This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
This Website Uses Cookies
By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Learn More
This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
Assembly Magazine logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Assembly Magazine logo
  • Home
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Digital Edition
    • Archives
    • Specs Book
    • How-To-Guide
    • Buyers Guide
  • Exclusives
    • Plant of the Year
      • About Plant of the Year
      • Nomination Form
    • Capital Spending
    • State of the Profession
  • Industries
    • Aerospace
    • Appliance
    • Automotive
    • Medical Devices
    • DFMA Assembly
    • Green Manufacturing
    • Lean Manufacturing
    • Electronics Assembly
    • Machinery Assembly
  • Technologies
    • Adhesives
    • Assembly Presses
    • Automated Assembly
    • Dispensing
    • Motion Control
    • Screwdriving and Riveting
    • Plastics Assembly
    • Robotics
    • Test and Inspection
    • Welding
    • Wire Processing
    • Workstations
  • Columns
    • Assembly in Action
    • Automation Profiles
    • Medical Device Assembly
    • On Campus
    • Shipulski on Design
    • The Editorial
    • XYZ
    • Moser on Manufacturing
    • 21st Century Assembly
    • Mind Your Ps and Qs
  • New Products
  • More
    • Web Exclusives
    • Classifieds
    • eNewsletter
    • Blog
    • Market Research
    • Store
    • Product Spotlight
    • White Papers
    • Integrated Showcase
    • Custom Content & Marketing Solutions
    • Monthly Quiz
    • Sponsored Insight
  • Multimedia
    • Assembly Radio
    • Assembly TV
    • Image Galleries
    • Webinars
    • Interactive Spotlights
    • eBooks
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • The Assembly Show
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
  • InfoCenters
    • Collaborative Robot Revolution
    • Factory of the Future
Home » Spirol Fine-Tunes its Processes With SPC Software
Assembly in ActionScrewdriving and Riveting AssemblyTest and Inspection Assembly

Spirol Fine-Tunes its Processes With SPC Software

Spirol International Corp

Synergy software lets Spirol operators capture data instantly and monitor a manufacturing process from start to finish.
Photo courtesy Spirol International Corp.

November 1, 2012
KEYWORDS coiled pin assembly / fastener manufacturing / fastener quality / SPC software / statistical process control
Reprints

 Back in 1948, Spirol International Corp. introduced its first product: the coil pin. This fastener is made of carbon steel and designed to dampen shock and vibration, eliminating hole damage during assembly and extending product life.

Today, Spirol manufactures more than 2 billion fastening components annually. Customers all over the world use Spirol’s metal fasteners, shims, disc springs, compression limiters, machined nuts, pin and insert installation equipment, and vibrating parts feeders.

In 2009, Spirol began looking for new statistical process control (SPC) software. The company had been using a handheld cpk calculator called Genesis. However, it did not provide immediate graphical display of SPC and historical data. Spirol switched to Synergy 2000 software made by Zontec.

“We use 110 pieces of equipment that monitor more than 22,000 items,” says Mike Woznicki, quality manager for Spirol. “We needed software that could capture

“We needed software that could capture data instantly, enabling our operators to monitor a manufacturing process from start to finish and, if appropriate, take corrective action."

data instantly, enabling our operators to monitor a manufacturing process from start to finish and, if appropriate, take corrective action. The processes can use up to six machines and involve up to 1 million pieces.”

Because Spirol operates production rates up to 500 pieces a minute, the company needed to ensure in advance that any changes they made in the manufacturing process would enhance overall quality.

“With Synergy, we have the ability to test slight modifications [to parts and equipment] before we implement them on the shop floor,” says Woznicki. “For example, we can experiment with what belt speed works best for our heat-treating process based on the hardness readings related to temperature, time and belt speed. We learned from that process which speed gave us the optimal hardness that allowed us to increase productivity without sacrificing any characteristics of the part.”

Spirol was also able to make changes in their phosphating rust-prevention process. Based on the coating, they were statistically able to compare time and temperature with their salt spray results.

“Since implementing Synergy, we have increased productivity and concurrently reduced the variation in our end product,” says Woznicki. “Now operators have a graphical display that allows them to see if they are trending towards the up-per or lower tolerances. They can immediately make adjustments. Also, we are now able to take more measurements in a shift with just the click of a button. We can see more of the process than we did in the past.”

Besides enabling Spirol to capture more characteristics data without adding personnel, Synergy has helped the manufac-turer increase customer confidence.

“We are able to show our customers in real-time that their product is ‘in control,’” says Woznicki. “We bring every customer to an SPC station where they can view the data live. Without Synergy, we wouldn’t be able to do that.”

For more information on SPC software, call 866-955-0088 or visit www.zontec-spc.com.
 

subscribe to assembly

Related Articles

Assembly in Action: SPC Software Speeds Data Collection, Business Growth

Assembly In Action: Paperless Lean Manufacturing is Elementary With MES Software

SPIROL Releases New Coiled Pin Design Guide

Free E-Book Discusses Manufacturing Intelligence

Subscribe For Free!
  • Print & Digital Edition Subscriptions
  • Assembly eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • Mobile App

More Videos

Popular Stories

Bobcat manufacturing

Bobcat Announces Manufacturing and Assembly Facility Upgrades

Toyota manufacturing

Mazda-Toyota Assembly Plant Will Begin Hiring Soon

Wearable Device 11-27

Wearable Lets Users Control IoT-Enabled Devices With Brain Waves

Breaking and Industry News

Airstream Manufacturing Expands With $50 Million Factory

Rayovac 11-20

Energizer Moving VT Battery Manufacturing Facility to Former Rayovac Plant

Upcoming Assembly Events and Webinars

Events

January 30, 2020

New Year, New Technology: Starting 2020 with Collaborative Robots

We’re starting another new year but your business challenges--like labor shortages, ergonomic risks and product quality--aren’t going away. You may have been thinking about implementing collaborative robots for some time. Make 2020 the year you turn a new leaf and get on board with cobots!

January 1, 2030

Webinar Sponsorship Information

For webinar sponsorship information, visit www.bnpevents.com/webinars or email webinars@bnpmedia.com.

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Cloud Computing

Are you using cloud computing at your assembly plant?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

Welding: Principles & Practices

Welding: Principles & Practices

This text introduces students to a solid background in the basic principles and practices of welding.

See More Products
assembly buyers guide

Assembly Magazine

assembly dec 2019

2019 December

The 2019 December Assembly features our Capital Spending Report, plus much more. Check it out today!
View More Create Account
  • More
    • Assembly Plant of the Year
    • Manufacturing Group
    • List Rental
    • Organizations
    • Connect
    • Want More?
    • Polls
    • Privacy Policy
    • Subscribe
    • Survey And Sample

Copyright ©2019. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing