Author: European Springs Web Team

Manufacturing is a constantly changing industry. Adapting to changes in customer demand, product requirements, and production economics across the supply chain demands that the industry adapts and evolves to thrive.

There are many factors that the industry needs to take into account to meet shifting changes. For example, as the UK moves towards a more eco-friendly attitude toward manufacturing, companies must improve their supply chains and create a new level of sustainable manufacturing. New technologies also affect the industry, demanding companies optimise their processes and teams to remain competitive. Adapting to emerging trends is essential for any business; here are a few that the manufacturing industry is currently facing.

Consumer Lead Manufacturing

The more you see the ways manufacturing is evolving over these recent years, the more obvious it is that an enormous change is coming. One significant contribution to these changes is because computer designs are operating in an increasing number of manufacturing processes. Knicknamed the 4^th industrial revolution, innovations are creating a new industry that will significantly change the ways products are designed, produced and distributed by doubling productivity whilst halving the cost.

This enhanced freedom of choice provided by these computerised manufacturing processes has significantly increased the manufacturing of bespoke components. This desire was initially addressed with the implementation of CNC machinery that allowed for easier customisation of designs tied with an increase in production speed and accuracy. At European Springs, we have a fully equipped toolroom that includes the latest WEDM machines connected to our in-house 3D CAD software, providing significant adaptability for producing bespoke products for our clients.

CNC machines are a typical example of how computerised manufacturing has changed the industry, but the emergence of 3D printing has the potential for more changes in the future.

3D Printings Relationship With Manufacturing

The increased demand for bespoke components has propelled 3D printing technology into the manufacturing industry. 3D printing is a manufacturing process that enables the creation of objects from a 3D digital model created by a computer. These popular printing machines can use either plastic or metal to build the desired object, layer by layer, creating complex designs that would be far more costly than older manufacturing methods. The smaller printing units have grown in popularity amongst amateurs and hobbyists, creating an impression that 3D printing is just for small objects, but 3D printing is also being embraced for industrial applications.

Industrial 3D printing has been successfully used for various applications, including aerospace, automotive and medical sectors. This is due to the adaptability and reliability of the technology. It can decrease production costs and lower carbon footprint but also provide the benefits of fast prototyping and simplified manufacturing processes.

This trend of consumer lead manufacturing is enabled by 3D printers’ ability to create unique components such as bespoke springs out of durable metal easily. Of course, this will lead to sizable changes regarding machinery and processes. Still, it seems that 3D printing is an emerging presence within the industry and could potentially be for a long time.

Digital Supply Chains

As experienced compression spring manufacturers, we understand the importance of effective supply chain management for conducting smooth operations. Several supply chain management trends aim to ensure the durability and predictability of these vital resources.

One of the most common trends in controlling shifting supply chains is redesigning them with digital management. A digitised supply chain network brings a wealth of data that, when properly managed, can improve every working process as well as your supply chain.

This move to digital supply chain management increases the visibility of all the moving parts of the chain. With many manufacturers and suppliers on digital networks, companies are leaving behind the traditional paper-based, manual process that requires a significant amount of admin to maintain.

Digital management is also leading to an increase in automation. Businesses are increasing their efficiency by automating the supply chain process elements. For example, digital tools such as wireless gateway sensors let deliveries be monitored in real-time with minimal human input.

Sustainability in Manufacturing

Increasing green initiatives are a dominant force throughout the manufacturing industry due to the UK’s plans for a green industrial revolution. The current Netzero 2050 strategy has had the most considerable effect on the industry and its supply chains as more companies are exploring Netzero chains when sourcing their materials. Initiatives are in place already that limit wasted materials.

Limiting the amount of new raw materials used during manufacturing has led manufacturers to embrace recycling plans and optimise their processes to reduce wasted material to minimal levels. Apart from the environmental benefits, this has positively affected those companies’ financial savings, as these materials are now used more efficiently.

High-Quality Springs, Pressings and Wireforms From European Springs

As a leading springs manufacturer, we at European Springs have observed the manufacturing industry adapt and grow, adopting many new trends to benefit the industry as a whole. As a result, we are consistently discovering new ways of optimising our processes and methods to create cost-effective, high-quality products for all our customers.

You can view our entire spring catalogue online here.

With the positive progression of the UK’s plans to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050, the manufacturing industry made extensive changes to its current working practices.

Manufacturing plays a vital role in the UK economy and is one of the leading industries to adopt innovations that reduce harmful emissions. These changes have been aligned with the eco-friendly national strategy in various ways, one of the most significant being the introduction of green skills.

What are Green Skills?

Green skills is a framework that assists people and businesses in refocusing their processes into something more sustainable, whether that’s an increase in social, economic or environmental sustainability. Green skills can be implemented as shared knowledge or skills or as business attitudes and values. Still, all are important for creating a new green mindset that can reduce the environmental impact of your current methods.

The four main categories of all green skills are cognitive, technological, interpersonal and intrapersonal competencies. These form the essence of the green skills applied within a business, including manufacturing.

• Cognitive competencies cover the awareness of the people involved in sustainable practices. This can include sharing data, encouraging involvement with environmental awareness, and exploring new opportunities to increase your current methods.
• Technological competencies involve creating and implementing various technological innovations to replace wasteful practices. This will be unique to every business’s needs but will have an impressive impact once introduced.
• Interpersonal competencies. If the cognitive step is thought of as learning and planning, this step is about implementing your new sustainable strategies. This will involve coordination and management relevant to achieving your pre-determined goals of increasing your sustainability.
• Intrapersonal competencies is where green skills will be the most prominent. New skills, adaptable working practices and new technologies will increase the sustainability of your work, leading to significant positive results.

These classifications are similar to the widely used ‘soft skills’ essential to developing modern working environments. The primary difference is the specific goal of supporting more eco-friendly and sustainable working methods.

Green Skills in Manufacturing

Regarding green skills in manufacturing, three areas are the most important to address:

• Resource efficiency
• Environmental product improvements
• Low-carbon economy

Resource Efficiency in Manufacturing

Resource efficiency in manufacturing involves assessing how efficiently the required raw materials are used. Natural resources are becoming increasingly more valuable for manufacturing, but a greener manufacturing process can be achieved through efficient use and embracing recycled sources. In Europe, on average, over 50% of manufacturing costs come from acquiring these natural resources.

The green skills involved with resource efficiency are heavily connected to finding new ways of reducing expensive waste and reducing manufacturing costs and emissions whilst not reducing production. In addition, green skills within resource management lead to the creation of many new technologies and practices, including lean manufacturing.

As experienced compression spring manufacturers, we know that lean manufacturing is one of the most successful green skills and has been adopted industry-wide as a positive change. This is where a company can make positive changes to their products and improve their production methods environmentally.

Lean manufacturing aims to maximise your current productivity whilst simultaneously reducing waste to its lowest amounts, and in this context, waste is anything that doesn’t add value to your company. Besides the environmental benefits of making the most of your resources, lean manufacturing also helps reduce lead times and operating costs while not sacrificing product quality.

Low Carbon Economy

Over the last 70 years, harmful emissions have grown exponentially across all sectors. Manufacturing used to be a significant contributor to this, but with the introduction of many green skills, the industry’s effect on the environment is decreasing.

Also known as a decarbonised economy, this strategy promotes the development of low emission alternatives. The primary examples are renewable energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines, but purchasing these is not the only way manufacturers can improve their sustainability. Another popular way is with carbon offset.

Carbon offset is a relatively new method of improving your business’s sustainability. Companies can choose to invest in the further development and creation of renewable energy sources. That investment is scaled to match their current carbon emissions footprint, thereby creating a balance that renders their emissions neutral.

Expert Spring and Pressing Suppliers

As expert tension spring manufacturers, we understand how crucial it is that green skills are shared and implemented across the entire industry as the best way of limiting harmful emissions and meeting that desired target of Net Zero.

We are constantly exploring new opportunities and innovations to improve our sustainability as we continue to be leading manufacturers of suspension springs, pressings and wireforms. At European Springs, we are committed to ensuring all our products are of the highest quality for our clients and are also dedicated to meeting our goals of ecological improvement and overall sustainability.

If you have any questions about our products, please explore our full range in our catalogue or feel free to contact us directly and one of our engineers will answer your questions.

The manufacturing sector is a constantly evolving industry. The innovations and processes developed are all to meet the ever-growing complexities of consumer demand.

The success of these new ideas is clearly seen when attending the various industry shows across the UK. Virtually every attendee or speaker will promote, to some extent, the inclusion of digital processes in manufacturing, such as the prevalent CNC machines. But the benefits of digital manufacturing are not limited to the manufacturing itself. By implementing digital upgrades into every link in the supply chain, manufacturers have significantly improved their efficiency, productivity, and overall effectiveness within the industry. But how is manufacturing digitised?

What Is Digital Manufacturing

Digital manufacturing is essentially the inclusion of computer systems alongside manufacturing processes, supply chains and other services. The technologies used in digital manufacturing can connect all the areas required for production and build a unified plan for spring manufacturers and many other products. With this, initial designs to final production can be monitored accurately to maintain the necessary high level of quality.

When managing any industry, it’s vital to have the correct information available at all times. The idea behind digital manufacturing is to connect these systems that are separated far and wide. By creating an accessible link between all these parts of product creation, you can eliminate the wasted communication times that plagued the process before digital solutions connected them all.

This metaphorical thread weaves its way through the whole process and creates a wealth of data that can be analysed to reveal any failures in current operations. So, for example, compression spring manufacturers who digitise their manufacturing can also help anticipate customers’ needs or potential rises in demand.

The Three Elements of Digital Manufacturing

Digital manufacturing is summarised into three elements that cover the entirety of their effect on the manufacturing industry.

The Smart Factory focuses on the idea of implementing automation into manufacturing. Smart factories use various tools such as intelligent machines, tooling and sensors to assist the company’s engineers and other workers by supplying real-time data on the operations in progress.

Smart factories rely on a bridge between two technologies, Operational technologies and Information technology systems. This combination is vital to creating a data exchange between the tooling and machines and the programs that control them. These can be further improved upon by using in-depth business analysis techniques to monitor the efficiency of your operation technologies. This ability to monitor your manufacturing processes in real-time and enact whatever process control optimisation you see fit is invaluable for any manufacturing company.

The Value Chain Management element focuses on increasing efficiency with the resources needed for manufacturing. This is where you can optimise your processes significantly to make the most of what you need to create your products. Optimised process, concise inventory, and happier customers with better products are proven results of digitising your manufacturing. Additionally, this helps with creating a lean manufacturing process that will have the secondary benefits of lowering your environmental impact.

Product life cycles assist with everything from the initial designs to sourcing the materials and, finally, its production and lifecycle. This is the most direct digital intervention on manufacturing methods such as torsion springs, for example. The digital data available throughout this whole creation chain will include every step for analysis, including any potential changes or revisions.

Industries That Rely On Digital Manufacturing

The aerospace and national defence industries have relied on the benefits provided by digital manufacturing for years. These digital tools have become essential for monitoring the vastly complex supply networks required for their machines and vehicles. For example, modern military aircraft contain thousands of components collected from various sources.

In recent years, most digital manufacturing tools have upgraded to include cloud computing options that will allow manufacturers and suppliers to communicate far more efficiently and address any issues quicker. Digital solutions increase production efficiency and help with the preparation and design phases. The Boeing 777, commonly known as the triple seven, was the first commercial aircraft designed entirely on a computer.

Many other industries have benefited from digital manufacturing by incorporating automated processes. Additive manufacturing, CNC milling, lathing and cutting, and laminated object manufacturing are just a few digital processes embraced by many manufacturers.

Digital Manufacturing with European Springs

It is evident that digital manufacturing is highly effective in improving manufacturing, but why? Digital manufacturing can provide a higher level of quality previously unattainable due to human error. The increased productivity from machines that don’t tire alongside the ability to optimise your current operations contributes to improving your business and the manufacturing industry as a whole.

Computer automation has been an enormous step toward creating a consistently high-quality product for most manufacturers, including our own standard wire form manufacturing processes. Our team of engineers can assist with your planned designs for wire forms, springs or pressings thanks to our expert design support team. Working with you, our team can help finalise a product fit for the function and will meet all your specifications and needs.

We also offer a professional bespoke service, including rapid prototyping of springs and stampings that can help you find the exact component you need. If you have any questions about how our advanced manufacturing processes can help your business, then please don’t hesitate to contact us directly with our enquiry form.

As more technological improvements are developed, more of the manufacturing industry is modernising through computer integration. Some aspects of computer integration are already widely implemented, such as the popular CNC machines and wireless databases, but this is only the beginning.

Computerised automation is set to be the bright future for industrial automation. Embracing this automation is an excellent way to optimise the efficiency of your manufacturing processes further, creating a previously unattainable surge in productivity whilst reducing costs.

What is Industrial Automation?

Industrial automation is essentially the computerised systems that exist within manufacturing. This automation can be implemented to replace many of the processes initially conducted by human workers. These would usually consist of the more repetitive or simple mechanical processes that demand a high level of consistent accuracy.

For manufacturing, industrial automation focuses primarily on the systems involved in production. These beneficial processes can be customised to suit your specific manufacturing methods to increase your production capacity and reduce your costs, and usually, both are easily achievable.

Benefits of Automated Operations

Automating your business seems like replacing your human team with machines, but there is a better way to approach this. Automation in manufacturing is not about replacing people; it’s about improving your team’s efficiency by taking specific tasks off them and letting them apply their skills to more complex manufacturing areas.

Upskilling your workforce to handle more advanced manufacturing opens more business opportunities for your company whilst the automated mechanical elements manage the simpler operations.

Different Methods for Automation

As experienced wire form manufacturers, we know that not all automation in manufacturing will be the same, and each unique process will require a certain level of customisation. Fortunately, there are many levels of automation, with varying amounts of investment needed for their integration.

Fixed automation or hard automation will be assigned a set limited number of tasks and will not deviate from them. This system is best used for continuous flow systems or mass production. A prime example of this fixed system is an automated conveyer belt. This automation may seem basic but will provide a long-term increase in efficiency for moving mass amounts of materials from A-B. This tool has a minimal role but can be essential to any repetitive manufacturing process.

Programmable automation is reliant on a set of pre-programmed computer commands. This method is more flexible than the fixed process. The operations of these machines can be adapted to suit new situations or processes by changing the series of commands. Reprogramming this automation, though, will require significant downtime on the device. Whilst this initial programming will take time and expense, the adaptability of this process will provide substantial benefits overall. At European Springs, we embrace the enhanced productivity of automation for many of our wire forms, such as our torsion springs.

Integrated automation is the most invasive method of automation you can invest in for your manufacturing. Computers and control systems will entirely manage this process with minimal human contact. For this level of intense automation, the workforce is primarily upskilled into more management levels where they can dictate the methods that are implemented by the integrated automation.

This level of automation will involve a lot of technically advanced, computer-operated machinery such as automated material handling systems, computer-aided planning, and numerical control machine tools.

Flexible automation is the opposite of fixed automation. Also known as soft automation, this system is widespread in the manufacturing industry as it allows for an adaptable approach to production. This level of automation is commanded from a computer operated by a team member. This more direct involvement will enable tasks to change quickly whilst monitoring their effectiveness. This automation is widespread in low-to-medium production. The combination of increased productivity and adaptability to promptly change your machine’s role for the next job makes it an ideal choice for bespoke manufacturing processes.

Which Automation Suits your Processes?

The more automation is integrated into industrial processes, the more the benefits of adopting automation in manufacturing are revealed. These computer-controlled automation methods increase precision and efficiency, along with an unattainable consistency compared to your standard human workforce.

The best place to start is to decide what the target you want to meet is? For example, this can be something complex or general as increasing your daily production. While this goal may seem vague, it is the first step to helping you monitor and analyse your current customary production methods.

Create a list of the processes involved in your operations, and it will become clear which tasks can be replaced with automation. Additionally, you will be able to identify which jobs still require human oversight. Finally, committing to a delegation plan between your team and computerised automation will create a road map of how you can implement automation into your operations and a list of requirements for automating those operations.

High-Quality Springs and Pressings from European Springs

As experienced compression spring manufacturers, we have decades of experience providing our clients with the highest quality springs and pressings. To maintain our extensive stock catalogue of over 12,000 items, we have embraced the various levels of automation across our operations, leading to significant positive results.

The adaptability of some of these automated processes allows us to offer our premium bespoke service. If you need something unique for your current application, please consider contacting our expert engineers, who can assist with essential specification decisions and provide custom spring or pressings design support.