The production of Spring Rings made on CIEMMEO machinery is basically broken down into 5 different phases in which 4 different sets of machines are required. The process foresees starting with a cored tube the dimensions of which will vary according to the final sizes and weights required. The production speed of the line is 60 finished pieces per minute.
1st Phase – Forming of the spiral.
The cored tube is fed into the MFS which sees to automatically creating a continuous spiral of the cored tube. The spiral is wound onto an awaiting spool so as to be loaded onto the next machine in the process.
2nd Phase – Cutting of the single shells.
The spool containing the continuous spiral is loaded onto the FAM unit. This particular machine carries out 2 principal operations, the first is to cut the spiral into single cored shells, and in doing so it automatically cuts the opening of the future spring ring for the movement of the latch, thus creating a “C” shape cored shell.
The second operation is to cut the window opening on one side of the cored shell where the latch handle will be able to protrude. The cored shells are then discharged into a waiting tray, and the resulting shavings are sent to a filtering system.
3rd Phase – Emptying of the shells
At this point of the process the shells undergo a chemical process in which they are emptied of the Fe core. Ciemmeo, on request, can supply a standalone self-contained cabinet system for emptying the shells.
4th Phase – End ring soldering
The resulting empty shells are loaded into the MSSA which together with a spool of solid wire sees to manufacturing and then soldering (via gas flame) the ring to the shell. The ring may be soldered to the shell in plane, at 45° or 90°, opened or closed. The soldered shell/ring assemblies are discharged to a waiting container.
5th Phase – Latch manufacture and final Spring Ring assembly
The last machine in the process is the MMA. Another spool of wire is loaded, along with the stainless steel springs and the shells with the soldered rings in 3 different loading stations. The shell is driven via a vibrating hopper to the loading station of a rotating table, which delivers it to the spring insertion station. Here the spring is delivered from a vibrating hopper and loaded into the shell. The rotating table then brings this piece to the latch manufacturing and insertion station. The latch is cut and formed from the solid wire, and then immediately inserted into the waiting shell/spring group.
The rotating table then delivers the finished Spring Ring to the testing station, where the movements undergo trials, which if successful discharge the Spring Ring to the main container, otherwise it is discarded.
As the rotating table has eight stations, all of the above operations are carried out simultaneously, thus guaranteeing the highest efficiency possible without compromising quality of the finished piece.