Method and apparatus for producing a helical spring

An apparatus for producing a helical spring by coiling an element wire while feeding the wire, and performing an after-treatment including at least a warm setting process, comprising:

• parameter providing means for providing a plurality of parameters for defining a shape of a target helical spring;
• shape determination means for performing a warm setting simulation for defining a change in shape of a certain helical spring by applying thereto the warm setting process through a simulation, to determine a free height of a helical spring before the warm setting process on the basis of a free height of the target helical spring, and determining a shape of the helical spring before the after-treatment, on the basis of at least the free height of the helical spring before the warm setting process and the plurality of parameters;
• working conditions determination means for determining working conditions for coiling the element wire on the basis of the shape of the helical spring before the after-treatment determined by the shape determination means;
• coiling means for coiling the element wire to produce a coiled wire;
• driving means for driving the coiling means in accordance with the working conditions determined by the working conditions determination means;
• and
• after-treatment means for applying the after-treatment to the coiled wire produced by the coiling means, to produce the target helical spring.