European Springs Web Team, Author at European Springs Ireland

If you’re considering a career in manufacturing, it’s important to understand that you are always welcome and sure to find a great position within the sector. The manufacturing industry is so wide and contains so many different career paths that you’re certain to discover one that suits you. Whether you prefer physical work and like to get your hands dirty or lean more toward working-from-home or office-based jobs, there is something for you within manufacturing.

Because of this, the skills required to work in the industry are broad and cover just about any workplace expertise, meaning you’re even more likely to find a place in the sector that requires your skill set. Similarly, the industry is always looking for apprentices with no prior experience, further confirming that this is a career path suitable for just about anyone.

Today, we’re looking into some of the skills required to work in specific parts of the manufacturing industry to help you understand which career path is right for you.

The Different Career Paths Available in Manufacturing

As leading spring manufacturers, we understand that there is a vast amount of different career paths within our business, which means that the list of career paths in the wider industry is extensive. Here are a few examples of the types of jobs that come under the umbrella that is manufacturing:

Maintenance and repair. For example, these hands-on jobs could be plumbers, electricians, or computer repair technicians.
Welding and machine operators are two examples of jobs that come under production.
Health, safety, and environmental assurance. Whether protecting people, the environment, or the company, these people oversee safety aspects within manufacturing.
Quality assurance. For example, inspectors and quality control roles ensure everything is kept to a certain standard.

Logistics. This path involves transportation, delivery, and factory management, all working to ensure the supply chain remains steady.
Design. As part of the manufacturing process, design engineers play a crucial part in production.

Whether you want to design compression springs, manage a factory, or ensure machines are safe to use during production, there is a role for you within manufacturing. So, let’s take a look at the skills required to complete each role to perfection.

Excellent Communication Skills

Communication skills are required in every job, but it is even more crucial in certain manufacturing areas. For example, logistics roles. Those managing factoriesneed strong communication with various people, including delivery drivers, factory staff, clients and customers, and management in other areas of the wider business. If communication standards slip, it can have a detrimental effect on the company. For instance, if a factorymanager doesn’t inform delivery drivers of a change of delivery date, it will mean that goods are not transported when needed, and deadlines could be missed, resulting in unhappy customers and a damaged reputation.

Attention to Detail
Similarly to the need for strong communication, excellent attention to detail is essential in most manufacturing roles. However, one career path that this skill is especially important for is quality assurance. Quality control workers will ensure that every stage of the manufacturing process complies with their company’s high standards. This job involves checking each stage of the production line and looking into their results, efficiency, and work practices to check if they need to improve any aspects of their work in order to keep to the expected standards.

Whilst practical skills aren’t required to work in this area of manufacturing, previous practical experience is often desired by potential employers as it provides the quality control workers with in-depth knowledge of the production processes.

Flexibility and Being Open to Change

The manufacturing industry is constantly evolving in line with digital transformations, such as the implementation of virtual reality in engineering and sustainability processes as we move toward a greener planet. Because of this, no matter which area of the sector your career falls into, you must be open to change and allow yourself to be flexible. Many companies across the industry are regularly updating their practices to improve certain departments as well as the wider sector, so change is to be expected in all aspects of manufacturing. If you’re someone who likes to be kept on their toes in their career and is excited about embracing the future, manufacturing just might be the industry for you.

Physical Skills

If you like to work on your feet and hate being cramped up in an office or your spare room as you work from home, plenty of manufacturing roles require physical movement, and you might be better suited to those. Physical skills that are often listed in maintenance, installation, and repair jobs include:

Strength in order to lift heavy machinery
Hand-eye coordination

In addition, previous experience and expertise in specific areas are sometimes required for more highly-skilled roles. For example, this could be previous work as an electrician, plumbing qualifications, or a history of working at height experience if the job requires it.

Knowledge of the Manufacturing Industry

When you enter any field, learning about the industry is key to getting off on the right foot. When it comes to manufacturing, it’s important that you have a base knowledge of what’s in the news at the time, as well as anything specific regarding your career path.

However, if you are an apprentice, this is information you will likely study and pick up while on the job, so don’t worry too much about doing extensive research before starting. Instead, ensure you have an understanding of the company you’ll be working for and keep up to date with manufacturing news to have a general knowledge of the sector, and your employers should ensure you learn the rest while under their care.

Here at European Springs Ireland, we’re always looking for dedicated and driven apprentices and other employees to join our team of manufacturers. So whatever your current skill set is, or wherever you want to develop, we’re certain you’ll find a role with us.

Get in touch today to begin your manufacturing journey with European Springs Ireland.

Here at European Springs Ireland, we get the opportunity to work with a wide scope of industries, manufacturing and producing custom and bespoke springs, wire forms, and pressings to our clients’ exact specifications for use in a long list of applications. From the medical sector to agriculture, our range is expansive, but one of our favourites is the toy industry.

Yes, that’s right, springs are used in manufacturing some of the best childhood toys, including old classics such as the Slinky and new, more modern devices. So, to celebrate the festive season and show off yet another application for our versatile springs, we’re delving into some toys produced using springs that you may see gifted this Christmas.

Slinky

Quite possibly the most iconic spring used in the toy industry; the Slinky. Born in 1943, the Slinky has stood the test of time and still reigns popular as one of (if not the) best spring-based toys available on the market today. But do you know how it came to be? In the early 1940s, navel engineer Richard James accidentally pushed a tension spring off his desk, and when he did, he noticed it appeared to roll before landing upright. Two years later, the Slinky was flying off the shelves. Now, it is considered a staple in the history of springs and a bestseller at Christmas, with many still gifted each year.

Pull-Back Toys

Springs can be found in many pull-back toys, providing fantastic fun for children of all ages. They’re used for racing rally cars, animals, and even launching robots across the room. Of course, we have all used a pull-back toy before and can agree that as a child, it’s exciting to pull the tiny vehicle back just a small amount and see it fly forwards, but how do springs play a part in this fun?

Well, Newton’s Third Law of Motion states every action has an equal and opposite reaction, which is precisely how a pull-back toy operates. Energy is stored in the spring built into the toy, which is then released when you let go, allowing it to ‘spring’ into action and launch forwards.

Remote-Controlled Cars

Remote-controlled cars are one of the best presents to receive and are always certain to put a smile on a young racing enthusiast’s face at Christmas. In fact, they’re often the first to get ripped out of their packaging and test driven across the mountains of wrapping paper across the floor. But have you ever wondered which springs are involved in their manufacturing?

Just like actual cars, many different spring types go into producing a remote-controlled vehicle. From motor springs that provide torque to shock springs and suspension springs, various components are used in their production.

Jack-in-the-Box

The jack-in-the-box was once one of the most popular children’s toys available on the market and dates back as far as the 16^th century. Now, we see less of the classic children’s Christmas gift, but it’s still interesting to take a step back in time and explore what went into creating the toy.

Clowns or other children’s characters are connected to compression springs before being pushed inside a box, contained with a lid, and sealed with a catch. The catch is then released, allowing the character to pop up and provide laughs (or screams).

Pinball Machines

Springs play a prominent role in the pinball machine, which dominated arcades in the 80s and 90s. Now, they can be purchased for home use and make a brilliant Christmas gift for retro lovers and children who have it all.

Spring-loaded knobs are pulled back before being released to send a ball up the playfield, dodging barriers and aiming for the target. Players must choose their spring strength to get the perfect force to reach the goal. Of course, you may think about this a little differently when you play on a pinball machine now, and perhaps you have the knowledge to beat the high score and be crowned the winner!

Electronic Devices

Does the dreaded “does not contain batteries” label give you flashbacks to unplayable gifts as a child? Well, to help you remember to purchase AAs, AAAs, and other battery back-ups to save disappointment this Christmas morning, let’s take a look at how springs play a part in your battery-operated electronic devices.

When you pop in a battery, you must remember to load it correctly, matching the plus and minus symbols with what’s on the inside. Another way to remember is that the minus side must be pushed onto the spring, and the plus side has a small nub that tucks into the battery case. The spring allows the battery to sit securely inside the case and be removed easily.

As you can see, springs are all around us during the festive period. So, whether you’re watching your little one unwrap a remote-controlled car or you’re putting batteries into their many electronic devices on Christmas morning, think about the spring manufacturers like ourselves that helped create their gifts.

Deciding your future in your teen years is a daunting experience. You may feel pushed into a corner by peers, parents, or teaching staff, but it’s important to remember that your decision matters. So, you must choose the path that’s right for you. You can go down many routes when you leave sixth form, including university, apprenticeships, or full-time work. The best option for you will partially depend on which industry you plan to get involved in, as different learning and earning methods work best for various sectors. Apprenticeships are an excellent choice for those interested in engineering as they provide you with the all-important practical skills as well as theory.

So, we’re helping you out by exploring why we believe students should consider studying an engineering apprenticeship. We will include what an engineering apprenticeship entails and the many benefits of choosing this route instead of going straight into full-time work or university.

What Does an Engineering Apprenticeship Entail?

Various components make up an engineering apprenticeship, including:

Shadowing. This is when the student follows a trainer through their day to get a feel for what working life will be like for them once qualified.
Studying. This could be classroom or online study, but you will be expected to attend classes for the theory-based learning aspect of the engineering apprenticeship.
Supervised practical work. Once you get more of an understanding of the work you are expected to do, you will be supervised in completing tasks.
Assessments. In order to understand your knowledge and skills, you will be assessed during your apprenticeship. This could be an exam, a practical, or coursework-based, but it will help your assessor understand where you are and what you need to work on.

Each engineering apprenticeship is different, but whether you’re working with spring manufacturers or chemical engineers, you should expect to complete the above during your training.

Different Types of Engineering Apprenticeships

Each apprenticeship will be slightly different. Thoroughly research the company you’re applying for to ensure you are happy with the work you will complete and that you get the most out of your experience.

Electrical engineering
Civil engineering
Manufacturing engineering

As leaders in the spring manufacturing industry, we may be biased when we say that manufacturing engineering is a fantastic choice for those wanting to get the most out of their apprenticeship. This is because it provides you with hands-on experience in many different disciplines. The industry is so broad that you will learn and work in various environments, with the option to focus on those you prefer.

Benefits of an Engineering Apprenticeship

There are many advantages of an engineering apprenticeship. No matter which field you enter the industry through, you’re sure to reap the benefits of the fascinating and ever-changing sector. Below we have handpicked some of the stand-out reasons why engineering apprenticeships are a fantastic career choice.

Get Your Foot in the Door Early

When your school days come to an end, you’re faced with a multitude of emotions. Relief that GCSEs are over, sadness when parting with friends and favourite teachers, and possibly confusion about your next steps in life.

However, if you know you want to enter the engineering industry, an apprenticeship is probably the best route to go down. It allows you to get your foot in the door early, learn while you work, and make those all-important industry connections that will help you further down the line.

Experience is always desirable for future employees, so the earlier you enter the industry, the more likely you will be successful in advancing further down the line.

Earn While You Learn

One of the most attractive benefits of an apprenticeship is that the courses allow you to earn a wage while you learn. Full-time education can often be draining on students, and because it takes so much time, there usually aren’t enough hours in the day to fit in a part-time job. There’s a reason the stereotype of budgeting students exists, but with an apprenticeship, you can beat the stereotype and give yourself the opportunity to make a wage.

Assist the Industry With Closing the Skills Gap

No matter which area of engineering you enter, whether it be a spring suppliers, a domestic appliance manufacturing company or a civil engineering firm, you will more than likely find evidence of skills gaps when researching your field. This is due to many reasons, such as:

Age. The average age of engineers is around 50, which means many are close to retirement. Once these engineers have packed up their toolbags, there leaves a significant skill gap.
The pandemic. Covid had a detrimental knock-on effect within the engineering industry. With delays, lay-offs, and staff off sick, many engineering companies struggled with the skills gap during the pandemic, with the effects still present over two years later.

In addition, the industry has made efforts to close the gender skills gap in recent years, but the lack of female presenting engineers is still very much an issue. Engineering companies worldwide are doing their bit to ensure that the gaps are filled, and you can, too, by applying for an engineering apprenticeship.

Fantastic Opportunities for Progression

As an apprentice, you start at the bottom with no experience, which means the world is your oyster. However, during your apprenticeship, you will be encouraged to progress, given the tools you need to expand your skills (literally and figuratively), and provided with the theory you need to build on your knowledge.

Here at European Springs Ireland, we offer a wide range of apprenticeships to help the younger generation start their career and assist the industry with closing those skills gaps. Get in touch to find out more and apply today.

A steady supply chain is vital to any manufacturer’s daily operations. Consequently, new supply chain options have been created to reinforce their chains against the various unprecedented environmental, economic and political problems.

Despite the events of the past few years, many companies have managed to maintain their crucial supply chains by exploring new methods of fulfilment. This involved re-evaluating every aspect of the chain, from discovering local suppliers to new transportation methods and investigating more environmentally friendly options.

Supply chains have been stabilised for many manufacturers, but this is no guarantee for the future. The only sure way to ensure a robust supply chain is to constantly work on improving your connected chain.

Results of Supply Chain Disruptions

Unprecedented world events have put a significant strain on supply chains and threatened the productivity of many suppliers.

Supply chains have two sides, upstream and downstream, with manufacturers in between. Upstream refers to receiving items such as raw materials, and downstream involves passing on your manufactured goods and fulfilling your client’s orders.

The main challenge that harmed various supply chains was the erratic nature of upstream. Many international companies rely on raw materials from countries like China. As a result, unexpected delivery disruptions would extend lead times, increase costs and affect the chain downstream.

The transportation of goods is still struggling to recover from these disruptions. Ship shortages, port shutdowns, and shipping container shortages create potential delays for supply chains. Whether a Chinese port in a quarantined province or delays at UK’s Felixstowe port, manufacturers need to assess their resources routes for their time and cost efficiency.

These challenges revealed the importance of the international supply chain to the economy. The ripple effect of a supply chain disruption will affect every element of its connected chain and have potentially dire consequences for associated businesses.

Effective supply chain management is crucial for spring manufacturers who wish to avoid as many disruptions as possible and maintain their productivity.

3 Supply Chain Management Phases

Maintaining a solid supply chain involves employing management methods and customising them to best suit your specific operations.

International supply chains are not as reliable as they used to be. Managers can no longer assume the estimates they once did and must reassess the situation with every order. Fortunately, three straightforward techniques will build a resilient supply chain.

Design is the initial planning stage. An essential time when you’ll create a plan for sourcing the raw materials needed from suppliers and how best to transport them.
Planning has a similar sounding function as design but with a unique difference. The design will create a detailed plan for a durable supply chain, but planning will add necessary contingencies so you can adapt to any unforeseen changes. Supply and demand is a fluid element of business that changes throughout the year. Therefore, an adaptable supply chain is far more successful than a rigid one resistant to change.
Execution is how your planned designs will be enacted and their progress. Manufacturers will need to monitor the progress of their sourced materials and distribution to their clients. Any potential disruptions should be identified early and compensated for to prevent the supply chain from weakening.

Supply Chain Management Benefits

As an international springs and pressings manufacturer, we deeply understand how vital a robust supply chain is to maintain high productivity. Every link in the chain needs to be relied upon to create the most robust supply chain possible and not interrupt your planned daily operations.

One valuable technique is diversification. Diversification helps compensate for any erratic behaviour along the supply chain and limits the collateral damage of any disruptions. By committing your upstream materials to a single route, any disruption will be catastrophic to your plans. Diversifying your materials across various transportation routes (or from several suppliers) will guarantee that you receive at least a portion of your raw materials without delay.

Another method is to explore closer suppliers. International logistics are an increasingly complex operation to monitor; the farther your goods travel, the likelihood of problems increases. The distance can also affect the financial cost of delays that will compensate for the problem. With less distance to travel, your chain will encounter fewer obstacles and be more reliable.

A managed supply chain is a strong one. Doing so can increase your chain’s visibility and improve your collaboration with suppliers up and downstream. In addition, persistent corrections to agreed-upon deadlines will lower your business partners’ trust in your company. Effective management will also reduce additional costs and help you maintain an open, honest dialogue with your clients regarding lead times.

European Springs are one of the leading manufacturing companies in Ireland, producing the highest quality springs, pressings and wire forms for a broad range of clients globally.

Mechanical springs are well-known components essential for effective machine design, a crucial engineering design element.

This vital function is important for creating manufacturing machines, construction tools and vehicles. Here, we explore several spring designs chosen during the machine design process.

What is Machine Design?

This design process defines how energy is handled internally to meet the requirements of the machine. You can use this design to create new devices or upgrade existing ones to meet unique needs.

An example of this process’s importance is a vehicle’s gearbox. This collection of components needs to manage your vehicle both in motion and as a static load. Both these parts need components with appropriate specifications to work efficiently internally and externally, or the car will not function correctly. In addition, the gearbox must work with the engine to operate the car fully.

Machine designers will create plans with particular requirements covering specific materials and finishes, accurate dimensions and comparisons of individual parts and the whole machine’s needs.

So essentially, machine design is a very apt title; it is the process of designing machines. Once the design is confirmed, the depth and detail required for this process are passed on to the assigned manufacturing companies.

What is Mechanical Spring Design?

Spring manufacturers will be tasked with creating high-quality springs, which can involve assisting with mechanical spring design. Mechanical springs are an essential component in various mechanical applications, including even the CNC machines we use to make them.

European Springs have an expert team of engineers that assist our clients with their spring designs. We will match all your specifications, including surface treatments, so you get the perfect piece in small or large batches. Additionally, knowing the function of each spring is essential when picking the right one for your machine design.

Compression Springs

Compression springs store energy when compressed. The basic concept is that they will release that stored energy to expand to their original shape.

Many different compression springs are available, such as conical and hourglass. This resistant spring design is used in various applications, from automotive suspension, industrial equipment and aeroplanes.

Torsion Springs

Torsion springs are coiled springs with extended legs branching from their coils. The resulting force comes from the opposite direction and is proportional to the angle of the twist. This spring is the best choice for twisting motions, and they store rotational energy.

Tension Springs

Tension springs are the opposite of compression springs. These will want to retract to their original tightly wound coil once the force is removed.

The main factor to consider is which direction the force is going concerning the spring itself. Towards will need a compression spring, and away will require a tension spring. These springs are attached to the intended application to limit movement; they are used for counterbalancing or level-based mechanisms.

Spring Design Terms To Consider

Spring Rate: Otherwise known as the spring constant, this is the relationship of the force to compress a spring by a unit of length. This measurement can be compared to any given load to calculate the estimated spring travel (how far the spring will compress). The further the spring compresses, the increased stress it endures. Generally, 20% of travel space should be left during regular operation.

Spring Stress: This is the primary cause of spring failure. A spring overstressed by forces it wasn’t designed to handle will not function correctly and will soon break.

Shock Loading: This is similar, except widely different weight values are changed compared to the original parameters. Consistent speed is also essential. The risk of spring failure is significantly increased as loads are added suddenly. Shock loading can be mitigated by vibration-dampening devices or internal damper coils added to the machine design.

OD: This is the acronym for the outer diameter of your spring. An OD measurement relates to the width of your spring when measured from outside the coil. This applies to many spring designs and is essential when your design needs springs in a hole or tube.

ID: This is a similar acronym for the inner diameter. This measurement relates to the width of the area inside the spring.

Choosing the correct spring specification is essential when dealing with mechanical moving parts. For example, the strength of a spring’s design generally depends on the volume of the wire used. This volume is dictated by the wire diameter and the length of the wire.

The best spring design will provide long-lasting function and can be relied upon to work effectively with the other components in your design.

As leading spring manufacturers in Ireland, European Springs supplies the most acceptable range of springs, so machine designers can be confident we’ll meet their specifications exactly.

Springs are a vital component in a broad range of applications. Due to the many different designs and specifications available, these integral pieces have been used in thousands of unique applications spanning every industry and commercial sector. As a result, you’d be hard-pressed to find a product that doesn’t utilise a spring somewhere.

When assembling your components into the final application, you need to know that each part is of high quality and has an appropriate specification to fulfil its role sufficiently. Therefore, a significant decision is to choose a spring supplier you can trust to meet your exact requirements. We have spent decades manufacturing high-quality springs, wire forms and pressings for clients in various sectors. Due to this experience, we feel there are certain integral factors that a reputable spring supplier needs to meet.

Open Communication

If you have little experience communicating with manufacturers, it can be challenging to know which company to trust. However, as expert spring suppliers, we understand that each client will have unique requirements that must be met. We establish this by developing an open line of communication with our clients to create a positive working relationship.

For example, we offer a bespoke manufacturing service that covers many spring designs, including torsions springs. In addition, we encourage cooperative communication between our expert team members and yours to ensure that your springs are precisely how you need them, from initial designs to prototyping and final production. This process is something that we believe is only possible through open, honest discussion.

Bespoke Spring Specifications

Springs are an extremely varied component to suit the many roles they need to fulfil. Different kinds of springs have unique purposes. For example, you’ll find small compression springs inside pens and switches and large ones in automotive suspension systems, but extension springs are used for garage doors and trampolines. However, even with the many different designs to choose from, the demand for customised bespoke springs designed is growing.

Whilst stock springs are helpful, most applications will have unique requirements not readily accounted for by stock components. Relying on stock parts will leave your application open to potential faults. This is why it is essential to choose a spring manufacturer that can quickly adapt its existing processes to suit your needs and offer a bespoke spring design and manufacturing service. At European Springs Ireland, we can manufacture an extensive range of spring designs, including compression, torsion, and tension, along with many other spring designs.

Wide Range of Materials Available

Our modern world creates increasingly more complex products and machines every year, and all of them will have exacting requirements for their internal components, including any springs. As a result, different materials will provide unique advantages but only when used appropriately; substitutions are not recommended as this will harm the integrity of your compression spring design. For example, some metals provide an increased malleability, and other materials are more suited for wave springs. In addition, some materials are prepared for use outdoors with corrosion resistance, whereas others are not. We can manufacture bespoke springs in a broad range of metals, including stainless steel, copper, titanium alloys, Inconel, Hastelloy and Nimonic.

When choosing which spring supplier to select out of the wide range of compression spring manufacturers available, you need to avoid choosing one that only stocks a limited range of materials, thereby reducing the possibilities available for your desired components. Instead, you need a spring manufacturer with expertise with a broad range of materials so that they can get the right design you need and the most effective material for it, ensuring the most extensive longevity possible for your application.

Reduced Lead Times

Time between the start of a commission and its completion must align with a client’s needs for their application. For example, suppose a supplier is providing a discount on their manufactured products, but it means the lead times will be considerably longer. In that case, this may conflict with your established deadlines and create increased logistical costs for you. It would be best to consider a spring supplier who is honest and realistic about the lead times so you can always be aware of the situation and make the best decisions for you accordingly.

The time it takes to fulfil your orders will have many factors attached. For example, the number of units in your batch, their specifications and the availability of the materials they require will all affect this predicted deadline. Therefore, we recommend that when you are making these initial exploratory enquires to spring suppliers, ask if they have flexibility on lead times. In addition, If they can achieve variably sized batches of units and if any supply chain disruptions could affect your commission. Many spring suppliers (including us as European Springs Ireland) have adopted automation to decrease lead times whilst producing cost-effective results. To maintain our position as a leader in spring manufacturing, we invest in the latest equipment, including high-end CNC machinery and automation, as part of our smart factory improvements.

Long-Term Experience in Spring Manufacturing

When looking for your spring supplier, don’t settle for anything less than the best. As leaders in the spring manufacturing industry, we understand the factors that matter to clients and have implemented them into our client-centric approach to daily operations. At European Springs Ireland, we are continuously working to adapt to the ever-changing requirements of our clients. Our team members provide a high level of experience and can supply innovative solutions for your needs. You can learn more about our processes and manufacturing facilities here.

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Author: European Springs Web Team