CNC Spring Making Machine Selection Guide

Why Spring Machine Buyers Are Switching from Cam to Camless Systems

If you are sourcing a CNC spring making machine in 2026, you have probably noticed the industry is splitting into two distinct technology camps: cam-based and camless (cam-free) systems. After two decades on the production floor and several hundred machines running across 15+ countries, I can tell you the choice is not about which one is universally "better." It is about matching machine architecture to your wire diameter range, part complexity, and production volume.

Let me walk you through the technical realities with real data from our installed base.

The Core Difference: How Each System Shapes Wire

A cam-based spring making machine uses mechanical cams to control each axis of movement. The cam profile physically dictates the feed, pitch, and cut timing. This makes the system extremely rigid and repeatable for standard compression springs, torsion springs, and simple conical shapes. For high-volume runs of identical parts, cam machines remain a cost-effective workhorse.

A camless spring making machine replaces mechanical cams with independently servo-controlled axes. Each slide moves under its own motor and program instruction. This unlocks geometries that cam machines physically cannot produce: variable pitch on a single coil, complex 3D wire paths, and parts where the diameter changes mid-coil. If you are making tension springs with hook variations, or battery contact springs with sharp directional shifts, camless is the only option.

Dongzheng Spring Machine Lineup: Specifications at a Glance

Here is the full range we have been producing since 2004, with verified specs from the factory floor:

Model	Type	Wire Diameter	Key Feature
HSM-CNC08	Cam coiling	0.08 - 1.0 mm	Micro spring production
HSM-CNC20	Cam coiling	0.2 - 2.0 mm	Best-selling flagship, 100+ units running
HSM-CNC30	Cam coiling	0.8 - 3.0 mm	Mid-range industrial springs
HSM-CNC40	Cam coiling	1.8 - 4.5 mm	Heavy-duty compression springs
HSM-CNC60	Cam coiling	2.0 - 6.0 mm	Optional wire rotary attachment
HSM-CNC1008	Camless	0.1 - 1.0 mm	Fine wire 3D forming
HSM-CNC1025	Camless	0.2 - 2.5 mm	Multi-axis 3D CNC wire bending machine for compression spring work
HSM-CNC1045	Camless with wire rotary	1.8 - 4.5 mm	Large diameter 3D forming

The HSM-CNC20 alone accounts for 100+ machines running globally. That is not marketing copy. It is the number of units we have shipped and tracked over the years, and it is the model our customers in Vietnam, Brazil, Indonesia, and Korea keep reordering.

When to Choose Cam: Real Production Data from Vietnam

In 2010, a Vietnamese spring manufacturer installed one HSM-CNC20 for compression spring production. Eight months later, their daily output had increased by 35 percent compared to their previous equipment, with a spring length accuracy consistently held at ±0.01 mm.

Why did a cam machine deliver those results? Because the parts in question were high-volume compression springs with consistent geometry. The cam profile locked in the parameters, and the machine repeated them thousands of times per shift with zero drift. For this application, adding a camless system would have been over-engineering and would have increased the unit cost without any production benefit.

When to Choose Camless: 3D Geometries and Short Runs

A multi-axis 3D CNC wire bending machine for compression spring production opens up geometries that were previously impossible or required secondary operations. Consider battery contact springs for electronics, surgical guide wires for medical devices, or torsion springs with complex leg shapes for automotive seat mechanisms. These parts demand:

• Variable pitch within a single spring

• 3D bending paths

• Quick changeover between part numbers

• Optional wire rotation for torsion springs

The HSM-CNC1025 and HSM-CNC1045 are designed for exactly this work. The wire rotary option on the 1045 makes it a true CNC spring coiling machine for torsion springs where the free leg angle must be controlled during coiling, not after.

A Note on Service and Long-Term Reliability

A CNC spring making machine is a 10-year investment, not a one-time purchase. Machine downtime is what kills margins, not the initial price tag.

One Brazilian customer bought two HSM-CNC20 units in 2022. They set up a WeChat service group with our engineers. To date, they have never activated the group for a repair request. Four years of zero service calls is not a coincidence. It is what happens when the machine is built with components that match the operating envelope.

A Shenzhen customer in 2026 purchased two HSM-CNC20 units and one HSM-CNC08 press spring machine. Their setup technician had previously worked with machines from several other manufacturers. His unsolicited comment: the Dongzheng machines are stable, durable, and easy to set up. He specifically recommended us.

Most recently, a Vietnamese customer in March 2026 purchased one HSM-CNC20 after seeing our machine at another factory. He compared it against his existing equipment and noted the difference in stability immediately. That kind of referral is the metric I trust.

Decision Framework: Cam or Camless?

Decision Factor	Choose Cam (HSM-CNC08 to 60)	Choose Camless (HSM-CNC1008 to 1045)
Wire diameter	0.08 - 6.0 mm	0.1 - 4.5 mm
Spring type	Compression, simple torsion	3D, variable pitch, complex torsion
Production volume	High, identical parts	Medium to high, multiple SKUs
Part changeover	Slower (cam change)	Fast (program change)
Typical buyer	Automotive, furniture, hardware	Electronics, medical, aerospace

Open Question for the Industry

Given that wire diameter ranges now overlap significantly between cam and camless systems, do you think the cam machine will eventually disappear from the compression spring segment, or will its lower unit cost keep it dominant for high-volume standard parts? I am curious what production engineers running real shifts every day are seeing on their lines.

Drop your view in the comments. No marketing talk, just shop floor experience.

HSM-CNC20 Specifications for Reference

• **Model:** HSM-CNC20 Cam Spring Machine

• **Wire diameter:** 0.2 - 2.0 mm (some applications up to 4.0 mm with tooling adjustments)

• **Axes:** Multi-axis CNC control

• **Accuracy:** ±0.01 mm maintained over production runs

• **Installed base:** 100+ units globally, outside China sales of 150+ units across 15+ countries

• **Track record:** Vietnam 40+ units, Brazil 10+ units, Indonesia 5+ units, Korea 5+ units

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