increase the life of slings by reducing costs. OSHA also says that the load cannot be pulled from under the load when the load is on the sling. This can be eliminated by great training and consistent supervision.

Sustain

Make 6S a way of life. This means training, cleaning and self-discipline. It also means

that everyone must follow the process and be open to improvement. Individual workers need to be assured that material handling items are properly stowed when not in use and inspected/disposed of properly. The role of the supervisor in assuring that these items are carried out cannot be overemphasized. It is the supervisor who determines the time pressure under which the work is accomplished and time allotted for the care of equipment. If the workers know that supervisors are counting on them to complete tasks safely then it does become a way of life, or what I call a culture of caring.

Safety

This is integral to each of the elements above and allows focus on any additional safety issues, such as reporting hazardous situations.

Benefits of Implementing Sling Management Practices

One advantage of being an older safety professional is I’ve seen things come and

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 15

go. As my career began, Total Quality Management (TQM) was being touted as the solution to all our manufacturing problems. Then came other approaches like the advent of ISO standards, Lean, 5S and so on. I’m not a proponent of any one system, I have taught the precepts of them all in safety sciences classes but I have never seen a one-size-fits-all approach.

Customers often say they take parts of each system that work well for them. I have found in my years with the springmakers that there are specific reasons for

committing to ISO, and many spring and wire manufacturers participate in those quality mandates. (By the way, I always like to mention that ISO has a standard for safety too.)

The benefits associated with the implementation of 5S to business are easily generalized to the material handling portion of your operations and were used merely as a framework for this discussion. Specifically, implementing 6S reduces potential risks associated with sling misuse, damage to raw materials,

Length Measured pull to pull when flat

Helpful Links Choker slot Fitting eye

Triangle-choker (Type I)

Triangle fitting

Choker fitting

Length Measured pull to pull when flat

Length Lap

OSHA one-page summary of OSHA Guidance for COVID Protection in the Workplace https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/ covid-19/covid-citations-lessons. pdf?fbclid=IwAR2BMfDxzdbb-35Ul4wxbhlSiUVeVIvpoJfIC-RTH49Hdhdsw4hKqwNycUU Frequently Asked Questions COVID-19 https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/covid-19faq.html

Triangle-triangle (Type II)

Eye

Eye and eye with flat eyes (Type III)

Length

Eye and eye with twisted eyes (Type IV) Length

Endless type (Type V) Length

Return eye (Type VI)

Taken from https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.184

16 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

product or injury, increases the equipment availability when needed for tasks, lowers defect rates, reduces costs, increases production flexibility, improves employee morale, better asset utilization and enhance enterprise image to customers and management. Use your own quality scheme and take time to insert material handling training, inspections, and other important steps into those already implemented practices. After all, the safe and efficient movement of raw materials and finished products are the key to business operations. n

Sample Sling Safety Program https://case.edu/ehs/sites/case.edu.ehs/ files/2018-02/Crane%2C-Hoist-and-SlingSafety-Program.pdf Lift All Sling Inspection Training Video https://youtu.be/unvB4acQU9k

Important Federal OSHA Regulations 1910. 22 Walking Working Surfaces 1910. 132 Personal Protective Equipment 1910. 176 Material Handling General Requirements 1910. 184 Slings

Dean of Springs

Leadership and Trust Matter

By Dan Sebastian

ŠiStockphoto.com/undefined undefined

I

n the early days of MW Industries (MWI), we were at best financially unstable. Our balance sheet was upside-down, our lenders were uncooperative, and our customers were very concerned. To add to this instability, the managers (Jim Callaghan and I) were new to the company and were not locals. The union leadership did not know how to react, as they saw their lifelong employer was about to fail them.

The only way to get out of this conundrum was to get everyone to trust each other, which was not the way the union and local management had ever behaved.

After numerous meetings, it was clear that we had to do something different.

The union needed a way to get confirmation that they were indeed facing a crisis and not being misled by unscrupulous managers who only wanted to improve the bottom line (there really was nothing there).

In order to break the logjam, unprecedented action was required.

The only way out was to change the paradigm. We approached the union with the idea that we should restructure the company in an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). The union leadership in Pittsburgh had a lot of experience in this area.

The first step was to share all of our financial information with their team in Pittsburgh. After several weeks of investigations, they reported back to the local union that the company was insolvent and it was time to give up. The problem was that, at the time, all of central Indiana was in a slump.

Nothing builds trust when there is no way out.

With the help of the local union we modified the wage structure, which led

the banks and investors to modify their agreements.

MWI was now positioned to rejoin our community as a prosperous company. The trust established by adversity had worked. Buried within the agreement was a clause that if the company was sold, the employees could recoup their sacrifice. A few years later when the company was sold, all of the employees got significant bonuses, which strengthened the trust. n

The only way to get out of this conundrum was to get everyone to trust each other, which was not the way the union and local management had ever behaved. After numerous meetings, it was clear that we had to do something different.

Dan Sebastian is a former SMI president and currently serves as a technical consultant to the association. He holds a degree in metallurgical engineering from Lehigh University and his industry career spans more than four decades in various technical and management roles. He may be reached by contacting SMI at 630-495-8588.

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 17

HIGH SPEED CNC COILERS

P TC - P r e t e n s i o n C o n t r o l I N T E R N AT I O N A L PAT E N T

MILANO - ITALY

NIMSCO LLC North American distributor 5115 B Tremont Ave. Davenport, IA 52807 Ph: 563-391-0400 Fax: 563-391-0403 info@nimsco.com

FX FX FX FX

5 Ø 0.10 10 Ø 0.15 15 Ø 0.25 30 Ø 0.40

-

0.80 1.10 1.50 3.00

Technically Speaking

Types of Tests Used to Characterize Springmaking Materials — Part 5: Reverse Bend Testing

By C. Richard Gordon

T

his is the fifth Springs magazine article in the series regarding mechanical and technological tests for springmaking materials, the reverse bend test. Previous articles in the series are the tensile test (Winter 20201), the coiling and wrapping tests (Spring 20202), the torsion test (Summer 20203) and the hardness test (Fall 20204). This article includes presentation materials from a Testing and Properties class5 that I have taught for a number of years for the Wire Association International as part of their Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing program.

Overview

In general, the testing of materials represents an important part of all quality work. It can include the control of incoming raw materials, materials in production, and produced materials or components before delivery.

Many different techniques are used, including chemical analysis; microscopy; nondestructive testing; mechanical tests such as tensile strength, hardness and fatigue; and technological tests such as bending, torsion, coiling, wrap and weldability.

In this series of articles, we have focused on mechanical and technological tests used to characterize springmaking materials.

In this article, the reverse bend test will be discussed.

The uniformity of tensile strength and ductility of the wires used to produce springs are critical to successful spring production and end use. The reverse bend test can be a good indicator of ductility.

Bend Testing

Bend testing can be done for round wire, shaped wire and strip materials. As the majority of springs are produced from round wire, that is the focus of this article. For reference, standards for testing strip materials include “ASTM E290 - 14 Standard Test Methods for Bend Testing of Material for Ductility6” and “ASTM E855 - 08(2013) Standard Test Methods for Bend Testing of Metallic Flat Materials for Spring Applications Involving Static Loading7.”

Reverse Bend Test

The ability of a material to undergo deformation by bending can be measured by various means. Bend tests are designed primarily to provide non-quantitative results, i.e., a pass or fail result. Bend testers are generally developed by users to provide a

simple, low cost material inspection test. However, by adjusting test parameters, the test can become more sensitive to differences in wire properties and can be used in the laboratory to study the effect of variations in manufacturing practices8. The test can serve as a method to determine high stress fatigue performance, ductility or toughness.

Bend testers are generally developed by users to provide a simple, low cost material inspection test. However, by adjusting test parameters, the test can become more sensitive to differences in wire properties and can be used in the laboratory to study the effect of variations in manufacturing practices8 The reverse bend test, also known as the bend test or flexion test9, is carried out by holding the wire at one end and repeatedly bending it through 90° in opposite directions, in one plane until failure. As an example, you may have done this test by bending a paperclip back and forth by hand until the wire broke. For our test, the test specimen is gripped at one end and a bend is made against a cylindrical surface (radiused tooling) of a specified radius.

Through the eyes of the engineer, the bending of a piece of wire around a known diameter or radius in alternating Rick Gordon is the technical director for SMI. He is available to help SMI members and non-members with metallurgical challenges such as fatigue life, corrosion, material and process-related problems. He is also available to help manage and oversee processes related to failure analysis. This includes sourcing reputable testing labs throughout North America, forwarding member requests to the appropriate lab and reporting results and recommendations.

He can be reached at c.richard.gordon@gmail. com or 574-514-9367.

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 19

Test piece

d(a) dg

Bending arm

1 mm

Guide Pivoting axis of the bending arm

0.1 mm max.

r

h

Cylindrical supports A and B

y

directions applies alternating tensile and compressive loading on the outer surface of the wire. This test, therefore, may be related to the fatigue performance, and particularly, the surface quality of the wire. Pre-existing surface cracks in the wire will rapidly propagate into a fracture if the cracks coincide with the bending area. It is important to recognize that only the wire being bent around the forming tool is under test so that an intermittent surface condition may not necessarily be detected.

The bending test also provides a means of evaluating the ductility of wire. One will observe a lower number of bends to failure in defective wire.

As we saw in the tensile test, the reduction of area determination is an excellent measure of ductility.

However, as the wire size decreases, this test becomes more difficult due to the difficulty in measuring the reduced cross section. “ASTM A370-20, Standard Test Methods and Definitions for Mechanical Testing of Steel Products,9” recommends that the reduction of area test be used on wire sizes greater than 0.092 in. (2.34 mm) for this reason. Thus, the reverse bend test is an excellent tool for assessing ductility in smaller wire sizes.

Gripping faces of supports Supports

Nearest point of contact with test piece

Table 1. Symbols and Descriptions for Machine A Symbol Description

Units

d

Diameter of round wire

mm or in.

dg

Diameter of the guide hole

mm or in.

a

Minimum thickness of wire of non-circular cross section

mm or in. mm or in.

r

Radius of the cylindrical supports

h

Distance from the top tangential plane of the cylindrical mm or in. supports to the bottom face of the guide

y

Distance from a plane, defined by the axes of the cylindrical supports, to the nearest point of contact with the test piece

mm or in.

Figure 1. Schematic of reverse bend test machine A11,12.

Standard Test Methods

There are several standards which include a description of the reverse bend test. In this article, information will be included from the following standards: “ISO 7801:1984, Metallic Materials– Wire–Reverse Bend Test11,” “ASTM D6320/D6320M - 10(2014), Standard Test Methods for Single Filament Hose Reinforcing Wire Made from Steel12,” and “ASTM A313/A313M-18, Standard Specification for Stainless Steel Spring Wire13.”

The ISO 7801:1984 standard specifies the method for determining the ability of wire of diameter or thickness 0.3 to 10 mm inclusive to undergo plastic deformation during reverse bending. The range of wire diameters for which ISO 7801 is applicable may be more exactly specified in relevant product standards.

20 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

Table 1. Symbols and Descriptions for Machine B Gripping faces

h

r

Symbol

Description

Units

d

Diameter of round wire

mm or in.

dg

Diameter of the guide hole

mm or in.

r

Radius at the end of the gripping faces

mm or in.

h

Distance from the top tangential plane of r on the gripping faces to the top of the wire guide

mm or in.

dg

Diameter of the guide hole

mm or in.

Guide

Support

dg d

Figure 2. Schematic of reverse bend test machine B12.

Table 3. Reverse Bend Test Requirements for Stainless Steel Grades13 Diameter, in Number of Bends

Figure 3. Photographs of a modern multiple wire reverse bend test machine.

Bend Test Minimum

Over 0.024 to 0.054

8

Over 0.054 to 0.092

7

Over 0.092 to 0.120

5

Over 0.120 to 0.177

3

Over 0.177 to 0.500

1

It is interesting to note that some specifications and technical reports define “bends” differently. In many cases, a 90° bend is counted as one bend, in others, a bend through 180° is counted as one bend and in still others, bending through 360° is counted as one bend.

It is interesting to note that some specifications and technical reports define “bends” differently. In many cases, a 90° bend is counted as one bend, in others, a bend through 180° is counted as one bend and in still others, bending through 360° is counted as one bend.

Manual operation and automated machines are used for this test.

Common test configurations used are shown in Figures 1 and 2 for machine A and B, and symbols and descriptions for each machine are shown in Tables 1 and 2, respectively.

Samples to be tested may be thermally aged depending on the product.

Aging parameters are defined in industry specifications or individual customer specifications.

Testing speed may also be defined in industry specifications or individual customer specifications. In general, bending should be done at a uniform rate without shock, not exceeding 1 bend per second. Typically, a speed of 40 bends per minute is used. Care should be taken to assure heat generated during the test does not affect the test result.

Figure 3 shows a modern testing machine capable of testing three wires at a time, depending on the wire diameter and product to be tested. In this case, the bending arm is driven by a servomotor.

Stainless Steel Example

“ASTM A313/A313M-18, Standard Specification for Stainless Steel Spring Wire13” includes information for the reverse bend test and specification limits.

The bend test specification limits are embedded in tensile test tables by grade and vary with wire diameter, as shown in Table 3.

Summary

In this article, the reverse bend test was described. This test can be a good tool for determining high stress fatigue performance, ductility or toughness. Equipment improvements have been made over time.

Multiple wire test units are available for enhanced testing capability. n

References 1. Gordon, C.R., Types of Tests Used to Characterize Springmaking Materials – Part 1: The Tensile Test, Springs, Winter 2020, p.27 2. Gordon, C.R., Types of Tests Used to Characterize Springmaking Materials – Part 2: The Coiling and Wrapping Tests, Springs, Spring 2020, p. 27.

3. Gordon, C.R., Types of Tests Used to Characterize Springmaking Materials – Part 3: The Torsional Ductility Test, Springs, Summer 2020, p.17.

5. Gordon, C.R., Ferrous Testing & Properties, Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing, WAI, Fall 2019.

6. ASTM E290-14, Standard Test Methods for Bend Testing of Material for Ductility, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2014, www.astm.org 7. ASTM E855-08(2013), Standard Test Methods for Bend Testing of Metallic Flat Materials for Spring Applications Involving Static Loading, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2013, www.astm.org 8. Shemenski, R.M., editor, Ferrous Wire Handbook, The Wire Association International, Inc., p. 782, (2008) 9. The Book of Wire & Cable Terms, The Wire Association International, Inc., (2003) 10. ASTM A370-20, Standard Test Methods and Definitions for Mechanical Testing of Steel Products, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2020, www.astm.org 11. ISO 7801:1984, Metallic Materials — Wire — Reverse Bend Test, www.iso.org 12. ASTM D6320 / D6320M-10(2014), Standard Test Methods for Single Filament Hose Reinforcing Wire Made from Steel, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2014, www.astm.org 13. ASTM A313 / A313M-18, Standard Specification for Stainless Steel Spring Wire, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2018, www.astm.org

4. Gordon, C.R., Types of Tests Used to Characterize Springmaking Materials – Part 4: Hardness Testing, Springs, Fall 2020, p.19.

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 21

Manufacturers of High Performance

Manufacturers of round, flat & profile wire in High Performance nickel alloys

INCONEL®, HASTELLOY˘, NIMONIC®, MONEL®, HAYNES˘, PHYNOX†, MP35N* etc.

1-866-482-5569 alloywire.us.com

6,000 Lbs

DFARS

®Trade name of Special Metals Group of Companies. †Trade name of Aperam Alloys Imphy. ˘Trade name of Haynes International. *Trade name of SPS Technologies.

Size: .001” (0.025mm) to .827” (21mm)

Order quantity: 10 ft. (3m) to 6,000 Lbs (3 Tons)

Delivery: within 3 weeks

Spring Design Tips and Tricks

Spring Design Classes Go Virtual

By Gary Van Buren

I

t’s November 2020, and as I sit here reviewing the curriculum for the upcoming SMI 201 Compression Spring training program, I started reflecting back to when this all started. For me, it was 25 years ago when my then boss, Russ Bryer, told me it would be OK to join the SMI technical committee. I truly do not remember if someone on the committee approached me or if I asked to join. I would almost bet it was when I attended my first SMI convention in Carlsbad, California.

I remember that being my first convention because my badge had a green dot on it, marking me as a firsttimer. All kinds of members came up and introduced themselves and welcomed me to the SMI family. As our company’s engineering manager, I am sure I must have sat at the technical committee’s table during the committee meetings. The next thing I knew, I was invited to join the committee.

I’m sure back then I was overwhelmed because many of the technical committee members were people that I considered to be the giants in our industry.

They included people like Ed Lanke, Loren Godfrey, Chuck Pepka and Dan Sebastian. I remember not understanding everything they discussed because I had only been a part of the industry for a short time. It was great to be a part of this group, because over the years I could reach out to ask technical questions which helped me resolve some of my customers’ issues.

Now 25 years later, I am preparing to teach the 201 Compression Spring Design class for the fourth time. The first two classes were held in person with 15 to 20 students. The last two classes were conducted virtually using GoToMeeting.

The first virtual class had 47 students.

The 201 class is designed for beginners, like the one I took in 1994 in Bristol, Connecticut. Back then it was a two-day class, and it covered compression, extension and torsion spring design theory. We were shown how to use the SMI spring design software, using disk operating system-based software that could only calculate three basic spring types.

prepare next. We have found an interest in “304 - Tolerancing and Testing," "301 - Springs - Fatigue," and "207 - Spring Material Manufacturing." The technical committee will keep SMI members informed as the more advanced classes are completed.

Keep in mind that all these classes are being developed by a technical commit-

I remember that being my first convention because my badge had a green dot on it, marking me as a firsttimer. All kinds of members came up and introduced themselves and welcomed me to the SMI family. As our company’s engineering manager, I am sure I must have sat at the technical committee’s table during the committee meetings. The next thing I knew, I was invited to join the committee.

Today’s ASD7 software is far more advanced compared to the early version of Spring Design 1.1. Instead of doing only three types of springs, the new software performs 47 spring variations; even I do not understand all of them. I am still learning, which means you can teach an old dog a new trick every once in a while!

When I get ready to teach the spring design classes, I review the presentation and adjust my notes, going over ideas on how to give our students a better experience.

The three current modules (201, 202 and 203) have been completed and, other than my presentation tweaks, will be presented again virtually several more times next year. The technical committee is working on the next round of classes which will be a little more advanced. We have surveyed students in our classes to find out what they would like us to

tee that volunteers their time. There are hundreds and hundreds of hours being spent by people who must squeeze this endeavor in between their real jobs. I’m so impressed with their expertise and dedication.

I finished this article the day after the Nov. 12 201 Compression Design class.

I would like to say it went great, but one of my fears came to fruition. During the class, my local internet provider slowed to a snail’s pace for a while, and completely kicked me off once. Thanks to my friends, Rick (Flash) Gordon and Todd Piefer, we were able to keep moving while I reestablished the connection. Needless to say, I did stop and have a cold beer (per Todd’s suggestion) after the meeting ended. By the way, I slept great that night!

One last thought. We are always looking for new people to join the SMI technical committee. n

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 23

SOCIAL MEDIA

SPRING INDUSTRY AND THE

By Gary McCoy

S

ocial media platforms have changed considerably over the past decade.The major players like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn were in already in place back then, but usage of these platforms for business was just beginning to emerge.

What you can do with these platforms has also changed. For instance, when Facebook first started, you could only share text updates. Now, there are more content formats available such as images, videos, live videos and stories.

In this issue of Springs, we reprise a survey we conducted in 2011 to gauge the spring industry’s participation in social media. As you’ll read about in “Survey Says: Spring Industry Social Media Usage Has Increased,” the industry has jumped aboard using social marketing to inform and engage business customers. Read more on page 26.

You’ll also enjoy articles from SMI member companies who describe how they are utilizing social media at their company.

From the supplier side, Kurt Witham of AIM presents “Join the Conversation: Digital

24 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

Marketing Tools for Spring Manufacturers” on page 28.

Two springmakers weigh in, as well. Victor Cruz presents, “KERN-LIEBERS North America and Social Media” on page 31, and “Social Media with Ace Wire Spring & Form” by John Higgins can be found on page 32.

In this issue we feature a profile of IDC Spring and its co-owner Jodi Boldenow (see page 59). In a separate article, Boldenow talks about how IDC Spring launched a new podcast called "Manufacturing Nice." See page 30.

Be Strategic As I looked back at the article I wrote on social media in 2011, I appreciate the insights from Paul Gillin, who co-wrote the book “Social Marketing to the Business Customer” with Eric Schwartzman. At the time it was touted as the first social media how-to guide for B2B marketers.

Gillin’s wisdom back then still applies today. When asked why a spring company should consider using social media, Gillin talked about the most important question that any business should consider. “What do your customers want and how do they communicate?”

As he candidly pointed out, “It could be that they (customers) don’t communicate in any of these channels (social media) and if that’s the case, don’t use them.”

He said whatever a spring company decides to do about social media, they must focus on a major key point: Be strategic!

“You don’t need a social media strategy; you need a business strategy. You need to understand social media and how to apply it to your business strategy,” said Gillin.

We hope this issue of Springs helps you and your company crystallize your thoughts on social media and helps you integrate this into your overall business strategy.

“You don’t need a social media strategy; you need a business strategy. You need to understand social

#

media and how to apply it to your business strategy.”

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 25

©iStockphoto.com/pressureUA

SURVEY SAYS:

SPRING INDUSTRY SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE HAS INCREASED

By Gary McCoy

I

t is always fun to put together surveys. It provides readers with the opportunity to gauge trends, attitudes and actions.

Our survey of social media usage is what I would describe as informal and not scientific. It provides readers with a snapshot in time and the opportunity to see how other people in the industry view this topic.

In the Summer 2011 issue of Springs, we reported on a survey that polled SMI members on their usage of social media. We asked the same questions in 2020, and among other things you will see that participation in social media has increased.

In 2011, SMI had 94 respondents to our social media survey, while in 2020, the number of participants dropped to 63.

Social Media Channels It is no surprise that LinkedIn is the most popular social media channels used by the spring industry, though Facebook does not follow far behind.

In our 2011 survey, Facebook and LinkedIn were tied at 66 percent, with YouTube further down the list at 32 percent.

In our most recent survey, LinkedIn inched slightly ahead at 83 percent of Facebook, which checked in at 76 percent. YouTube continued to trail in third place at 36 percent. The use of Twitter was relatively unchanged and still very low in the nine years between surveys.

There are many more platforms in use today, but most of them are more oriented toward personal use.

What social media platforms are you using?

Social Media Usage: Business or Personal?

Social media usage includes both business and personal. In a sign that the lines have blurred a bit, in 2011 only 40 percent of respondents said they use social media both personally and professionally. That number climbed to 54 percent in our most recent survey.

2011 Facebook Twitter

Other

Business

29%

Twitter

Business

14% 82% 36%

YouTube

22%

Other

53% ©iStockphoto.com/Erikona ©iStockphoto.com/Erikona

26 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

76%

LinkedIn

24%

Both

10%

Facebook

2020 Personal

32%

2020

40%

Both

66%

YouTube

2011 31%

13%

LinkedIn

In what context are you using social media?

Personal

66%

13%

©iStockphoto.com/Viktor Morozuk

Active Use of Social Media

Social Media Helpful for Their Business

Like the general population, the adoption of social media has increased in the spring industry from 57 percent in 2011 to 79 percent in 2020.

Our survey provided those who responded “yes” that social media helps their business with the opportunity to tell us why. Many pointed to social media as being useful for brand recognition, company awareness of new products and activities, and sales leads. Here were a few of the comments.

Are you actively using social media?

“Employees enjoy seeing the Facebook updates and open positions. We have an employee referral award program and they can refer applicants when they know positions are open. LinkedIn is also a good recruiting tool.”

2011 No 43%

2020

Yes 57%

“I believe we are reaching the next generation of potential employees and customers by having information available on the platforms they frequent.”

“Allows us free advertising of our products, services, capabilities and to promote job openings we have.”

No 21%

“Awareness of our company, products and knowledge of our springmaking industry.”

Yes 79%

“It creates awareness that you exist!”

“I believe we are reaching the next generation of potential employees and customers by having information available on the platforms they frequent.”

Social Media Not Helpful Our survey also provided those who responded “no” that social media does not help their business with the opportunity to tell us why. Among the responses we received, many could not pinpoint a use for social media. Here are some of the responses.

“I really do not think it’s the way our customers prefer to communicate with us and it is not driving customers, old or new, to find or contact us.”

“Allows us free advertising of our products, services capabilities and to promote job openings we have.”

Better Business with Social Media?

Can social media help a business?

Our survey found that there is considerably more support for that idea than there was in 2011 Does social media help improve your business?

2011 No 70%

“It may be the future, but actual business in the spring industry is still ‘old school.’ We still have customers trying to send us purchase orders via fax.

Who has a fax machine anymore?”

“It is not really a no, but more of a not yet. We are in the process of making enhancements in this area to have a greater impact.”

“We are not consistent in posting, and it is difficult to tell how posting positively affects our business.”

“Resources are limited and keeping a social media account active takes a lot of energy!”

“Resources are limited and keeping a social media account active takes a lot of energy!”

Yes 30%

2020 No 45%

Yes 55%

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 27

JOIN THE CONVERSATION:

DIGITAL MARKETING TOOLS FOR SPRING MANUFACTURERS

#

By Kurt Witham

T

wo hundred eighty four million Americans regularly used the internet in 2020, according to Statista.

That’s almost 87 percent of the country’s population. I’m part of that 87 percent, and you’re part of it too. In fact, there’s a good chance that just about everyone we know uses the internet for something – whether it’s shopping, social media, market research or cat videos.

The spring industry’s presence on the web is also growing. In the not-sodistant past, a web search for “springs” would more often show results for nature, travel or shopping: Palm Springs Visitor Guide, Best Natural Hot Springs, Spring Fashion Sale & Clearance.

Today, I’m proud to say that the same search yields hundreds of results from our very own industry: custom spring manufacturers, stock spring e-stores, how-to pages and practical takes on the spring coefficient. None of this would be possible without widespread participation from spring industry professionals and companies. Likewise, industrywide growth depends on increasing our use of the internet for marketing, sales and communication.

In those carefree, pre-COVID days when we would travel to industry conventions, we looked for events with the highest level of participation. As numbers of exhibitors and attendees rise, so do everyone’s prospects of connecting with new customers, suppliers and partners in the industry. The internet is the same: the more participants we can get into this digital conversation, the more

But just like any means of communication, social media doesn’t work unless you reach the right audience. And, like any other marketing method, social media management takes time. That’s why choosing your channels is so important.

In order to maximize ROI, you want to go where the audience is, and create content that speaks to their needs.

Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, Tik Tok, Tumblr, Reddit, WeChat, Line, Foursquare...there are dozens of social networks in use today, and the list continues to grow. The fact is, most social networks are not worth spending time to learn and maintain. The highest ROI networks for manufacturers are arguably the most recognizable names in social media: Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. • Twitter is ideal for B2C products, but its usage among industrial companies is also growing. Spring manufacturers will already find most of their competitors, partners and suppliers on Twitter. Standout Twitter features include @mention, which allows you to shout out to specific accounts when you’re publishing an update. The “lists” feature is also useful: we created a list just for our customer accounts, so we can stay up to date with their latest news and regularly “like” and “share” their posts.

• Facebook has over 3 billion users, making it the most popular social network in the world. Surprisingly, Facebook stands out as a network to connect you with your local community. It offers robust

robust the network will become for all of us.

As a manufacturer of spring coiling machines, Automated Industrial Motion (AIM) has implemented a number of strategies to take advantage of webbased tools like social media and content marketing. We hope that more spring manufacturers will join us and help grow the digital presence of the industry as a whole.

Starting with Social Media

Social media is already replacing storefronts, phones and snail mail as a means of communicating with friends, family, businesses and brands. We can use social media to put our capabilities and services on display and connect with customers. Through “likes,” “shares” and direct messages, we can use the same networks to build and support relationships within the U.S. springmaking community.

But just like any means of communication, social media doesn’t work unless you reach the right audience. And, like any other marketing method, social media management takes time. That’s why choosing your channels is so important. In order to maximize ROI, you want to go where the audience is, and create content that speaks to their needs.

SPRINGS

28 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

recruiting tools when you’re looking to hire new employees, and a readymade network of supportive friends, family and community members to help give your content a boost.

• LinkedIn is positioned as the world’s most popular social network for professionals. Practically speaking, that means more shop talk and fewer cat videos. It also means that the audience you’re looking for– spring industry professionals–are more likely to use LinkedIn than any other network. LinkedIn encourages interaction with other individuals’ and companies’ updates, allowing you to build relationships within the springmaking industry.

Embarking on a social media journey can seem daunting at first, but remember that we’re not competing with the Kim Kardashians of the world. Spring manufacturers don’t need millions, or even thousands, of followers to achieve social media success. Even if a post is only seen by a few dozen people, one of those people could become a new customer.

repurposing existing materials. Brochures can be adapted into lead-generating PDF documents or even websites.

Magazine ad copy can be repurposed to serve ad platforms in search engines like Google and Bing. Any photos, graphics or text your company has generated as part of past marketing efforts can be reused in the digital space, often allowing for a robust initial content offering with very little effort.

When creating brand-new content, the same philosophy applies: work with what you already have. White papers are great for positioning your brand as a leader–but you don’t need to do research or stage an in-depth case study to satisfy a social media audience. Instead, focus on what you already know. Our company specializes in spring coiling equipment, so we created a blog series detailing how spring coiling works. We also produced

INTRO DU CING

Spring Testing

The Authority on Accuracy.

REVOLUTIONIZED

Content Creation: Use Your Expertise

One of the most challenging aspects of digital marketing is the need to create and share content. In the tangible world, you might use brochures, sales pitches or product samples to introduce new customers to your company.

All of these things are content, and they all have their digital counterparts: Your company website is like a storefront, allowing customers to browse your products and services at their own pace. Advertisements in magazines or TV commercials also have their analogues in the digital world, with search ads, banner ads and video ads on YouTube. Instead of flyers and brochures, digital marketers create downloadable, lead-generating content. For personal connections, the internet trades phone calls and in-person meetings for social media and Zoom.

Even if the channels are new, the idea of content has always played a key role in business growth.

In order to create digital content, spring companies can start by

NEW Available with Basic or Advanced Software

Innovative Spring Testing Solutions Starrett offers a complete line of innovative force solutions for spring testing. In addition, a new, affordable high volume production testing solution is available in basic software (S1) and advanced (S2).

PRECISION TOOLS/GAGES

For more information visit

starrett.com/springs

SPRING TESTING

LSS.18.03.3.force-half-springs-SPRINGS-MAG v2.indd 1

MADE IN AMERICA

spring inspection

7/10/20 9:43 AM

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 29

a downloadable PDF that offers insights into manufacturing and uses of various spring types. Both have been successful in that they required little preparation to create, and they answer common questions from our target audience.

There’s no doubt that demographics are changing in the spring manufacturing industry. Millennials and Generation Z are rising in the ranks and taking on sales, engineering and executive roles

in spring companies. Many of these modern spring professionals have lived with the internet all their lives, so digital communication is second nature.

The way we connect with our industry partners and customers, and the way we market our products and services, is fundamentally changing.

The good news is that we can clearly see the direction of that change. Social media will continue to grow. Content

IDC SPRING CREATES “MANUFACTURING NICE” PODCAST

A

Kelli Golembeck

30 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

Kurt Witham is President of Automated Industrial Motion, a spring coiling machine manufacturer in Fruitport, Michigan.

“Manufacturing Nice is a podcast where we will set out on a journey to investigate the North American manufacturing landscape from a holistic view,” reads LeTourneau in the opening to the inaugural show. “Sales, marketing, production, medical, military oil and gas, and yes, we are talking about springs. Join us on a journey as we discover more about our company and the manufacturing landscape.”

Boldenow says the company has already produced five episodes, with plans to do 20. She emphasizes that the show is not just about IDC Spring.

“It’s a variety of people related to manufacturing; we just want to highlight manufacturing,” said Boldenow. “We are brand-new at this. Our first episode was with Jenny McGrath, our director of sales and marketing. Manufacturing Nice podcast is a great way to connect with people in the industry, talk about manufacturing and generate new ideas and concepts within manufacturing.”

She said the podcast is focused on the fact that “manufacturing is fun and cool.”

Boldenow said, “We don’t think it’s enough to just have a website, you really have to create some relevant content and find new and exciting ways to connect with your industry and audiences.”

To listen to or download episodes of the Manufacturing Nice podcast, visit www.manufacturingnice.com.

Manufacturing Nice is also available on all major platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and more. n

#

By Gary McCoy

podcast for a spring company?

Jodi Boldenow, president of IDC Spring in Coon Rapids, Minnesota (see related story on page 59) says, “The podcast is actually not about springmaking. It’s called Manufacturing Nice and it’s about manufacturing.

The podcast talks with guests from local companies and world-wide companies. The show also covers an array of topics like building a leadership team, building and developing ideas and companies, new developments in manufacturing, and much more.”

marketing will continue to grow. Increasingly, original equipment manufacturers, automakers, electronics companies and other spring customers will turn to the internet as a means of not only gathering information, but also communicating with suppliers. It’s a huge opportunity, and we need to be part of the conversation. n

Manufacturing Nice is a nod to the phrase “Minnesota Nice,” which according to Wikipedia is “a cultural stereotype applied to the behavior of people born and raised in Minnesota to be courteous, reserved and mild-mannered.” The show is a light-hearted approach to current day manufacturing.

Manufacturing Nice was the brainchild of IDC Spring team members Mitchell LeTourneau and Kelli Golembeck and they also serve as co-hosts of the show.

Mitchell LeTourneau

KERN-LIEBERS NORTH AMERICA AND SOCIAL MEDIA

By Victor Cruz

S

ocial media is one of the most used communication platform nowadays. It has dramatically improved the way audiences interact with organizations.

Kern-Liebers North America has taken advantage of the diverse social media platforms available in order to increase awareness of our products among a larger audience, rather than just people working within the industry.

Kern-Liebers North America is an active player on social media, since the company sees a larger value in this way of communicating and portraying its products and activities. The company especially uses LinkedIn, and we also have a YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/ channel/UCJyV1EHuopBZjpNacXM9x7A).

Our experience has proven that LinkedIn is the most adequate social media channel for a spring company of our kind, due to the demographics of its audience.

We have separate pages for the United States and Mexico to address our audiences in English and Spanish. Between the two pages, we currently have more than 3,000 followers, and we continue to increase at a fast rate.

We have gained followers from a variety of industries, such as automotive, aerospace, health and government.

We use social media not only to showcase our products and activities, but also our corporate culture and values. Besides periodic product-related posts, we publish things like our “Employee Spotlight,” where we introduce a different staff member each time.

Another series is “Kern-Liebers Around the World,” where we present one of our different global locations every two weeks. Our audiences see the multicultural, international side of our company, where different nationalities are united in one global family with a common goal.

One of our top objectives with social media is to increase our brand awareness and introduce the spring industry to a larger outside audience. In order to achieve this, we post periodically about product applications in people’s everyday life, such as pusher springs that are used for dispensary shelves at stores, springs used in ovens and stoves or in diverse car functions, among others.

#

We have seen a great response from these posts, which also have an educational purpose. It shows an outside audience how essential the spring industry is, making possible many of the appliances, machines or systems that everyone uses every day, and that substantially contribute to making life safer and more comfortable.

This is the way we use social media to increase awareness about our industry and the extent to which it plays a key role in today’s world. n

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 31

SOCIAL MEDIA WITH ACE WIRE SPRING & FORM

By John Higgins, Marketing Manager, Ace Wire Spring & Form

C

ommunication is important at Ace Wire Spring & Form and is done in several different ways.

This includes talking with a current customer about shipment of product, to helping with the design and specifications of a drawing with the company engineer, to expanding the company branding and reaching out to prospects to grow our customer base. Utilizing social media has become a more effective communication tool to achieve and keep connections with people.

We lay out several topics that customers and prospects will be interested in reading and learning about. This has included updates about trade show exhibition schedules, and highlights of different types of springs and wireforms we have recently made. We also cover industry topics such as MFG DAY and BotsIQ (a workforce development program).

Our company utilizes LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, making it easier to stay in front of people and keep their attention. By using social media, we have realized that content is the key factor to make all this work. If the content is not useful to the reader, they have no reason to come back for more. We currently use Google Analytics to measure the activity and engagement of our company website and social media accounts. Posts concerning the manufacturing industry and education seem to get the most activity and responses.

LinkedIn has helped us with prospecting. We connect with people we have met at trade shows or through other business

32 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

relationships. Creating these connections helps expand the base of people to whom we can send our company message. Also, it allows our audience inside of what Ace Wire Spring is doing, giving them the opportunity to learn more about us and feel more comfortable with the knowledge of what we do and how we do it.

This process adds to the personal touch and familiar feel we are constantly trying to achieve with people.

In addition to the content, imagery and graphics are an important part of our

do and how we do it. Our YouTube channel has helped show people how we make different types of springs and wireforms, the machines utilized and the people involved. Doing this helps add a personal touch to our products and the manufacturing industry. With this personal feel, a business relationship gets built and nurtured, growing into an important customer that we do business with for years to come.

In the end, helping the customer solve their project need is what Ace Wire Spring wants to do. Getting to that step involves an exchange of information between us and the customer/ prospect. These social media tools have made that exchange much easier to start, with Ace making information available about the company and the industry. By providing a means to connect, people can easily reach out to us to start the quoting process, followed by designing and manufacturing a unique solution for their project needs. Finally, the project is completed, and the product Ace Wire Spring manufactured is helping their customer, all with the help of social media. n

#

Creating these connections helps expand the base of people to whom we can send our company message out to. Also, it allows our audience inside of what Ace Wire Spring is doing, giving them the opportunity to learn more about us and feel more comfortable with the knowledge of what we do and how we do it. social media focus. When posting information to Facebook and Twitter, utilizing a graphic helps show what the post is talking about. Sometimes it can be simple, like the Ace Wire Spring logo, or more complicated, such as a graph or statistical analysis of what is being discussed. Either way, the visual aspect helps back up the message we are trying to convey.

YouTube is another avenue Ace Wire Spring uses to visually show what we

Ace Wire Spring & Form Company (www.acewirespring.com/) has manufactured custom precision springs for diverse applications since 1939. This ISO certified/ITAR registered company develops and manufactures a wide variety of compression springs, extension springs, torsion springs and wireforms. John Higgins serves as the company’s marketing manager. He can be reached at 412-458-4830 or by email at jhiggins@acewirespring.com.

One Source. Many Solutions.

Gibraltar.

Visit our website for this months stock grinding equipment specials WWW.GIBRALTAR8.COM

We provide cost effective SPRING AND WIRE FORMING manufacturing solutions.

Gibraltar.

Michael Shapiro, Janet Montes, Yuval Terem mshapiro@gibraltar8.com | 847-383-5442 1945 Techny Road, Unit 5, Northbrook, IL 600062

2021 Trade Show Heads to Las Vegas

34 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

A

nticipation is in the air as SMI gets ready to host the fourth edition of the Metal Engineering eXpo (MEE) at the South Point Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. The three day trade and education event, Sept. 28-30, 2021, is the premier global trade show and educational event for springmakers, metalstampers, wireformers and suppliers to the precision spring manufacturing industry.

The 2021 eXpo is being led by chairs Joe Devany, Betts Company and Daniel Pierre III, JN Machinery Corp. Other members of the trade show committee include: Dan Bagwell, Forming Systems; Jim Callaghan, Lee Spring; Lynne Carr, SMI; Rick Gordon, SMI; Gene Huber Jr., Winamac Coil Spring; Bert Goering, Precision Coil Spring; Don Jacobson III, Newcomb Spring; Steve Kempf, Lee Spring; Gary McCoy, SMI; Rob Meyers, RK Trading Company; Dina Sanchez, SMI; Robert Swanson, United Wire Co.; Gary Van Buren, SMI; and Jacquelyn Zenhye, FENN Torin.

“We are eager to get back to our usual spring industry face-to-face trade event, but we recognize each attendee’s personal safety must be the top priority,” said Pierre. “With a vaccine rollout expected soon, we are encouraged that our event can move forward. SMI and our trade show organizer, Tradeshow Logic, are working closely with the South Point Resort and local officials in order to make sure we can gather together in the best manner possible to protect everyone’s well-being.”

Pierre says exhibitors, like his company, are excited to display their new products and functions to the industry. “Anyone who is anyone has surely spent their time this year performing R&D and will be ready to reveal them at the MEE show.”

In addition to the trade show floor, where leading industry exhibitors will display and demonstrate their latest solutions, the eXpo will once again feature some of the most in-depth and diverse technical and business content in the industry.

“When the eXpo started in 2015, SMI wanted to make sure the event would be available to springmakers across the country,” said Devany.

“Being a West Coast resident, I’m excited that this year’s eXpo will be nearby in Las Vegas.

One of the highlights of the 2021 eXpo will once again be the two-day educational forum. I have always walked away from these sessions with

a lot of practical technical and management information.”

Danny Bozart

Call for Speakers

SMI is looking for speakers for the 2021 eXpo. Carefully chosen seminars will cover both technical and practical business content from manufacturing, technology, materials and testing to business best practices, workforce solutions and marketing.

The educational symposium is organized into three tracks and speaker proposals must align with one of these main topics: • Business Trends and Best Practices • Manufacturing, Technology and Innovation • Materials and Testing Experts in the industry are invited to submit a speaking proposal to SMI executive director Lynne Carr at lynne@smihq. org or phone 630-495-8588. Speaker proposals will be accepted until March 1, 2021.

Wearing a Mask and Winning

One speaker who is already scheduled to present is Danny Bozart of Valbruna Stainless, Inc. Bozart will present “Selling During COVID: Winning While Wearing a Mask.”

Bozart will explain from his own experiences some of the challenges of selling in a COVID environment, including travel restrictions that have reduced or completely eliminated visits to buyers, no trade shows or conferences to attend and difficulties in meeting buyers socially to build relationships and close deals.

The largest challenge that Bozart sees in a COVID environment is the lack of nonverbal communication.

“Nonverbal communication makes up 93 percent of the communication during your sales encounter,” explained Bozart. “Current COVID conditions take away your ability to communicate nonverbally.”

He said customers tend to believe what they see more than what they hear.

“Today it is a lot harder to understand what the customer needs and offer your solution because neither party sees anything: your smile, appearance, selling aids or presentation.”

He said sales meetings are now usually a phone call, “which is 100 percent verbal and zero percent nonverbal,” said Bozart.

“Which is quite difficult.”

Despite these challenges, he believes sales professionals can succeed in this environment by becoming more dependent on social media such as LinkedIn and teleconference tools such as Zoom.

“I believe even post-COVID that these new customer engagement strategies

“SMI and our trade show organizer, Tradeshow Logic, are working closely with the South Point Resort and local officials in order to make sure we can gather together in the best manner possible to protect everyone’s well-being.”

will stay with us. Buyers and sellers have found it easier and more comfortable to do business this way,” said Bozart.

Bozart says there are many tools that can be used successfully, including LinkedIn. “It is a great way to target management and procurement teams, and to search a company’s personnel structure.”

He says using LinkedIn, along with video services like Zoom and Skype, can help a sales professional garner success and overcome the nonverbal challenge.

Bozart’s presentation will include best practices for using these platforms.

In addition, Bozart will provide managers with best practices on how to coach and expect their sales teams to win with these platforms. Finally, Bozart says, “I will also address how buyers can use these platforms to harvest more from their suppliers and find new ones.”

The South Point Resort and Casino consists of a 24-story hotel tower and casino and a 90,000 sq. ft. convention.

The property is located on a 60-acre site along Las Vegas Boulevard, just 10 minutes south of the Las Vegas Strip.

For hotel registration and information on exhibiting or attending the 2021 eXpo, visit www.MetalEngineeringeXpo.org. n

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 35

©iStockphoto.com/AlisaRut

Spring Design Classes Pivot to Online Format

By Gary McCoy

L

ike the rest of the world that dealt with the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, SMI moved its spring design training programs to an online format. The first three basic training modules, 201 Compression Spring, 202 Extension Spring and 203 Torsion Spring, were all taught virtually in 2020 due to the cancellation of most in-person events.

“We have had great attendance and very favorable feedback to the online offerings,” said Rick Gordon, SMI’s technical director. Gordon, along with Gary Van Buren, SMI’s technical advisor, have worked with the association’s technical committee to develop these programs.

“I absorbed a lot of great information from this course, not only about the Advanced Spring Design (ASD) software program, but also about compression springs in general,” commented one of the attendees who took part in the 201 Compression Spring training in August 2020. “I was able to take in a wealth of knowledge. Thank you for expanding my spring intellect.”

The three 200 level courses will be taught again online in 2021 for SMI members, nonmembers and ASD license holders.

SMI’s technical committee is working to finish its complete offering of spring design training programs. The offering

36 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

includes three fundamental, seven basic, and four advanced spring design training classes.

Fundamental courses were developed with new employees and non-technical staff in mind. Basic classes are designed to meet the needs of production and technical staff, including engineers, designers and inspectors. Advanced courses address a higher level of expertise for engineers, designers and other technical staff.

Two fundamentals training modules, 101 Spring Fundamentals and 102 Overview of Springmaking Materials, are available to the public on the SMI website: www.smihq.org.

The 103 course, Overview of Common Spring Manufacturing Processes, is still under development.

Here is the completing offering of basic courses: • 201 – Compression Spring • 202 – Extension Spring • 203 – Torsion and Spiral Spring • 204 – Spring Washer • 205 – Beam, Torsion Bar and Constant Force Spring • 206 – Garter Spring and Snap Ring • 207 – Production Process of Common Spring Materials The content for the advanced courses will include: • 301 – Springs – Fatigue • 302 – Springs – Heat Treatment and High Temperature Alloys • 303 – Springs – Corrosion Resistant Alloys and Finishes • 304 – Springs – Dimensioning, Tolerancing and Testing The technical committee has used feedback from the two in-person and four webinar offerings to prioritize class development. Student responses showed 301 Springs – Fatigue and 304 - Dimensioning, Tolerancing and Testing to be the classes with highest interest ratings. The technical committee is targeting to have these two modules completed by the end of the first quarter 2021, with course offerings in the second and third quarters 2021.

All SMI spring design classes are organized as focused, realworld spring design training programs combining basic spring design content for each spring type with practical hands-on

Training schedule for the first quarter 2021 Module Proposed Date 203 Torsion Spring Design 202 Extension Spring Design 201 Compression Spring Design

Jan. 21, 2021 Feb. 18, 2021 March 18, 2021

use of SMI’s well-regarded Advanced Spring Design 7 (ASD7) software.

For each spring type, students learn: • The seven-step spring design process • Definitions and terminology • Design theory • Design stress analysis • How to input engineering design data into the ASD7 software • Important ASD7 tolerancing criteria “Classes benefit students by increasing their spring design knowledge and benefit their company by having an SMI trained associate as part of their team,” said Van Buren, who teaches the spring design courses.

For more information, visit www.smihq.org/technical or contact Dina Sanchez at dina@smihq.org. n

WIRED FOR PRECISION Unsurpassed Quality Since 1959

 Swift Turnaround Times  Award Winning Service  Prototypes to Full-Run Production Certified ISO 9001:2015

97 Ronzo Road, Bristol, CT 06010 | (860) 583-1305 | RadcliffWire.com

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 37

©iStockphoto.com/rudall30

Forecast 2021 Return to Normalcy

By Phillip M. Perry

Relief is in sight. Battered by the pandemic and scrambling to shore up finances, businesses can look forward to an easing of the pain over the next 12 months. Economists anticipate a gradual but noticeable recovery fueled by a surge in corporate profits, a strong housing market, and the successful roll out of a vaccine.

“The COVID-19 recession is over, and the economy is currently in an early-cycle expansion,” says Sophia Koropeckyj, managing director of industry economics at Moody’s Analytics, a research firm based in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

The healthier the economy, the better for business profits. And Moody’s expects the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) to increase at a 4.1 percent clip for 2021.

38 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

That’s a welcome rebound from the previous year’s decline, expected to come in at 3.6 percent when figures are finally tallied. (The GDP, the total of the nation’s goods and services, is the most commonly accepted measure of economic growth.)

The Joe Biden presidential win should support an economic rebound in three areas. “Biden has proposed significantly more fiscal stimulus, which will pack a

punch in the coming year as aggregate demand is still recovering from the pandemic,” says Koropeckyj. “Second, Biden would not resume Trump’s tariff wars with China, which have acted as a tax increase for consumers. Finally, Biden will liberalize international immigration, which will boost the supply of labor and in turn the economy’s potential.”

Faster economic growth, says Moody’s, should in turn help boost corporate profits by an expected 17.1 percent in 2021—a dramatic turnaround from the 13.8 percent decline of the past 12 months, and reason for optimism about a return to the aggressive capital expenditures so critical to an economic rebound.

Slow and Steady For most businesses, the return to normal should be gradual. During the first half of 2021, households will continue to self-quarantine as a wave of bankruptcies boosts the number of permanent job losses. By summer, says Koropeckyj, things should look different. “The economy will regain its stride in the second half of the year, when a vaccine or treatment is assumed to be widely available.”

Business owners seem to share Moody’s optimistic mindset. “Even though there’s still a lot of uncertainty out there, many companies have a positive outlook,” says Tom Palisin, executive director of The Manufacturers’ Association, a York, Pennsylvania-based regional employers’ group with more than 370 member companies. “Maybe they’re being overly confident, but our members seem to feel that, in six months’ time, things will have turned around significantly.”

With its diverse membership in food processing, defense, fabrication and machinery building, the Pennsylvania trade group can be viewed as a proxy for American industry. The organization’s members are reporting results that seem to position the tail end of 2020 as something of a springboard for future months. “Conditions for our members have improved, with increasing revenues, since the April and May timeframe,” reports Palisin.

Springboard or not, it’s a sure bet that few businesses will regret seeing 2020 in

“Even though there’s still a lot of uncertainty out there, many companies have a positive outlook. Maybe they’re being overly confident, but our members seem to feel that, in six months’ time, things will have turned around significantly.” their rear-view mirrors. “It’s been a rough year for many manufacturers,” says Palisin. “We’re looking at pretty significant revenue declines of 30 to 40 percent through much of the year for many of our members, who have had to do furloughs and layoffs to maintain operations while dealing with supply chain problems.”

Palisin acknowledges that for many operations the road ahead will be rocky.

That’s especially true for those with limited resources. “Smaller companies aren’t as well equipped as far as financing and cash flows to weather an economic downturn,” says Palisin. “Things have been significantly tougher for them.”

Housing Surges An important driver for the economy at large, residential construction is doing extremely well and promises more good news in 2021. “Housing demand has bounced back, thanks to very low mortgage rates and the release of pent-up demand,” says Koropeckyj, who points to healthy builder confidence as the nation enters the new year.

The road ahead looks sunny indeed: “We forecast housing starts will surge by 16.8 percent in 2021, after slowing to a 2.9 percent rate in 2020 due to the initial impact lockdown orders had on construction,” says Koropeckyj. The comparable 2019 figure was a positive 3.8 percent.

Median prices for existing homes are also increasing at a healthy rate, expected to top 7.6 percent when 2020 figures are finally tallied, which would surpass the 5

percent increase of the previous year. One key reason: tight supply. “Housing has been a seller’s market with low inventory levels, as homeowners have been reluctant to offer their residences up for sale for fear of contracting the coronavirus,” says Koropeckyj.

The industry itself has engaged in practices that have contributed to its success. “Real estate professionals have done a great job adapting to social distancing, and enabling the buying and selling of homes, appraisals, title insurance policies and closings at the same pace as before the pandemic,” says Bill Conerly, principal of his own consulting firm in Lake Oswego, Oregon. “With the shift to suburban living, more new homes will be built.”

Despite its recent success, the housing industry faces its own headwinds.

“We expect prices to fall by 0.3 percent in 2021 as foreclosures mount, due to an unwinding of forbearance measures by the federal government and private lenders,” says Koropeckyj. “According to the latest Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey, banks have tightened standards across all sorts of mortgage products.”

And the housing sector faces other issues that will sound familiar to anyone who has watched the industry over the past several years. “Construction costs are rising quickly, and builders are still grumbling about the inability to find buildable lots and skilled labor,” says Koropeckyj.

As for construction of non-residential buildings, the bag is equally mixed.

“Although office and retail construction

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 39

“In uncertain times, investors hold on to cash and delay investments. This undoubtedly puts downward pressure on economic growth.

As a result, uncertainty has become the enemy of prosperity.”

©iStockphoto.com/rudall30

will be soft in the near future, they account for less than one-fourth of private nonresidential construction,” says Conerly. “The big categories of power production, manufacturing, health care and warehouses should do fine in the transition to post-Covid business.”

Strong retailers Retailing tends to reflect and invigorate the nation’s economy, and this is a sector that has registered notable gains that promise to continue. “Our current 2021 forecast is for 6.2 percent growth in core retail sales,” says Scott Hoyt, senior director of consumer economics for Moody’s Analytics. That forecast represents a substantial improvement over 2020, when the 2.1 percent increase expected when numbers are finalized represented a deceleration from the 3.9 percent growth clocked in 2019. (Core retail sales exclude the volatile auto and gasoline segments.)

The positive growth rate for retailers in 2020 has come about as consumers have rechanneled their purchasing away from services and toward merchandise.

“While consumer spending has been hammered pretty badly, retailers have not been hit nearly as hard as service businesses,” says Hoyt. Moody’s forecasts a

40 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

decline of 5.2 percent in services spending when 2020 numbers are in — a stark reversal from the 4.3 percent gain in 2019.

“Because of people’s hesitancy to travel, to go to entertainment facilities, and to do things with other people, to a certain degree they’re replacing such activities with buying goods.”

The positive retail reports will come as a surprise to anyone who has encountered the long rows of shuttered storefronts in America’s cities and towns.

Two reasons account for the disparity.

The first is the increasing purchase of merchandise through digital channels—a long-term trend that has only been exacerbated by the stay-at-home nature of the pandemic. The second is that consumers have become highly selective, abandoning many merchandise categories in favor of a select few that are either essential to living, or which enhance the enjoyment of pandemic-enforced leisure time. Both trends have merged to create a retail environment that favors some sectors and decimates others.

Capital Investment Despite the strength of housing and retailing, the economy will face headwinds in 2021. Not least among them is the sluggish

state of capital investment. Corporate decision-makers, faced with uncertainty, are reacting in a predictable way: keeping their powder dry. By the end of 2020, total real fixed investment had fallen by 27 percent annualized, according to Moody’s Analytics. “In uncertain times, investors hold on to cash and delay investments,” says John Manzella, a consultant on global business and economic trends, Amherst, New York. “This undoubtedly puts downward pressure on economic growth. As a result, uncertainty has become the enemy of prosperity.”

More robust investments in commercial buildings and machinery are not expected to arrive any time soon. “Low capacity utilization and still-high uncertainty will make expansion decisions difficult, though the declining cost of corporate borrowing will provide some offset,” says Koropeckyj. “Major segments of investment will be weak, with transportation equipment and structures especially hard-hit.” Structures investment is expected to decline by more than 12.3 percent in the months ahead, led by the collapse in retail and reduced demand for office space.

Bank loan availability poses one barrier to a rapid return of capital investment. “While interest rates are low, many companies have taken financial hits that can affect their ability to qualify for loans,” says Palisin. “With corporate financials changed so drastically from the prior year, there is some tightening of access by lending institutions.”

Moody’s identifies technology as one bright spot in an otherwise shadowed capital investment picture. Palisin concurs with the observation, reporting an increase in spending by his members to boost efficiencies. “The pandemic will probably accelerate the trend toward more automation and robotics,” he says.

“Such technology will be needed to increase manufacturers’ resiliency.”

Consumer Confidence Spending by consumers accounts for some 70 percent of economic activity and is arguably even more important than capital investment for the nation’s overall business health. Household spending, though, is driven by public psychology,

and the most recent reports from Moody’s Analytics show that the nation has a lot of catching up to do: By late 2020, consumer confidence was running as low as it was in March and April during the worst days of the pandemic.

If uncertainty about the course of the pandemic and the availability of a reliable vaccine are reason enough for high anxiety, there’s a more immediate driver of consumer discontent: the noticeable drop in take-home pay over the past year. “Wage and salary income, including the value of benefits, is forecast to decline 1.3 percent when 2020 numbers are finalized,” says Hoyt. Those numbers represent a reversal in fortune from the 4.4 percent increase of 2019.

(Wage and salary income figures exclude government payments such as the 2020 pandemic relief checks.)

Pandemic-related furloughs and business closings accounted for a major portion of wage declines. Moody’s expects the unemployment figure to

come in around 8.5 percent when 2020 numbers are finally tallied. That’s a sharp increase from the robust 3.5 percent level consumers were enjoying as recently as February 2020.

Consumers might improve their outlook if the unemployment picture were brightening. Yet the expectations here are, once again, for only gradual improvement. The unemployment rate is expected to decline to 7.8 percent by the end of 2021. “The labor market will not recover all COVID-19-related job losses until the second half of 2023,” says Koropeckyj.

A brightening jobs picture should translate directly into a boost in take-home pay.

Moody’s anticipates 2021 wage increases to come to 2.5%—a level high enough to allow shoppers to exhale but too low to spark rapid spending. Hoyt’s expectations for improvements in the public psychology are suitably conditional: “We are assuming a slight upward trend in consumer confidence until we get a vaccine or an effective

treatment, at which point it will probably move up faster.”

Tight Labor Conditions in the labor market are also preventing a faster recovery. Not only is the unemployment level high, but employers are not finding the job applicants they need. “Companies are having problems recruiting and getting folks to apply for work,” says Palisin. “Some things going on in the labor market are probably contributing to that. First, the portion of the workforce still on furlough will probably not take another job but will return to the one they were furloughed from. Second, there are child care issues as students go back to school online, and it’s difficult for those people to get back into the labor pool. Finally, there is some level of health concern by employees going back into the workplace, especially if they are older workers or higher risk people.”

While the future of the labor market remains unsettled, the opening months

Spring Tooling for All Machines Complete line of carbide and steel tooling for the spring industry.

Machines • Fenn (TORIN) • Itaya • MEC • Samuel • Sleeper & Hartley • Additional Machines – A.I.M. – ASAHI – Bamatec (Schenker) – Baird – Bobbio – E.N. Machine (Ming) – Simplex – Wafios

naspringtool.com 860-583-1693

Line of carbide and steel tooling include…

• Arbors/Mandrels • Block Guides • Body Tools • Caps • Coiling Tools • Cutting Tools • Feed Rolls • Guides/Liners • Pencil Arbors • Pitch Tools • Quills

169 WHITE OAK DRIVE BERLIN, CT 06037

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 41

“Some sectors of the manufacturing economy, such as the food and automobile industries, are hiring quite a bit,” says Palisin. “And sectors such as construction and health care are competing with manufacturers for workers.” of 2021 might provide clues as to whether hiring difficulties will continue. “Perhaps as we get into the new year people will start to feel more comfortable returning to the workforce, the child care issues may be resolved, and a vaccine will be developed,” says Palisin. “But right now there seems to be a lot of hesitancy in the labor pool. People are sitting on the sidelines to see what is going to happen.”

Competition for quality workers makes the hiring process all the more difficult. “Some sectors of the manufacturing

economy, such as the food and automobile industries, are hiring quite a bit,” says Palisin. “And sectors such as construction and health care are competing with manufacturers for workers.”

When the labor market gets tight, upward wage pressure can’t be far behind.

“To remain competitive, companies are restructuring their compensation packages to retain higher-end skilled workers,” says Palisin. “Retirements by the baby boomers and a decline in immigration are also putting higher pressure

Supply Chain Woes Businesses are facing a familiar challenge carried over from the pre-pandemic world: supply chain fragility. “Trade disputes are still a problem that has not been resolved,” says Tom Palisin, executive director of The Manufacturers’ Association, a York, Pennsylvaniabased regional employers’ group with more than 370 member companies. “The hope is that there’s some kind of trade deal with China. Higher tariffs don’t help in the middle of an economic slowdown.”

The pandemic has made the situation more severe. “In the worst of the Covid-19 lockdown, nothing was coming out of China,” says Bill Conerly, principal of his own consulting firm in Lake Oswego, Oregon. “That only exacerbated the problem of time lags for foreignsourced goods.” So far, he adds, few companies seem to be making radical shifts in their sourcing, due to a natural hesitancy to change suppliers. But there is growing pressure to obtain materials not only from domestic suppliers but also from multiple factories.

Another effect of recent supply disruptions may be the building of inventories to higher levels. “Companies should no longer rely on just-in-time inventory strategies, which too often have become just-too-late failures, and stockpile more supplies both in the United States and abroad,” says John Manzella, a consultant on global business and economic trends, Amherst, New York. “This approach reduces efficiencies but favors risk reduction.”

42 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

on wages.” Companies aren’t likely to take a ‘wait and see’ while the best people go elsewhere, he adds. “Even during this period, talent is one of the top, if not the top, factor to keep a company growing.”

New Deal In the opening months of 2021, some key indicators should offer clues to how the year will turn out. Palisin feels the level of durable goods orders may signal the economy’s trajectory, as will the level of capital expenditures. “Businesses will be looking for increased certainty on matters such as market stabilization, the ability to hire, access to a qualified labor pool, and workplace safety protocols,” he says. “It would be good to have some kind of resolution around trade issues as well. All of those concerns will be frontburner ones.”

As for the view at Moody’s Analytics, Koropeckyj looks to consumer sentiment levels in early 2021 for insight into how freely shoppers will spend the rest of the year. “We will also look closely at the number of business bankruptcies,” she says. “And the core unemployment rate, which excludes temporary layoffs, will gauge how much joblessness is attributable to permanent layoffs which leave behind long-lasting scars on the labor market.”

But perhaps the best economic indicator of all will be the rate of progress toward a cure for the not-so-hidden elephant in the room: the pandemic. “Businesses will be concerned about the timeline of a vaccine,” says Koropeckyj. “The path toward some semblance of economic normality hinges upon its development and widespread distribution.” n

Reliable Measurement of Axial and Lateral Forces Improves Spring Performance

By Aleksander Koprivc

S

uspension coil springs (SCSs) are crucial for the safety and comfort of vehicles, from motorcycles and trucks to passenger cars and trains. In conjunction with shock absorbers, suspension springs improve the ride comfort and handling safety of modern vehicles.

Their main role is to ensure the damping between the chassis and the vehicle body. SCSs must absorb and compensate for the impacts and vibrations from the road surface and reduce the transfer of those impacts to the passengers. At the same time, SCSs must ensure that the wheels of the vehicle remain in contact with the ground to maintain traction and steerability.

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 43

Upper load piercing point

Z

FV

FR

Y

FH Lower load piercing point

There are many more transverse forces and moments in the spring installation that lead to friction and wear of other components, such as struts, brake cylinders and valves. That is why it is important to be able to measure the line of resultant force and the transverse forces and moments with a test fixture.

X Outer spring shape

The automobile industry places extremely high demands on quality and cost-effectiveness. Springs play an important role in lightweighting (a concept in the auto industry about building cars and trucks that are less heavy as a way to achieve better fuel efficiency and handling), as optimized

44 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

design, advanced materials, and reliable production processes reduce the weight of each spring considerably.

Today, spring designs are efficiently optimized with numerical simulation.

However, comprehensive testing of SCSs is crucial for validating spring designs.

In addition to testing under dynamic

loading, quasi-static testing is performed to determine SCS properties in different compression states.

Due to the helix of the spring, loading of the spring ends is not uniform around the circumference. The line of action of the resulting forces does not follow the geometrical centerline of the

spring. There are many more transverse forces and moments in the spring installation that lead to friction and wear of other components, such as struts, brake cylinders and valves. That is why it is important to be able to measure the line of resultant force and the transverse forces and moments with a test fixture.

Testing of the springs helps validate the design of the spring-spring pad system. The simplest test setup is a testing machine with a single load cell for determination of only the resulting axial force, not taking into consideration the lateral forces that exist. A three-component measuring platform, using three load cells, is capable of perfectly measuring the piercing point of the resulting force.

A six-component platform, with three axial and three lateral load cells, also measures the lateral forces that the spring produces during the compression phase, in addition to axial force and piercing points. Furthermore, the arrangement of the load cells supports measurement of the torque that the coil is applying to the spring pad. Different combinations of these platforms can be arranged to meet the spring manufacturer’s testing requirements.

Springs can be decisive in motor sports, for example, where perfect handling is required. Highly accurate, reproducible, repeatable, and traceable results are important so that the characteristics of the springs can be designed to match the exact requirements. This is where a testing system that is not only easy to operate, but can also determine spring characteristic values, spring height, spring travel, spring rate, and transverse forces that come into play.

A stiff load frame that can compensate for deformation is vital to reliable test results as well. Determining all relevant characteristic values in one cycle accompanied by an automatic test sequence with pre-cycles and measurement cycles offer greater efficiency. The ability to expand the system to graphically display characteristic values and display resulting forces in 3D enable more accurate analysis of test results.

With the demands placed on today’s automotive industry, from safety and

comfort to lightweighting and handling, the accurate function testing of spring systems is more critical than ever. Their characteristic values are important to evaluate quality attributes such as friction, wear and service life—and ultimately, the safety and satisfaction of the passengers. n As automotive industry manager for Zwick-Roell, Alexander Koprivc directs the company’s engagement of major automotive OEMs and their respective suppliers on a global basis. His position often finds him traveling to customer sites around the world to discuss testing requirements that range from materials selection routines to high throughput quality evaluations. Koprivc also maintains relationships with OEMs to coordinate global testing programs. Previous roles involving application engineering, sales, and the management of ZwickRoell subsidiaries have enabled him to identify trends important to the future of automotive materials and subsequently advise ZwickRoell product management on the development of novel solutions to address changing customer needs. Koprivc can be reached at Aleksander.Koprivc@zwickroell.com.

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 45

This photo is a native copper sample collected by the author during his “rock-knocking” days while studying metallurgical engineering at Michigan Technological University in Michigan’s Copper County. In the upper right of the photo is a relatively rare find of a copper crystal (partially formed).

Copper-Based Alloys for Spring Applications

By Terry Bartel

C

opper (Cu) is defined as: A common reddish chiefly univalent and bivalent metallic element that is ductile and malleable and one of the best conductors of heat and electricity.1 Copper is most likely the oldest known metal to man, which in its “native” form can be found in many locations around the world. Some may argue that gold may have been used before copper because it was relatively rare even many millennia ago, but copper wins the day as the more practical metal for everyday use. Depending upon your source (and beliefs), man may have used copper more than 10,000 years ago, with a copper pendant from 8700 B.C. being the oldest known copper artifact.

The first use of a Cu-based material for a spring application is lost in antiquity. Like many developments, when man began alloying copper with other elements (e.g., tin), some far thinking ancestor realized that this new and stronger metal could be used to make a weapon with superior qualities to those which existed at that time. This led to what could be considered a spring application, possibly a bow.

Typically, when we begin thinking about specific spring material applications, they center around such characteristics as: • Physical and mechanical strength (tensile, yield, modulus, fatigue, etc.)

• Temperature capabilities

46 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

• Corrosion resistance • Formability • Cost (and availability) Although this approach is no different for the copper-based family of spring materials, they are not in the ordinary running we typically think of as spring materials. They do have some additional characteristics that make them useful (keeping in mind that some of our more normal spring materials do share a few of these characteristics). These include: • Excellent electrical conductivity • Non-magnetic • Non-sparking • Good corrosion resistance in specific environments (especially marine applications) • Anti-microbial and virus-killing characteristics It is these latter characteristics that make copper-based materials desirable for specific applications over our more “normal/ common” spring materials like the carbon/stainless steels, and even the more exotic materials utilized for highly specialized applications (nickel-, cobalt- and titanium-based materials).

Like all materials, the Cu-based alloys have characteristics and properties that meet special needs for special applications.

Table 1: Common Cu-Based Nominal Spring Materials and Standards Material

Chemistry (Nominal)

Spring Brass

Cu 70.0 Zn 30.0

Nickel Silver *

Phosphor Bronze

Silicon Bronze

Beryliium Copper

UNS No.

C26000

Cu 55.0 Zn 27.0 Ni 18.0

C74500 / C75200 C75400 / C75700 C77000

Cu 90.0 min Sn 8.0 P 0.3 max

C51000 / C52100 C52400

Form

ASTM Std

Wire

B134

Rod

Strip

B36

Wire

B206

Rod Strip

B122

Wire

B159

Rod Strip

B103

Wire

Cu 97.5 Si 2.5

C65100 / C65500

Cu 98.0 Be 2.0

C17000 / C17200 C17300 / C17500

Rod Strip

Wire

B197

Rod

B196

Strip

B194

* The term “Nickel Silver” originates from the material color as the alloy does not contain any silver.

This article is not intended to be an all-encompassing compendium of Cu-based materials used for springs. Such work would be at least a small book for the data available for this family of alloys. Rather, the intent is to provide readers not familiar with these alloys with a high-level overview of those Cu-based alloys typically used in springs, are often invisible to us, but are very important in our everyday lives.

Table 1 lists those Cu-based materials that are most often used for springs. Within each of these general materials you can find numerous alloy compositions that have been developed, many for specific applications or characteristics. This can be deduced from the relatively large number of UNS designations for some of the materials. Even this list is not all encompassing but does cover those alloys that are most often found in spring applications. The associated ASTM standards are listed for these common alloys, but the reader should be aware that there are other standards/specifications such as AMS, Mil (for those still in existence), JIS, DIN/ISO and also end-user generated specifications that dictate the specific requirements for a given material.

Table 2 lists the approximate tensile and torsional property ranges for these materials. In addition, the elastic limits are provided for reference as they are important for any cold forming operations and show the operational (elastic) limits of what these materials can withstand without permanent deformation.

Footnote 2 provides the data sources for this table.

Although examining data in a table, such as above, gives the reader the perspective of what property limits of a material, human beings are inherently visually oriented. Figures 1 and 2 are plots of the tensile and torsional properties of these five

materials. When you take a rapid glance at how each material compares to the others, you will quickly realize that many of them are very similar in mechanical behavior. The one exception, for beryllium* copper (Be-Cu) materials, is briefly explained in figure 1. As a result, it is some of the other characteristics of the alloys that result in the specific applications for which they are used.

The strengthening mechanism for the first four of the listed alloys in figure 2 shows the degree of cold working used to produce specific strength levels in each, through drawing or rolling operations. For the Be-Cu family of alloys, the strengthening comes from both the amount of cold working and a precipitation hardening operation, which accounts for its overall higher strength than the other alloys discussed. A partial listing of the more common descriptors used to denote the degree of cold working for these alloys are (for some of the alloys there are numerous additional hardness designations that fall within those listed): • Half-hard • Hard • Extra-hard • Spring • Extra-spring Along with these degrees of hardening through cold working, temper designations have been developed for the various materials. The four alloys with only cold working strengthening have a uniform designation for the various tempered conditions for those mentioned above (although the reader is cautioned that the specific strength levels are typically different for each alloy).

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 47

Table 2: Mechanical/Physical Spring Characteristics Tensile Characteristics Tensile Strength (ksi)

Alloy

Torsional Characteristics

Elastic Tensile Str (ksi)

Torsional Strength (ksi)

E

Elastic Torsion Str (ksi)

G

Min

Max

Min

Max

(psi x106)

Min

Max

Min

Max

(psi x106)

Spring Brass *

100

130

40

60

16

60

90

30

50

6.0

Phosphor Bronze *

100

150

60

110

15

70

110

50

85

6.25

Silicon Bronze

100

150

60

110

15

70

110

50

85

6.5

Nickel Silver

130

150

80

100

16

80

100

60

70

5.5

Beryllium Copper *

160

200

110

150

18.5

100

130

70

100

7.0

*This material is included in the Advanced Spring Design software (ASD7).

Figure 1: Tensile limits of Cu-based spring materials.

250 n n n n n

Tensile Strength (ksi)

200

Spring Brass Phos Brass Si Bronze Ni-Silver Be-Cu

150

100

50

0

Min Tens Str

Max Tens Str

Min Elas Tens Str

Max Elas Tens Str Figure 2: Torsional limits of Cu-based materials.

140 n n n n n

Torsional Strength (ksi)

120 100

Spring Brass Phos Brass Si Bronze Ni-Silver Be-Cu

80 60 40 20 0

Min Tor Str

48 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

Max Tor Str

Min Elas Tor Str

Max Elas Tor Str

The Be-Cu alloy family has a different set of temper designations than those which are only cold worked. There are specific designations for materials in the cold worked condition and those which have been cold worked and aged, including different designations for material shape (wire or strip). Sound confusing? It can be if one is not careful to pay attention to specific details for those alloys with the various temper designations.

Like many parts, the spring manufacturing operation introduces internal stresses that should be relieved. In this regard, Cu-based alloys are no different than other spring materials, such as carbon and stainless steel, that are stress relieved after the coiling operation (except for those material grades which are age hardened and do not require stress relieving). Times and temperatures do vary for each of the Cu-based grades, and examination of various references seem to provide a range of temperatures and times for the stress relieving heat treatment.

A review of several industrial/technical references indicate that most stress relieving temperatures fall within the 400ºF to 600ºF range for 1/2 to one hour. The best situation is that you are producing the spring in which your customer provides some guidelines for any stress relieving heat treatment.

As previously stated, this article was intended only to provide an overview of the Cu-based alloys - materials which are not

common everyday spring materials as we often think of them, but which do play and fill a very important niche in the world of springs. Even a little research will provide the reader with a plethora of data and information upon which judgements can be made as to the applicability of a specific material. Your local material supplier should and can be an invaluable source of data and help and should be used to the fullest to assist you in your need. *A cautionary note regarding beryllium: See any associated SDS (MSDS) sheets provided by your material manufacturer.

When in alloy form, Be-Cu poses no specific health risks.

However, if such operations as grinding which produces fine dust or other very fine particulates that can be inhaled are involved, all required safety precautions recommended by the material manufacturer should be followed. n

References: 1. Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam Company, P. 184, 1965.

2. Mechanical properties compiled from: 3. Mechanical Springs, A. M. Wahl, SMI, 1962.

4. Handbook of Spring Design, SMI, 2002.

5. ASTM standards listed in Table for each alloy.

217112 Syntech Casmi Ad 1_4 Page_26233 J&R Casmi Ad 1_4 Page 5/31/

SYNTECH SUPERABRASIVES

It’s your world.

Shape it as you please.

A J O W I T T & R O D G E R S C O M PA N Y

In the hands of skilled craftsmen, our steel becomes the parts, components and products that make the world turn. For over 65 years, fabricators and manufacturers big and small have trusted Admiral Steel to help them leave their mark on the world. For any size order from 10 lbs. to 10,000, you get first-class quality, on-time delivery, and personalized service from Admiral. Contact us for a quote today! ™

Admiralsteel.com ISO 9001 REGISTERED

4152 West 123rd Street Alsip, Illinois 60803-1869 Ph: 800-323-7055 Fax: 708-388-9317 email: sales@admiralsteel.com Admiral is a registered trademark of Admiral Steel LLC. Alsip, Illinois.

Reg. No. 2430959. All rights reserved.

SYNTECH Abrasives, a subsidiary of Jowitt and Rodgers Co., has been providing advanced superabrasive grinding products to the spring industry since 1986.

Our focus has been and continues to be finding “creative solutions” for finishing ferrous as well as non-ferrous materials. We take pride in serving our customers in innovative ways to assist them in meeting their goals and objectives. We offer both resin and metal bonded diamond and CBN products. For more information contact Syntech Abrasives at 704-525-8030 or email to

sales@syntechabrasives.net

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 49

Thinking Springs?

Think

All Around Spring Machine Manufacturer

The pen tells the story:

Okuno Machine Co. Because • One of the most respected names in spring making • CNC Coiling from 0.05mm to 25+mm ( ~ 0.002” to ~ 1 inch) • Independent servo control on each axis

• Set and Forget - long run accuracy • Quick, easy tooling set up • In process secondaries – testing, grinding

Call or email for your free copy of our complete product DVD

Outstanding Sales and Service in the Americas:

106 Ninth Street North Brigantine, NJ 08203 USA Tel: (609) 266-0200 Fax: (609) 266-9079 www.MaguireMachinery.com Jim@MaguireMachinery.com

Okuno Machine Co., LTD 48-2, Sakamoto-cho, Izumi-city Osaka, Japan 594-0052 Tel: 81 (725) 43-7111 Fax: 81 (725) 45-3111 www.Okunomc.co.jp

Considerations When Purchasing a Conveyor Oven

By Daniel Pierre III

U

nlike the cost of other capital equipment to manufacture springs, a conveyor oven is usually one of the least expensive items. Instead of financing the capital expense, ovens are usually bought with cash, perhaps over 2 or 3 payments from a checking account. Buying an oven should not be a casual decision, even if it is a casual payment. Since ovens require a high amount of energy, the purchase price is the smallest component of the costs associated with oven ownership. The largest cost will be the ongoing operational cost. Operational costs vary greatly among oven makes, even for similarly-sized ovens. Trying to save money on the purchase price of an oven could end up costing you much more than you realize.

Oven providers typically receive quotation requests in these manners: “Give me a price on your model XXXX?” or “What are your 10-inch ovens going for these days?” This is usually indicative that the buyer is only looking for the lowest purchase price or trying to compare like-sized ovens among different brands. A better way to ask for a quote is: “We need an oven that can handle 500 lbs./hr.” You might end up with quotes for different sizes of ovens, but don’t despair, this is a good thing, and the further cost analysis of operational costs will help you compare “apples to apples.”

Buyers often make purchasing decisions using incomplete cost information. The best way to properly evaluate oven quotations is to consider purchase price + ongoing operational cost/capacity. Even better, one can include the estimated ongoing operational cost for five years so you can account for equipment depreciation of your capital investment.

Oven Capacity = Throughput (lbs./hr.) of typical springs for that oven with appropriate wire diameter at one full layer of parts on the conveyor belt.

Oven Efficiency = The percent of time the oven calls for heat when an oven is thoroughly heated and running a constant load (see oven capacity definition). You can directly measure this using a power meter.

©iStockphoto.com/mdworschak

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 51

Purchase Price and Ongoing Operational Costs

The takeaway here is Brand B has more than 50 percent higher operational costs than Brand A, costing the user more than $10,000 over five years. That’s not all: Brand A also gives you an additional 25 minutes (5 percent more) of productive operation on every shift. It means Brand A lets you process more parts for less cost—a double win!

Some things to understand in the table: The kW rating of an oven is the

The purchase price is a natural consideration, but do not ignore your ongoing operational costs. Similarly-sized ovens will have tremendously different operational costs. Frankly, it is part of the reason for different base prices of ovens. Table A compares the costs of operating “the same size” ovens for one eight-hour shift, as well as over five years.

Table A: Which brand is the better deal?

Brand A

Brand B

$16,000

$8,000

10 kW

10 kW

$0.12/kW-Hr

$0.12/kW-Hr

200 lbs/hr

200 lbs/hr

Warm-up Time

10 min

20 min

Reheat Time

5 min

10 min

Purchase Price Power at 100% usage Cost for power Capacity at 500F

In summary, Brand A costs twice as much, but it heat up 10 minutes faster and reheats 5 minutes faster.

Brand A

Brand B

power it will consume assuming 100 percent demand for power. Once at heat, the power consumption drops considerably. How well the heat chamber retains and reflects heat (inverse of oven shell temperature by the way) is another cost factor, the amount/type of insulation, and whether the oven is a clamshell or solid body will determine the overall efficiency factor of the oven. In Table A, Brand A is rated at 35 percent, which means, with constant throughput of parts, the oven needs to call on heat 35 percent of the time. Brand B might be rated at 55 percent, calling for heat 55 percent of the time under the same circumstances.

Even though these ovens seem identical and you might feel one is overpriced, the reality can be quite the opposite.

If we return to the better “request for quotation” inquiry where the purchaser knows the capacity they are seeking, a more efficient oven often means a smaller oven can be used for comparison. The ongoing operational cost calculation can become quite dramatic.

Table B emphasizes that it is easy to think that the larger, but still cheaper Brand B is the better purchase choice.

Once you factor in the operational costs, the comparison is not even close.

In reality, every oven need is not always straightforward. A specific application could limit your belt width choices, or you need excess capacity for future applications. Whichever the case, provide your oven supplier with more information when asking for a quotation.

% kW

Hrs

Cost

% kW

Hrs

Cost

100

0.17

$0.2040

100

0.33

$0.3960

35

1.83

$0.7700

55

1.70

$1.1220

5

0.25

$0.0150

8

0.25

$0.0240

100

0.08

$0.1000

100

0.17

$0.2000

35

1.50

$0.6300

55

1.42

$0.9372

Lunch break

5

0.50

$0.0300

8

0.50

$0.0480

Reheat oven

100

0.08

$0.1000

100

0.17

$0.2000

PM Production 1

35

1.75

$0.7350

55

1.60

$1.0560

Afternoon break

5

0.25

$0.0150

8

0.25

$0.0240

100

0.08

$0.1000

100

0.17

$0.2000

The purchase price is a natural

35

1.50

$0.6300

55

1.45

$0.9570

Total

8.00

$3.3290

8.00

$5.1640

consideration, but do not ignore

Active production hours

6.58

Oven warm-up AM Production 1 Morning break Reheat oven AM Production 2

Reheat oven PM Production 2

Similarly-sized ovens will have

6.17

Oven original purchase cost

$16,000

$8,000

Operational cost for 1 year

$6,658

$10,328

Cost of oven after one year

$22,658

$18,328

Cost of oven over five years

$49,290

$59,642

Difference in cost in 5 years: $10,352

52 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

your ongoing operational costs. tremendously different operational costs. Frankly, it is part of the reason for different base prices of ovens.

The minimal information needed is the spring’s wire diameter, OD, FL and N (and a trusty slide rule from the sixties!).

We then need to know the wire material and the target coiling rate. Finally, one needs a drawing or description of the part if there are hooks or legs.

From this information, we know the mass and size of parts and can check the thermal needs (how much heat will be sucked from the air to heat the wire) and chamber load capacity, as well as how much of the belt will be covered. Secondary considerations are the possibility of part overlap on the belt (and whether it helps/hurts the part) and/or nesting and tangling.

A Case for Refurbishing Old Ovens

Older ovens were not designed with temperature uniformity in mind, nor with the construction to allow temperature profiling or the ability to communicate data to a computer. Unless a new oven is available from stock, if you are in the market for a basic oven, an old oven with a decent shell can be rebuilt for far less cost than a new oven and in a shorter amount of time. It could give you savings between one-half to two-thirds of the cost of a new oven. The caveat is you will probably take a hit by a few percentage points on the ongoing operational cost.

In conclusion, trying to compare similar oven sizes solely by purchase price is not in your best interests. n

Table B: Which brand is the better deal?

Brand A

Brand B

$12,000

$8,000

8 kW

10 kW

$0.12/kW-Hr

$0.12/kW-Hr

200 lbs/hr

200 lbs/hr

Warm-up Time

8 min

20 min

Reheat Time

4 min

10 min

Purchase Price Power at 100% usage Cost for power Capacity at 500F

In summary, Brand A costs twice as much, but it heat up 10 minutes faster and reheats 5 minutes faster.

Brand A

Oven warm-up

% kW

Hrs

Cost

% kW

Hrs

Cost

100

0.13

$0.1248

100

0.33

$0.3960

35

1.85

$0.6216

55

1.70

$1.1220

5

0.25

$0.0120

8

0.25

$0.0240

AM Production 1 Morning break Reheat oven

Brand B

100

0.06

$0.0576

100

0.17

$0.2000

35

1.50

$0.5040

55

1.42

$0.9372

Lunch break

5

0.50

$0.0240

8

0.50

$0.0480

Reheat oven

100

0.06

$0.0576

100

0.17

$0.2000

35

1.84

$0.6182

55

1.60

$1.0560

AM Production 2

PM Production 1 Afternoon break

5

0.25

$0.0120

8

0.25

$0.0240

100

0.06

$0.0576

100

0.17

$0.2000

35

1.50

$0.5040

55

1.45

$0.9570

Total

8.00

$2.593

8.00

$5.164

Active production hours

6.69

Reheat oven PM Production 2

Oven original purchase cost

6.17 $12,000

$8,000

Operational cost for 1 year

$5,187

$10,328

Cost of oven after one year

$17,187

$18,328

Cost of oven over five years

$37,934

$59,642

Difference in cost in 5 years: $21,708

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 53

HIT THE

TRIFECTA

YJ-120 Simco YJ-120 Wire Range: 0.196 – 0.472” (5.0 – 12.0 mm) High speed performance at practical pricing.

SEG-300-2C

EF-20 EF-20 Blazing fast production & flexibility at cost effective pricing.

SEG-300-2C 12" Crash grinder.

Perfect all around grinder!

Put the odds in your favor with this winning equipment combination.

We know that maximizing productivity is the name of the game.

Gibraltar offers the most competitive valued machines on the market.

Michael Shapiro, Janet Montes, Yuval Terem mshapiro@gibraltar8.com | 847-383-5442 1945 Techny Road, Unit 5, Northbrook, IL 600062 www.gibraltar8.com

©iStockphoto.com/mcdomx

Pride of Craftsmanship April 1967 President’s Message

By F.R. Downs

T

he other day, I was looking at a tall clock, sometimes known as a grandfather clock, made by Simon Willard late in the 18th century.

The movement is cast brass, typical of the period, and the case mahogany with beautiful inlay and delicate scroll work. It keeps time with a steady beat even after more than 150 years of service. This clock probably has more than 4,500,000,000 actuations in its history.

It is interesting to note that by our standards today, the tools were primitive and much of the work was done by hand. The clockmaker himself probably had no more than a grade school education.

However, he had skill and a pride of craftsmanship that produced mechanical masterpieces.

Have we through the years of machine development and modern manufacturing methods lost this heritage, this pride of craftsmanship?

If the answer is “yes,” we have the challenge to rekindle in our people this very important quality that means so much in our finished product.

The late F.R. Downs, Jr. served as SMI president from 1966 to 1968.

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 55

Stronger. Better.

Better Quality.

Better Service.

Better Variety.

Better Pricing.

Better Delivery.

Global Leader in Wire.

Suzuki Garphyttan 4404 Nimtz Parkway South Bend, Indiana 46628 001 574 232 8800

suzuki-garphyttan.com

©iStockphoto.com/tostphoto

Five Questions

Gibbs Five Questions provides an opportunity for SMI associate members to tell the spring industry about their company and the products and services they offer. In this edition, we talk with Bill Torres, president of Gibbs.

1|

Can you tell us about Gibbs and the products it offers to spring manufacturers?

We are fortunate to be a supplier of both wire and strip through our seven North American locations. This helps us supply a full range of products to spring manufacturers. We carry carbon, stainless, nickel, titanium and cobalt alloys in both products.

With our recent acquisition by Combined Metals of Chicago, we are expanding our ability to carry a number of specialty grades of wire from our sister company, Elgiloy, and we are working closely with their other facilities on additional strip items. This acquisition expands our access to an in-house metallurgist. We are very interested in working with springmakers to develop new products for them.

2|

What are the latest trends in the wire and strip markets that are impacting spring manufacturers?

We think the next five to 10 years are going to be very interesting for the spring manufacturer’s supply base. For example, if there is an administration change in Washington, there is a strong possibility we will we see the Section 232 tariffs eliminated. If this happens, we are likely to see a renewed focus on the U.S. by foreign suppliers. That could have a major impact on pricing.

We think that there is going to be continued consolidation in the supply chain. This could happen at the mill level and the distributor level.

As mentioned above, we think there is going to be a continuing trend for more advanced materials. Springmakers and their customers have been at the forefront of pushing the envelope on materials. They want tighter tolerances, lighter gauges and improved properties. For example, we have seen more customers asking for highly engineered strip solutions. We think that trend will continue.

3|

What type of services do you offer?

As a service center, it is important that we can do the following: Same day shipments, small orders, S&C orders, slitting, edging, oscillating, toll processing, blanking and polishing (through our sister company), cut to length, in-line laser welding, stocking programs, special orders, 24 hour customer portal, in-house lab and a staff metallurgist.

4|

What impact has COVID-19 had on your business and the customers you serve?

With a diversified customer base, we have been fortunate to weather the pandemic and remain profitable. I am also very proud of the team at Gibbs. They have been very flexible during this period and have never lost their focus on creating what author Ken Blanchard calls “raving fans” in our customer base.

One of the biggest challenges for service centers during any downturn is with inventory. It is a big balancing act. Our two vice presidents of purchasing, John Mintun and Paul Naples, do a great job for us. We also appreciate the guidance we’ve received from customers. I do think you will continue to see inventory levels improve throughout the supply base.

5|

Can you tell us about a recent challenge that you were able to solve for a customer?

A large new strip customer came to us with a problem regarding their strip package. They asked us to think about it, but they said they realized it was a difficult problem. Approximately two weeks later, our vice president of manufacturing, Pat Graham, presented them with the solution. That helped add a new raving fan. n Gibbs P.O. Box 520 Southington, CT 06489 billt@gibbswire.com www.gibbswire.com

Bill Torres

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 57

©iStockphoto.com/Björn Meyer

Springmaker Spotlight

Jodi Boldenow and Jeremy Sizer

Transforming Power Into Potential: A Profile of Jodi Boldenow and IDC Spring

By Gary McCoy, Managing Editor

A

lawyer by training, Jodi Boldenow, president and co-owner of IDC Spring in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, describes herself as a “nerd” or “geek” when it comes to the spring industry.

“I love springs, because I find it fascinating that that you can take a big coil of raw material that has potential energy, but it’s not useful yet, and then turn into something powerful,” explained Boldenow. “Springs power so many things.”

Her love for springs goes hand in hand with the IDC Spring vision statement: “We Transform Potential Into Power.”

Boldenow says the statement not only applies to making springs, but also to the people who work at the company. “We can be a place where people learn technical and problem-solving skills.”

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 59

“It’s really fun when you have someone who comes to work at our company in an entry-level position. It’s exciting to watch their skills and confidence grow as they learn more technical abilities or find a long-term career path at our company. It’s the most rewarding part of owning a business is helping people grow.”

She went on to say, “It’s really fun when you have someone who comes to work at our company in an entry-level position. It’s exciting to watch their skills and confidence grow as they learn more technical abilities or find a long-term career path at our company. It’s the most rewarding part of owning a business is helping people grow.”

60 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

Boldenow says she loves the spring industry because “it’s very dynamic; it’s never boring.”

A Family Business for Nearly 50 Years

IDC Spring is in its second generation of family ownership. Boldenow co-owns the company with her brother, Jeremy Sizer, who serves as vice president. Being in the

garage door spring business is only fitting because the company started in 1974 in the family garage, through the vision of their dad, Gerry Sizer.

Having worked at a local garage door company, Gerry Sizer decided to branch out and start his own installation company, known in the early days as the Industrial Door Company, Inc.

The company grew in size, and in 1981 an opportunity came along for Gerry Sizer to buy a small spring company. Twin Cities Spring was owned by a friend of Sizer’s who wanted to get out of the business. Boldenow said that her dad, being an entrepreneur, decided to give it a go and bought the company.

He renamed it Industrial Spring Company, and initially springs were only manufactured for the company’s internal use.

They later branched out and are now one of the industry’s largest garage door spring manufacturers. The company’s Coon Rapids, Minnesota headquarters boasts approximately 180,000 square feet of space, with additional locations in Mesa, Arizona and Piqua, Ohio. The company’s employee base numbers more than 150 people.

“We have a real concentration in garage door springs, although our company has diversified and evolved into making a lot of

different springs,” explained Boldenow. The company offers everything from torsion to extension to compression springs and wireforms. “We have made significant investments in capital equipment to position us for continued growth outside of the garage door market. We can now run wire of .080, .125-.625 in many wire types. With the new equipment it has been fun to work within new market spaces,” said Boldenow.

Boldenow says a significant portion of its products are related to construction buildings products and any kind of doors. This includes overhead garage doors, both commercial and residential, along with mini-storage and big rolling doors.

They also produce products for truck doors and transportation, along with mechanical industrial applications for things such as dumpster lid covers, dock levelers, all-terrain vehicle snowplows and hose holders and trailer springs.

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 61

Second Generation Transition Gerry Sizer never pushed for his After finishing law school, Boldenow children to enter the business, but both came to work at IDC Spring in 1996. “I Boldenow and her brother ultimately was actually interviewing at law firms decided to come be a part of the second and I wasn’t enjoying the process and not generation. really finding anything that was interestNot long after his children joined the ing,” she related. business, Gerry Sizer started the process Boldenow’s dad told her that before in 1998 of transitioning out. He formally going down the path toward a legal career, retired in 2000 and now, at age 74, spends “Maybe we should have a conversation half the year in Minnesota and the other about you entering the family business.” half in Florida.

Boldenow and Sizer both credit their father for quickly letting go of the business he started. “He’s a very dominant personality and he said, ‘If I stick around too long I will probably do you guys a disservice,’” explained Boldenow.

“He’s really a remarkable guy,” said Boldenow of her father. “He said, ‘You guys have got to make your own mistakes.

You have to figure out some on your own, and If I’m here too much, I’m going to slow down that process and probably get in the way.’”

Boldenow said her father’s only caveat was that he would complete a monthly review of the company’s financial statement. He told the siblings that if he saw the company going into the ground, he would reserve the right to step in. He never did.

Within five years, Gerry Sizer started selling his company stock to the siblings and gifting what he could. As Boldenow says on her LinkedIn profile, “We give thanks to my dad, a wise teacher, who positioned us to become an industry leader and to be able to leave a legacy beyond the business.”

Driven by Values

Boldenow describes IDC Spring as “a values-driven spring manufacturing company with a simply amazing team of people.”

She says the company’s core values drive everything they do. “If you stay true to those (values), the business just kind of takes care of itself no matter what business you are in.”

Boldenow says IDC Spring’s values include being people focused, integrity, teamwork and personal responsibility.

New team members will often tell Boldenow that “there’s just something different here.” And when she asks the new employees what they think is different, they often cite the company’s culture and values.

Like other spring manufacturers, IDC Spring’s greatest challenge has been its ability to attract qualified workers. Boldenow says it’s been an ongoing struggle for the past 10 years or more.

“It has been our No. 1 hurdle and obstacle to more growth,” she explained.

“We could grow more if we could recruit

62 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

Dealing with COVID COVID-19 has had a dramatic effect on every individual and company in the spring industry, especially when its full impact was felt in March 2020.

Jodi Boldenow says when COVID first came on the scene at IDC Spring, “We had to work at helping all of our employees be as safe as we could and provide a sense of calm, that we are going to be OK,” she explained. She said there was a lot of elevated fear and uncertainty they had to deal with.

The next challenge was dealing with supply chain disruptions, leading to shortages in areas such as wire, die casting, paints, banding and electronic components for equipment.

Boldenow said the next challenge was dealing with absenteeism within the company’s teams, but not due to a number of COVID positive tests.

She said absenteeism was caused more by “other life challenges.”

“There’s a lot of published data on this now that COVID has had other significant impacts on people’s lives in mental health, child care and general family issues. It’s raised a lot of anxiety

and depression and just been a big life disruptor,” Boldenow related.

“So, we had employees who just needed more time away from work to take care of life stuff,” she said. “We’re a people-focused company and we’ve really gone out of our way to support our employees as a whole person.”

“We’re very supportive of people needing that extra time, but it’s pretty significant. It goes in waves, but COVID has driven a higher level of absenteeism than we are accustomed to.”

She said that though not unique to IDC Spring, the final consequence of COVID has been the company being busier than usual.

For instance, Boldenow said consumers who canceled vacations turned their energies toward completing long overdue home improvement projects.

“Take the construction industry, which was considered an essential business in all the states where we do business. It hasn’t slowed down, and a lot more people are staying

more help. And we’ve worked really hard at making sure we are an employer of choice, with competitive wages and benefits and a great work environment.”

Referrals from current employees have been the best source to find new workers. Boldenow says they have also used social media (see related article about how IDC Spring uses social media on page 30) for recruiting, primarily through LinkedIn and Facebook. “It’s still tough but leveraging social media in our recruiting is critical.”

Bridging the Knowledge Transfer Gap

IDC Spring belongs to many trade associations, including SMI and CASMI. They are also part of the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers, the International Door Association and DASMA (Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association).

Boldenow says they have become more involved in SMI over the past five years. “I really appreciate the new seminars and the technical training that SMI offers. SMI recognizes that there’s going to be a transfer of knowledge, as some of the folks at our company and across the industry are entering retirement.

SMI has been very intentional about recognizing that there’s a significant teaching and training opportunity here.”

home and tackling home projects,” said Boldenow. “So, we have been busy, which is a blessing.”

Boldenow says IDC Spring initially felt the impact of COVID when they garnered only 30 percent of the revenue they were accustomed to.

“Nobody knew how long that big downturn was going to last. It was very scary for a while there. And unfortunately for other industries, they still haven’t recovered and it’s devastating for many small businesses,” explained Boldenow.

“I haven’t forgotten that we’re among the luckier ones because our business bounced back and is now busy.”

Boldenow concluded, “2020 has been an extremely challenging year, and Jeremy and I are so proud of our team! Our people stayed strong, demonstrated teamwork and flexibility, while taking great care of each other and our customers during the most difficult of times. This is a year for the history books and our team rallied and got through it together.”

When asked about the lessons she’s learned during her time in the spring industry, Boldenow said there are many that come to mind, such as: everything is cyclical, always reinvest, surround yourself with amazing people, don’t take on too much debt and rely on a very strong faith foundation.

She also mentioned a strong work ethic, handed down from her father. “As my dad always said: ‘Just work harder than anybody else.’ One of the tricks of the business is just bootstrapping it, even when it’s hard. Just pull up on those boots, by the straps, go out and get to work.”

Boldenow said she and her brother, who both work out of their main office in the Twin Cities, are often in early and stay late. “I think hustle goes a long way.”

Next Gen Considerations

Boldenow and her husband, Jeff, who works in new sales development for the company, have three children, and her brother Jeremy and his wife, Angela, also have three. Between the two families, the children are in the age range of 11 to 24. Boldenow and her brother would like to see IDC Spring become a third generation business.

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 63

“As my dad always said: ‘Just work harder than anybody else.’ One of the tricks of the business is just bootstrapping it, even when it’s hard. Just pull up on those boots, by the straps, go out and get to work.”

“We’re not pressuring our kids to do that. We really believe you’ve and then come back from that experience with some of your got to love it,” said Boldenow. “This is hard work. And if you love own skills to help bring the company forward to the next place.” it, it’s fun. But if you don’t love it, it could really wear on a person.”

The Boldenows’ oldest son, Cullen Olson, earned a degree Boldenow’s children have worked in the business doing in business with a double major in operations and supply chain things such as pulling weeds, landscaping and sweeping the management and family business from the University of St. parking lot as well as order entry, springmaking and secondary Thomas. After working for a couple of years for Target Corpoassembly work. All the time Boldenow said they worked hard ration as an inventory analyst, he recently joined IDC Spring. to instill the values the company was founded upon, such as Connor Olson recently graduated from Bethel University. values and a strong work ethic.

He’s a CPA and is currently working for Deloitte as an auditor.

IDC Spring has a 10-year written succession plan in place, He most likely will come to work for the business in a couple but Boldenow says time will tell who ends up working in the of years in accounting or finance. business. So far the Boldenows’ two oldest sons have expressed Callie Olson is a psychology student at Bethel University an interest in being part of IDC Spring’s future. and works part-time in the customer service department at “We believe to enter the family business, you need a college IDC Spring doing order entry. “She loves it here, and I can see education, to be out in the work world for a couple of years that maybe long term she will end up here too, but time will

Untangle Your Springs Problem stop WastIng tImE and man Hours!

D-Tangler 2000

, ark m and pe easy! y t t t Jus t’s tha i

American Made Over 25 Years Experience

IdEal For sEparatIng tanglEd: • Hooks • Springs • Wire Forms

• Rings • Clips • Small Parts

Easy to usE: Just drop your tangled

material into the input tube and out they come UNTANGLED!

Dispense Works Inc (815) 363-3524 | d-tangler.com info@d-tangler.com

64 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 65

“I have had the good fortune of working with amazing people, and in a fun industry. So, I feel lucky every day! Even with all the challenges of the business, I still love it.”

tell. Everyone needs to find their own passion and gifting and that may or may not be in the family business.”

The Sizer children are ages 15, 13 and 11, so Boldenow says it’s hard to know at the moment how they will view becoming a part of the third generation, “But I’m guessing it just might be in their DNA.”

Lake People

Living in the land of 10,000 lakes, Boldenow and Sizer describe their families as “lake people.” They have a cabin in Northern Minnesota where they frequently enjoy going to get away.

“We do a lot of fishing, swimming, boating and paddle boarding,” she explained. “We’re all about the lakes and we also like to hike. We just enjoy being together as a family there.”

In conclusion, Boldenow reiterates what the spring industry has meant to her and her family. “We’re grateful for it. It’s been a really positive 46 years. Lots of ups and downs, but the industry’s been good to us. There are lots of good people we’ve met along the way; lots of family businesses just like ours, who have a heart for people and manufacturing and it’s been a ton of fun.”

She paused and said, “I have had the good fortune of working with amazing people, and in a fun industry. So, I feel lucky every day! Even with all the challenges of the business, I still love it.” n

66 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

Book Corner ©iStockphoto.com/kertlis

The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever Reviewed by Gary McCoy

B

“

uilding a coaching habit will help your team be more self-sufficient by increasing their autonomy and sense of mastery and by reducing your need to jump in, take over and become the bottleneck.” That’s just one of several great quotes from the “Coaching Habit”

by Michael Bungay Stanier.

Stanier is the founder of Box of Crayons, “a learning and development company with over 17 years of experience creating and delivering practical learning experiences that unleash the power of curiosity to create connected and engaged company cultures,” according to the company’s website.

The essence of the book is to teach leaders to up their coaching skills. How is this done? Stanier argues it’s the art of avoiding advice-giving and to focus instead on the art of curiosity. Stanier’s book is relatively short and full of practical wisdom. He focuses on seven core

The essence of the book is to teach leaders to up their coaching skills. How is this done? Stanier argues it’s the art of avoiding advice-giving and to focus instead on the art of curiosity.

questions to help build a leader’s habit of curiosity.

• The kickstart question: “What’s on your mind?”

• The awe question: “And what else?”

• The focus question: “What’s the real challenge here for you?”

• The lazy question: “How can I help?”

• The foundation question: “What do you want?”

• The strategic question: “If you’re saying yes to this, what are you saying no to?”

• The learning question: “What was most useful for you?”

The book highlights these seven questions and Stanier provides the necessary context and insights on how they work and why they are useful. My only quibble is that the author can be repetitive at times.

If I could summarize the point of this book it would be: “Shut up and listen.” It is a great habit that all of us could develop. n

Have a favorite business book you would like to tell us about or review? Send your suggestions to Springs managing editor Gary McCoy at gmccoy@fairwaycommunications.com.

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 67

Newly Redesigned FZ-10 & FZ-810 Spring Coilers Machine Size

FZ-10

FZ-810

Wire Diameter (in)

.008-.028

.010-.040

.20-.70

.25-1.0

.008-.028

.010-.040

.20-.70

.25-1.0

3

3

.875

.875

22

22

Wire Diameter (mm) Wire Diameter Torsion (in) Wire Diameter Torsion (mm) Minimum Index Spring Body Max (in) Spring Body Max (mm) Feed Length

ur to r u k o fo ec site ck h C eb sto ry! w n- ne i hi c ma

UNLIMITED

Features Include: • 100,000+ parts per hour • Competitively priced • Workhorse mechanics • State-of-the-art programming • Available in four, five, or six axis

Discover the benefits of a FENN partnership.

Whatever your business needs, we’re here to help. »

Custom Machinery - designed specifically for your application and production needs

»

OEM Spare Parts - thousands of parts in-stock and ready to ship worldwide

»

Remote Support - both technical and software troubleshooting available

»

Rebuilds & Upgrades - maximize productivity of aged FENN and Torin machines

»

Training Programs - ask about remote options! Also available at your facility or ours in CT

»

Automation & Robotic Integration - helps maintain productivity while keeping staff safe

Metal Forming Solutions since 1900

www.fenn-torin.com

FENN LLC | 80 Clark Drive, Unit 5D | East Berlin, CT 06023 | sales@fenn-torin.com | 860.259.6600

wongwean/Shutterstock.com

Global CTE News Highlights Manufacturing Day 2020 Looked Much Different

W

hat a difference a year makes.

Most spring companies have been robust participants in Manufacturing Day over the past five years. In 2020, due to COVID-19 restrictions, most opted to sit on the sidelines and others held virtual events.

Held annually on the first Friday in October, Manufacturing Day helps show the reality of modern manufacturing careers by encouraging thousands of companies and educational institutions around the nation to open their doors to students, parents, teachers and community leaders.

Here are reports from three SMI member companies about this year’s events.

Betts Company

At Betts Company in Fresno, California, approximately 30 students participated in a Zoom call with Joe Devany, the company’s vice president of manufacturing.

“I prepared a PowerPoint and discussed our history, our core values, our different operating divisions, and the skills we look for in our employees,” explained Devany.

The company made a video to give students a “virtual” tour of its spring manufacturing plant.

“We talked a lot about being coachable and wanting to learn. The students had a lot of great questions about our operations, the types of springs we make, and different roles within the organization,” said Devany.

He said the event was “different,” but worked out well.

“I wish I was able to see everyone’s faces, as some students just dialed in and did not use video,” concluded Devany.

Geoff Twietmeyer, vice president – engineering at Michigan Spring and Stamping provides Brownie Girl Scout Troop 8375 with a tour of the company's manufacturing plant.

“We talked a lot about being coachable and wanting to learn. The students had a lot of great questions about our operations, the types of springs we make, and different roles within the organization.”

Like other spring companies, Betts hopes to hold a traditional event at their manufacturing plant in October.

Ace Wire Spring & Form

While not able to hold an in-person event, Ace Wire Spring & Form Co. produced a short video featuring interesting facts about the manufacturing industry and

the career opportunities available. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=GrahtJhGhpU The company sent the video link to local schools, along with a flyer designed to help attract young people to the possibilities of starting a career in manufacturing at Ace Wire Spring & Form Co.

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 69

Michigan Spring and Stamping

Michigan Spring and Stamping partnered with local Brownie Girl Scout Troop 8375 to assist them in earning their automotive manufacturing badge. The Brownies were able to explore the factory, robots, assembly lines, die presses and 5S. “Their questions were intriguing and they showed so much interest in what they were learning,” said Jessica Morse, human resources director for Michigan Spring and Stamping and Kern-Liebers USA. “Our team was humbled to be able to play a part in getting children as young as 6 years old interested in manufacturing and seeing so many career options at such a young age.”

In addition to the Automotive Manufacturing badge, the company helped the girls in earning Brownie badges for mechanical engineering, automotive engineering and automotive design.

“Even the Girl Scouts know how incredible manufacturing is and what it can do for all of us,” said Morse.

70 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

“Our team was humbled to be able to play a part in getting children as young as 6 years old interested in manufacturing and seeing so many career options at such a young age.”

Here are some candid comments Morse received from the Brownies about their favorite part of the factory tour: “All of the machines; the machines were cool. I liked the one that made that part that wasn’t supposed to push together, but pull apart,” Alice Morse said of the difference between compression and extension springs.

“Getting the goodie bag and learning about the machines,” commented Ella Walker.

“I liked learning about how they recycle what they aren’t using,” said Annika Smith.

“We talk about recycling at school too.”

“I liked being able to bring the parts home and share them with my family

and tell them what they do,” explained Clairabelle Holmes.

“I liked the vision system and how it could inspect the parts. I also liked how small and weird looking parts are hidden in everyday things we use,” said Norah Campbell.

Manufacturing Day 2021

Hopefully Manufacturing Day 2021 will return to more in-person visits. To plan your event, visit www.mfgday.com for ideas and to register. n

Inside SMI ©iStockphoto.com/seraficus

2020 ISO/TC227 Meeting Goes Virtual Due to COVID-19, the 2020 ISO/TC 227 meetings were held virtually for the first time from Sept. 16-18, 2020. This included the springs online working group and main committee meetings.

The U.S. was well represented by Tom Armstrong, chairman of Duer/Carolina Coil; Richard Gordon, SMI’s technical director; Al Mangels, chief technical advisor, Lee Spring; Don Jacobson III, product development and acquisitions manager, Newcomb Spring; Keith Porter, general manager, Newcomb Spring of Carolina; and Daniel Lewis, quality manager, Newcomb Spring of Tennessee.

More than 25 participants from nine primary member countries (China, Germany, Italy, France, United Kingdom, United States, Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand) were present via WebEx. Online meetings were hosted by the DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung).

The U.S. delegation representing the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is essential to ensuring that the interests of American spring manufacturers, designers, and consumers are represented in international standards development. SMI serves as the technical advisory group to ANSI for TC227.

Working Group 2 is responsible for the development of the new ISO standard “Springs – Measurement and Test Parameters – Part 1: Cold Formed Cylindrical Helical Compression Springs”. This standard is in the final stage of the standards development process with the standard being moved forward to the final approval balloting.

Working Group 3 is responsible for the development of the new ISO standard “Springs – Measurement and Test Parameters – Part 2: Cold Formed Cylindrical Helical Extension Springs.” Draft comments were reviewed and the next draft of the standard will be prepared for the next review step.

Working Group 4 was established for the development of a new ISO standard “Springs – Measurement and Test Parameters – Part 3: Torsion Springs.”

The delegation from China will lead the development of this standard.

The status of these projects will be reviewed at the next ISO/TC227 meetings, scheduled for Sept. 30 – Oct. 1, 2021, in Las Vegas, Nevada. SMI will host the meetings at the South Point Resort and Casino immediately following the 2021 SMI Metal Engineering eXpo. Anyone interested in participating in the ISO standards process should contact either Gordon at c.richard.gordon@gmail. com or Armstrong at toma@dccoil.com.

Residual Stress Study Available The SMI study, “Microhardness Residual Stress Study: Effect of Stress Relieving Temperature on Tensile Strength, Residual Stress and Microhardness,” was written by Dan Sebastian and released to the spring industry in 2017.

The study details the effects of stress relieving on mechanical springs made from four wire sizes and three different indexes of Cr-Si ASTM 401. Measurements were made using X-ray diffraction and microhardness.

The preponderance of data clearly establishes a direct relationship between microhardness and residual stress.

The use of microhardness provides an alternate method to document the effects of stress relieving.

Sebastian is a former SMI president and currently serves as a technical consultant to the association.

He’s also a regular contributor to Springs through his “Dean of Springs” column.

Every SMI member company received a complimentary copy. Additional copies of the study can be purchased at the SMI website, www.smihq.org. The cost per copy is $400 for members and $1,000 for non-members.

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 71

Inside SMI

Calendar of Key Events for the Global Spring Industry Sept. 28–30 2021 SMI Metal Engineering eXpo South Point Resort and Casino, Las Vegas www.metalengineeringexpo.org

2021 April 24–27 SMI Annual Meeting Hyatt Regency, Scottsdale, Arizona www.smihq.org

Sept. 30–Oct. 1 ISO/TC 227 – Springs South Point Resort and Casino, Las Vegas www.iso.org/committee/369318.html

May 10–13 WAI InterWire Atlanta, Georgia https://wirenet.org/events/ interwire

Oct. 8 11th International Congress of Springs Spain (location TBD)

Sept. 6–8 International Committee on Spring Technologies – ICST – 2 Online www.icst2020-germany.de/

100% in ade M

rica Ame

STOCK & CUSTOM PRECISION SPRINGS FOR INDUSTRY • For all applications with ranges from .003”–.750” wire diameter.

• Extensive inventory ready to ship with over 1.5 million parts in stock, including die springs.

• Custom design work with quick delivery.

• Most estimates returned within 24 hours.

www.diamondwire.com 1-800-816-5613 Convenient locations throughout the US – Northeast, Southeast and Southwest.

SMI Welcomes New Member Please join us in a warm welcome for SMI's newest member: McAllister Industries, Ltd Surrey, British Columbia

Send Us Your News SMI members get priority placement for their product, company, personnel and events announcements in the magazine.

Your news releases should be roughly 50 to 100 words and may be accompanied by color photos (high-resolution .JPEG photos at 300 dpi preferred). Send to dina@smihq.org. n

JN Machinery

We’ve Got Stress Relieving Down to a Science!

JN-1060

Save space, time, money and improve quality with the efficiency of a JN Machinery oven! We can put our experience to work in your operation with an oven to fit your needs.

www.jnmachinery.com

| 224.699.9161

TRC Coatings, a division of JN Machinery is now the leading coatings supplier to the spring industry, delivering systems and paint material ideal for corrosion protection and color-coding springs.

72 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

Call for Speakers PROPOSAL DEADLINE: March 1, 2021

Now Collecting Expert SPEAKER PROPOSALS Submit your proposal to speak at the next Metal Engineering eXpo (MEE), the only industry gathering in 2021 for springmakers, metalstampers, wireformers and suppliers to the precision spring manufacturing industry.

Metal Engineering eXpo September 28-30, 2021 • Las Vegas Carefully chosen seminars will cover both technical and practical business content, from manufacturing, technology, materials and testing to business best practices, workforce solutions and marketing.

As a Metal Engineering eXpo speaker, you receive: • Complimentary “All Access” admission to the 2021 event.

• Industry recognition for yourself and your organization.

• Excellent networking opportunities with industry leaders and influencers.

• The opportunity to be considered to share a commercial pitch about your products or services direct from the show floor in SMI’s Technical Theater.

SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL DEADLINE: Monday, March 1, 2021

©iStockphoto.com/Studio-Pro

Committee Connection SMI Holds Historic Zoom Board Meeting

D

eclaring himself the “pandemic president,” SMI president Bert Goering of Precision Coil Spring presided over the association’s first board of directors meeting held via Zoom on Sept. 23, 2020.

“SMI has done a good job of being agile to adapt to this new world,” commented Goering about the current pandemic.

“SMI has adapted to this ‘new normal’ financially with the conventions, doing webinars instead of in-person training classes and Zoom committee meetings.”

Goering started the meeting by acknowledging the new board members who had come on board since the annual meeting in March. The group included Jennelle Carlier, S3 Wireform; Don Lyons, JonSpring; Alex Melnikow, Midstate Spring; and Keith Porter Jr., Newcomb Spring.

“Don’t just be silent, we encourage participation and debate,” advised Goering.

It was noted by Goering that SMI has taken a slight financial hit due to the pandemic, “but nothing too surprising considering the environment we are in right now.” He commended SMI executive director Lynne Carr for doing a stellar job controlling SMI’s expenses.

Goering also noted that SMI is down seven regular members and four associate members. “Hopefully, they are temporary losses as people are navigating COVID,” said Goering.

He also noted that regulatory compliance visits are off due to COVID, and that failure analysis is down by half.

On a brighter note, Goering said the technical committee has done a great job pivoting to online webinars to deliver the spring design training curriculum.

He commended the work of SMI’s two

74 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

SMI president Bert Goering at his office in California, where he presided over the association's first ever virtual board meeting.

technical experts, Rick Gordon and Gary Van Buren, for making this possible.

2021 Metal Engineering eXpo

The 2021 SMI Metal Engineering eXpo is moving forward as planned for Sept.

28-30, at the South Point Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. An overture was made to CASMI to bring the two shows together, but no agreement was worked out. Goering said SMI has asked its associate members to be the bridge and initiate a proposal. (Editor’s note: The trade show committee has met twice since the board meeting to work on planning for the event.)

It was noted that, due to input from the technical committee, there are an abundance of technical speakers available to fill out the “Manufacturing, Technology and Innovation” and the “Materials and Testing” tracks. More speakers are

needed to fill out the “Business Trends and Best Practices” track. The highest need is for good business speakers, and suggestions are welcomed from the committee’s network of contacts.

Springs Magazine

The magazine committee held a conference call in September to choose 2021 issue themes: Winter – “Social Media and the Spring Industry;” Spring – “Advances in Springmaking;” Summer – “Springmaking Businesses Come in All Sizes;” and Fall – “SMI Metal Engineering eXpo 2021 – Las Vegas.” (Editor’s note: Shortly after the board meeting, a new magazine chair was selected to replace David DeVoe of Plymouth Spring, who joined the SMI executive committee in March 2020. Keith Porter Jr. of Newcomb Spring is the new committee chair.)

Committee Connection

Regulatory Compliance

With in-person site visits on the decline due to COVID-19, Laura HelmrichRhodes has fielded numerous emails and phone calls from SMI members. She’s also been holding regular safety webinars, which are posted to the SMI website for members immediately after they are held.

Regulatory compliance committee chair Joe Devany of Betts Company said the committee is considering hosting a regular Zoom “safety hour,” where members can ask questions and bring up issues.

Devany and Rhodes hope this may drive some interest in committee participation.

Rhodes will soon release her “Top Ten OSHA Citations” list and noted that top citations have remained consistent. She said many complaints related to COVID19 have kept OSHA busy.

Benchmarking

It was noted that the Annual Market Survey had 41 participants in 2020,

compared to 51 in 2019. The Wage and Benefit Survey was distributed to SMI members in Sept. 2020.

Technical Committee

The committee continues to be busy working with Gordon and Van Buren on the 14 spring design courses. The three courses that have been completed were originally going to be taught in person, both separately and during SpringWorld 2020. But with the cancellation of the event and inability to hold in-person events, the classes were presented virtually in August (compression springs), September (torsion springs) and October (extension springs). More are planned for 2021.

It was noted by committee chair Tim Zwit that Todd Piefer of UTS (developers of SMI ASD software) has receive many questions related to ASD and fatigue life. The committee has identified issues that could result in calculations, which

Mapes: quality that’s never out of tune.

Choose Mapes Fine Music Wire for consistent quality.

have not been updated for many years despite changes in materials and processing. A group has been formed within the committee to evaluate fatigue life.

ISO/TC 227

The last committee meeting was held virtually in Sept. 2020 and Gordon reported that participants included several SMI members, including Tom Armstrong of Duer/Carolina Coil and Al Mangels of Lee Spring. “As always, we had reps from many countries and we were able to come to a consensus because of our working relationships from previous meetings,” said Gordon.

The next meeting for the committee is scheduled for Sept. 30 to Oct. 1 in Las Vegas, immediately following the SMI Metal Engineering eXpo. The next SMI board meeting is scheduled for April 2021. n

Your Preferred Supplier of Custom Springs from Design to Production

Beyond the Spring

™

The high-performance wire for your demanding spring jobs.

MAPES FINE MUSIC WIRE Call for special wire needs and solutions, including restricted tensiles and size tolerances.

Wire diameter

.063" – .006" / 1.6 mm – .15 mm

Coatings

Phosphate, Tin Zinc, Tin

Industry standards

ASTM A228-18 ASTM A227-17 EN10270-1 AMS 5112 N

JISG 3521 SWA, SWB JISG 3522 SWPA, SWPB Military specifications Others, inquire

THE MAPES PIANO STRING COMPANY P.O. BOX 700, ELIZABETHTON, TENNESSEE 37644 423-543-3195 • FAX 423-543-7738 www.mapeswire.com • info@mapeswire.com

ISO 9001: 2015 certified QMS

Helping you bring your industrial application or POP display to life With innovative machinery, tooling and engineers, Vulcan Spring can deliver a spring solution for even the most challenging applications.

Contact us with questions or about a custom spring need today. +1-215-721-1721 | VulcanSpring.com

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 75

New Products

Saint-Gobain Abrasives, one of the world’s largest abrasives manufacturers, has announced a new Safety Resource Microsite, offering a wide range of resources to help ensure the safe design, application, and use of Norton abrasives products.

Beginning in 1885 with the research, advocacy, and leadership of the founders of Norton Company, the company’s commitment to safety has continued through the work of its Product Safety Department. Norton | Saint-Gobain Abrasives has over 100 years of service to various safety programs such as ANSI, UAMA and others.

Educational content on the new Online Safety Resource includes Safety Data Sheets, which are accessed by entering the UPC code found on Norton products. Safety guides for Norton’s most popular products such as grinding wheels, portable wheels and coated/nonwoven abrasives are offered. Ten informative safety videos cover a range of applications including using form belts, precision grinding and dressing, guard conversions on right angle grinders, wheel mounting, abrasives use on railroads and in foundries, and grinding wheel safety presented in English, Spanish and French.

A Safety Icon Library shows how to identify different types of safety icons including hazard alert, prohibition, mandatory action and proper machine use. Visitors can browse the latest articles to gain insight from Norton experts on abrasives safety and more. And the latest Norton Safety Poster is also available to order in English, Spanish and French.

Visit the Norton Online Safety Resource at https://www.nortonabrasives.com/en-us/norton-product-safety.

Integro Fever Detection System Integro Technologies, a globally recognized machine vision integrator, now offers a portable, fever detection solution.

Integro’s solution is an easy, one-stop, no contact solution to detect a person’s temperature to keep team members and visitors safe from the effects of COVID-19.

While this solution cannot treat or diagnose COVID-19, thermal fever scanning is the least invasive method of checking the health of staff and visitors.

Fever detection can be completed at a rate of one person every 3.5 seconds with people walking through the machine from start to end at social distancing standards, or approximately 17 to 20 people per minute or up to 1,200 people per hour.

For more information, contact Tara Van Geons, Integro Technologies, 704-636-9666, tvangeons@integro-tech.com, or see the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcNq4hxOhdw.

76 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

HBF1150-II Electric Bucket Conveyor Furnace HSI has introduced its new HBF1150-II Electric Bucket Conveyor Furnace. The furnace includes outside dimensions of L: 11500 x W: 1950 x H: 2180 mm (L: 453" x W: 77" x H: 86"), a conveyor width of 1270 mm (50”) and a heating area length of 8900 mm (350"). An HMI panel ensures easy operation and remote monitoring, good for automatic processing of heavy springs.

Optional accessories are available for HBF1150-II, including CQI-9 for automotive industry (CQI9) and AMS2750E for aerospace industry (AMSE2).

For additional information, please contact Forming Systems, Inc. at info@formingsystemsinc.com or 269-679-3557.

©iStockphoto.com/hüseyin harmandaglı, morkeman, PeskyMonkey

Norton | Saint-Gobain Abrasives Announces New Online Safety Resource

New Products

Grieve’s Two-Zone Gas-Heated Belt Conveyor Oven

The No. 791 gas-heated, two-zone belt conveyor oven from Grieve is currently used to stress relieve heavy-duty steel springs. This unit has a maximum operating temperature of 850°F and workspace dimensions of 48" W x 360" L x 15" H. The conveyor includes a 4' long open belt loading zone, 2' long insulated unheated entrance vestibule, two 15' long insulated heating zones with independent recirculated airflow and temperature controls, 2' long insulated unheated exit vestibule and 31/2' long open unloading zone.

Heat is provided by 1,600,000 BTU/HR installed in two modulating natural gas burners. Two 10,000 CFM, 71/2 HP recirculating blowers provide vertical downward airflow over the workload.

All safety devices required by IRI, FM and NFPA Standard 86 for gas-heated equipment are included on this Grieve oven, which also features a two-pen, 10" diameter circular chart recorder.

Other construction features on No. 791 comprise a 42" wide, 1" x 1/2" flatwire conveyor belt with 1/3 HP motor drive, variable speed from 5.8 to 16.1 inches per minute, 7" insulated walls throughout, a Type 304, 2B finish stainless steel interior and an exhaust hood over each end of the oven, equipped with a 12" dia. tubeaxial fan driven by a 1/2 HP motor.

For more information, contact: Frank Calabrese, The Grieve Corporation at 847-546-8225, visit www.grievecorp.com, or email: sales@grievecorp.com.

Kwik Mark’s New HF-5 Hose Band Marking Fixture The Band Marking Fixture from Kwik Mark is made in the U.S. and provides a solution for permanently marking your hose bands five at a time, with alphanumerics, serial numbers, date codes and graphics. Variable data from external files may also be marked.

The product features five rows of clamping with 12 “fingers” on each row that flex and conform to part dimensional variations as well. One toggle lever clamps all five bands and draws them down securely for the dot peen marking operation.

Custom configurations and pneumatic powered designs are also available.

The marker display includes a batch counter, cycle timer, current status, production history log and percentage of completion information.

For more information, visit kwikmark.com or call 815-363-8268.

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 77

New Products

Starrett Introduces Large Format Multi-Sensor Vision System The L.S. Starrett Company, a global manufacturer of precision hand tools and gages, metrology systems and more, has introduced the new AVX550 Multi-Sensor Vision System, equipped with dual optical systems and touch-probe capability to measure parts with a diverse range of feature sizes and geometries. According to the company, the Large Format AVX550 System can be equipped with two cameras and lenses to be used sequentially in the same program, along with touch probe options, making this system one of the most versatile multi-sensor platforms available today. For accuracy, durability and stability, including under demanding requirements, the AVX550 system features a granite base and bridge design.

The new Starrett AVX550 Multi-Sensor System features dual optical systems that work in tandem to measure a broad range of features. The primary zoom lens enables small intricate features to be inspected with high precision and resolution of up to 2 microns. A secondary large field-of-view camera is equipped with a telecentric lens that can simultaneously inspect large areas of a part, or an entire part itself. A broad range of zoom options also means that measurement configurations can be custom tailored to meet specific application requirements, and eliminates the need to change lenses or recalibrate the system. Throughput is

further enhanced with fast platform travel speeds and dual collimated profile lights which are essential to the effectiveness of the dual optical systems.

Equipped with the M3 software package from MetLogix, a traditional mouse as well as a touchscreen monitor makes user interaction easy and intuitive. Auto

part recognition enables creating a part measurement program that comprises the desired features of a part for inspection, which can automatically be saved in the system or to a network. The Starrett AVX550 Multi-Sensor System has several options for lens configurations.

For more information, visit starrett.com/avx.

New WAFIOS Compression Spring Coilers WAFIOS has introduced its newest generation of compression spring coilers in its FUL “+” product line. Available in two sizes, the FUL 26+ an FUL 36+ offer higher productivity through higher maximum infeed speeds.

For even higher speed, the company offers the 4-speed option for the machines. The 4-speed option features a water-cooled drive system and an innovative accumulator-based wire supply system, to ensure a tension-free supply to the infeed system that enables maximum feed speeds of up to 600 m/min.

For more information, visit www.wafios.us.

78 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

New Products

Lucifer Furnaces Builds Top Loading Furnace for Medical Equipment Manufacturer Lucifer Furnaces Model TL7-481818 top loading furnace has a chamber size of 48” H x 18” W x 18” L and heats to 2300°F. Heavy gauge, coil wound, low watt density heating elements in six removable holders are controlled as three separate zones to provide uniform heating. The furnace chamber is insulated with 6½ inches of multilayer insulation for energy efficient operation and low outside shell temperature. The hinged doors are insulated with 5” thick pyro-bloc insulation. In addition to the top loading door, the furnace is designed with a side door for easy service access into the chamber. This furnace joins a second Lucifer Furnace already in use for the production of dies to cut fabric to make N95 masks for the medical industry. These furnaces are completely wired, assembled, and shipped ready for connection to a main power supply.

For more information, contact Lucy Jones at 215-343-0411 or Ljones@luciferfurnaces.com. n

Advertiser,s Index A & D Trading (440) 563-5227. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Admiral Steel (800) 323-7055 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Alloy Wire International (866) 482-5569. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Anchor Abrasives (708) 444-4300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Diamond Wire Spring Co. (800) 424-0500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Dispense Works (815) 363-3524. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Fenn (860) 259-6600 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Forming Systems Inc. (877) 594-4300 . . . . . . . . . . back cover Gibbs Wire & Steel Co. Inc. (800) 800-4422 . . . . inside back cover Gibraltar (847) 383-5442. . . . . . . . . . . . . .33, 54 Industrial Steel & Wire (800) 767-0408. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Interwire Products Inc. (914) 273-6633. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 JN Machinery (224) 699-9161. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Jowitt & Rodgers/Syntech (704) 525-8030. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Larson Systems (763) 780-2131. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Maguire Machinery (609) 266-0200 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Mapes Piano String Co. (423) 543-3195. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 NIMSCO (563) 391-0400. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 North American Spring Tool (860) 583-1693. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Proto Manufacturing (800) 965-8378 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Radcliff Wire (860) 583-1305. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 RK Trading (847) 640-9371. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Simplex Rapid (563) 391-0400. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 SMI CA, Inc (562) 926-9407. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 Spring Manufacturers Institute (630) 495-8588. . inside front cover, 73 Starrett starrett.com/springs. . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Suzuki Garphyttan (574) 232-8800. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Tool King (847) 537-2881. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 United Wire (800) 840-9481 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Vinston (847) 972-1098. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Vulcan Spring & Manufacturing Co. (215) 721-1721. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 WAFIOS (203) 481-5555. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Zapp Precision Strip (203) 386-0038 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

SPRINGS / Winter 2021 / 79

Snapshot ©iStockphoto.com/Tryfonov Ievgenii, nicholas belton

Todd Miller Myers Spring Co. Name: Todd Miller Nickname: Toad Company name, city and country: Myers Spring Co., Inc., Logansport, Indiana.

Brief history of your company: Established In 1946 by Walter L. Myers, my father’s stepfather.

Job title: President/CEO. Spring industry affiliations: SMI finance committee.

Birthplace: Logansport, Indiana.

Current home: Logansport, Indiana.

Family (spouse, children, pets, etc.): Wife, Gretchen and daughters, Eberle and Cecilia.

What I like most about being a springmaker: Being able to creatively solve technical issues for customers and production. Carrying on a family business.

Favorite food: Japanese.

Favorite books/authors: I mostly read nonfiction, currently reading “How the Scots Invented the Modern World” by Arthur L. Herman.

Favorite song/musician: Pastoral symphony (#6), Beethoven.

Hobbies: Singing, fishing, stand up style jet skiing, traveling, motorcycle riding, and country drives.

Favorite places: Lake Maxinkuckee - Indiana, Lake Parent - Quebec, and Lake Como – Italy.

80 / SPRINGS / Winter 2021

The Miller family (l-to-r): Gretchen, Todd, Eberle and Cecilia.

Best times of my life: Traveling and singing with the Purdue Glee Club as a student (1985-1990), living and working in Japan with my bride (19921994). Now is the best of the best times, however, as my daughters are becoming great adults.

A really great evening to me is: Dinner with friends and family enjoying good food.

The one thing I can’t stand is: Defeatist mentality.

My most outstanding qualities are: Optimism and willingness to try new things.

People who knew me in school thought I was: A little crazy and surprised I never killed myself.

I knew I was an “adult” when: Our first daughter was born.

If I weren’t working at Myers Spring, I would like to: Make a North American loop on a motorcycle.

The most difficult business decision I ever had to make was: Letting good people go who just didn’t fit our organization.

I wonder what would have happened if: I had not been involved with manufacturing at all.

Role models: Walter Myers (my grandfather), Craig Miller (my father) and Bob Uhrich (my high school physics teacher).

I would like to be remembered in the spring industry for: Keeping the springmaking tradition alive and well in Logansport, Indiana.

But people will probably remember me for: Surviving my teenage years.

A MEMBER OF