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Making compression springs using hand forming methods

URN: SEMMME3120
Business Sectors (Suites): Mechanical Manufacturing Engineering Suite 3
Developed by: Enginuity
Approved on: 30 Mar 2023

Overview

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This standard identifies the competences you need to cold form wire compression springs, using hand forming methods and techniques, in accordance with approved procedures. You will be required to select the appropriate equipment to use, based on the forming operations required, the material to be formed and the accuracy to be achieved, and this will include such items as coiling mandrels, coiling tools, shearing tools, hand coiling machine, fly press and pedestal grinding machines. The wire compression springs to be produced will include open ended right- and left-hand helix and closed end right- and left-hand helix, conical, hour glass, barrel, variable pitch and other specific spring/wire forms.

Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the spring forming activities undertaken, and to report any problems with the tools and equipment, materials or activities that you cannot personally resolve or that are outside your permitted authority to the relevant people. You will be expected to work with a minimum of supervision, taking personal responsibility for your own actions and for the quality and accuracy of the work that you produce.

Your underpinning knowledge will provide a good understanding of your work, and will provide an informed approach to applying hand forming procedures for compression springs. You will understand the cold forming processes, the equipment used and its application, and will know about the materials and forming techniques in adequate depth to provide a sound basis for carrying out the activities, correcting faults and producing the springs to the required specification.

You will understand the safety precautions required when working with the hand forming machines, and with their associated tools and equipment. You will be required to demonstrate safe working practices throughout, and will understand your responsibility for taking the necessary safeguards to protect yourself and others in the workplace.

Performance criteria

You must be able to:

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  1. work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
  2. follow the correct component drawing and any other related specifications for the component to be produced
  3. determine what has to be done and how this will be achieved
  4. use the appropriate tools and equipment for the pressure shaping operations and check that they are in a safe and usable condition
  5. shape the materials to the required specification using appropriate methods and techniques
  6. check that all the required shaping operations have been completed to the required standard
  7. complete the required production documentation
  8. deal promptly and effectively with problems within your control and report those that cannot be solved

Knowledge and Understanding

You need to know and understand:

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  1. how to work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
  2. the personal protective clothing and equipment (PPE) to be worn when carrying out the spring making activities
  3. the hazards associated with carrying out compression spring hand forming operations (such as handling coils of spring wire, using hand coiling machines and equipment, using dangerous or badly maintained tools and equipment), and how to minimise them and reduce any risks
  4. terminology used in the manufacture of the compression springs
  5. how to obtain the necessary drawings, specifications and work instructions
  6. how to extract and use information from engineering drawings and related specifications (to include symbols and conventions to appropriate standards) in relation to work undertaken
  7. how to interpret first and third angle drawings, imperial and metric systems of measurement, work reference points and system of tolerancing
  8. hand tools used in the compression spring forming activities, and how to check that they are in a safe and usable condition
  9. the various hand and power operated coiling machines that can be used to produce a range of open and closed end springs
  10. the various types of coiling/forming tool that are used, how they are selected, prepared and mounted to the machine
  11. how to set up the hand coiling machine to produce the required helix, pitch, and number of coils
  12. the techniques used to feed the wire into the hand coiling machine in order to produce the spring to the required specification
  13. ways of avoiding and correcting inaccuracies in the coil forming activities
  14. how the spring wire materials are to be prepared for the coiling operations, and why some materials may require a heating process prior to forming
  15. the characteristics of the various materials used with regard to the coiling and forming process
  16. the variations in manufacturing methods and spring characteristics that will occur with different ferrous and non-ferrous metals
  17. the use of pedestal grinding machines to finish off the spring ends
  18. the regulations that govern the use and mounting of the abrasive wheels, and how they apply to you
  19. the use of fly presses and tooling for coil setting and checking squareness
  20. how to check that the tools and equipment used are in a safe and serviceable condition, and their care and maintenance procedures
  21. organisational quality control procedures, and recognition of coil forming defects
  22. the dimensional and coil forming inspection checks to be carried out, and the tools and equipment to be used
  23. limitations of the various coil forming processes, and the accuracy that may realistically be achieved
  24. the importance of completing all relevant documentation on conclusion of the spring making activities
  25. the extent of your own responsibility and to whom you should report if you have problems that you cannot resolve

Scope/range

Scope Performance

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  1. Carry out all of the following during the compression spring making activities:
    1. obtain and interpret correctly the documentation for the type of spring being made
    2. adhere to procedures or systems in place for risk assessment, personal protective equipment and other relevant safety regulations and procedures to realise a safe system of work
    3. check that the tools and spring forming equipment to be used are in a safe and usable condition
    4. carry out the hand forming activities, following good practice/approved procedures
    5. return all tools and equipment to the correct location on completion of the spring making activities
    6. leave the work area in a clean and safe condition on completion of the activities
  2. Produce springs made from two different materials from the following:
    1. carbon steel
    2. alloy steel
    3. nickel based alloys
    4. titanium and other special material
    5. stainless steel
    6. copper based alloy
    7. other specific material
  3. Form three of the following types of wire compression springs:
    1. open ended right-hand helix
    2. conical
    3. barrel
    4. open ended left-hand helix
    5. hour glass
    6. garter springs
    7. closed end right-hand helix
    8. constant pitch
    9. other wire forms
    10. closed end left-hand helix
    11. variable pitch
  4. Use all of the following types of spring forming equipment:
    1. coiling machine (hand or power operated)
    2. fly press
    3. spring measuring/checking equipment
    4. pedestal grinding machine
    5. coiling mandrels
  5. Produce wire compression springs, to include carrying out all of the following:
    1. selecting the correct type and size of wire
    2. ensuring that any required wire pre-treatment activities have been carried out
    3. selecting the correct type and size of coiling mandrel and securing it in the machine chuck
    4. setting the coiling rest for the correct helix
    5. selecting the correct angle plate to obtain pitch and free length
    6. setting the coiling machine controls (such as wire guides, cams, upper and lower stops, cropping tools)
    7. setting up the correct coil start and finishing points
    8. using the appropriate techniques to form the springs to the required specification
    9. checking the re-coil amount after coiling and adjusting, as required (where appropriate)
    10. cropping spring ends prior to grinding
    11. carrying out spring end grinding operations (hand grinding)
    12. carrying out post-coiling operations (such as pre-setting, coil setting and checking squareness)
    13. preparing the springs for heat treatment (such as stress relieving, hardening and tempering)
    14. pre-stressing/scragging
  6. Use four of the following whilst checking the quality of the springs produced:
    1. vernier callipers
    2. vernier protractors
    3. gauges
    4. micrometers
    5. squares
    6. jigs
    7. spring testing machines
    8. electronic measuring equipment
  7. Carry out checks of the wire compression springs, to include all of the following:
    1. size of wire and material specification
    2. dimensional accuracy of the free length
    3. dimensional accuracy of the outside diameter
    4. dimensional accuracy of the inside diameter
    5. the number of coils is as specified
    6. the spring is wound with the correct hand helix
    7. spring ends are flat and square to the spring axis
    8. spring load and rate meets specification requirements
    9. completed springs are free from tooling marks and deformation
  8. Produce compression springs which comply with one of the following:
    1. BS, ISO or BSEN standards and procedures
    2. customer standards and job requirements
    3. company standards and procedures

Scope Knowledge

Values

Behaviours

Skills

Glossary

Links To Other NOS

External Links

Version Number

3

Indicative Review Date

31 Mar 2028

Validity

Current

Status

Original

Originating Organisation

Enginuity

Original URN

SEMMME3120

Relevant Occupations

Engineering, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies, Engineering Technicians

SOC Code

3113

Keywords

Mechanical engineering; spring making; compression springs; hand forming; open ended; closed end; right hand helix; left hand helix; conical; hour glass; barrel; garter; constant pitch; variable pitch; carbon steel; alloy steel; stainless steel;