News & Updates Archives | Page 36 of 75

09/09/2016
Here at European Springs we’re proud members of the Lesjöfors Group and have been since 2007, providing us with invaluable access to a global group of more than 20 manufacturing companies. Lesjöfors worked in close cooperation with Öhlins Racing to help develop innovative chassis motor springs for the 2012 Lamborghini’s hypercar, the Aventador LP700-4.

Characterised by its modern design and lightweight technology, the Lamborghini Aventador was unveiled in March of 2011 at the Geneva motor show. Considered the beginning of a new generation of sports cars, the Aventador has the highest power-to-weight ratio of any vehicle in its class, showcasing a 6.5 litre V12 engine that produced 700hp that allows for 0 to 62mph (or 0 to 100km/h) in 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 217mph (or 350km/h). The Lamborghini Aventador is estimated at a value of 324,000.

In close collaboration with Öhlins Racing, Lesjöfors designed two different springs for the front and rear of the vehicle, with the diverse demands of the shock absorption system in mind; these were also required to comply with the standards set by the Volkswagen Group. Employing a new type of lifting system for levelling the front of the car, the springs needed additional requirements in their design to withstand the Aventador’s innovative systems.

The designed front and rear springs were created with specific stiffness, as the chassis springs provide the vehicle with the exceptional driving qualities the brand is known for, as it simultaneously manages the loads transferred from the wheels into the vehicle.

With the Aventador, the springs are open and non-ground with unusual end fittings. They have a shim composed of rubber between the springs and the spring seats to prevent noise. Through the glass back bonnet both the springs and the dampers are plainly seen.

The spring manufacturing was carried out in Lesjöfors, Sweden, and the comprehensive 28 page long document of specified requirements was the focus for the design process and for testing of these bespoke springs. The entire procedure of teamwork with Öhlins Racing was a close, two-and-a-half year process that carried out wide-ranging tests to ensure the springs had corrosion and fatigue strength resistance. Some steps of the project required both extremely short manufacturing processes and deliveries, and Lesjöfors successfully delivered a high quality product, up to the required standards of the partnership and of Lesjöfors themselves.

According to the Project Manager for the Lamborghini damper at Öhlins Racing, Rade Catovic, Öhlins Racing were highly satisfied with our cooperation with Lesjöfors. Quick responses and innovative problem solving are qualities we have experienced and appreciated much in our contacts with the company.

Showcasing the impressive expertise of the Lesjöfors Group, the Lamborghini collaboration is an excellent example of the innovative designs European Springs believes in and manufactures. Through our Tate Modern and our Liberty in London case studies, our highly skilled engineers surpassed the requirements and demonstrated our leading skill in spring manufacturing. Don’t hesitate to contact us to know more about our services.

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European Springs

26/08/2016
A few weeks ago, we at European Springs received some amazing news – we have been accredited with the ISO 14001:2015 certificate. The certificate has been accredited to our London based site in Beckenham and it was due to the introduction of an effective and successful environmental management system.

We are so delighted with the whole team that was involved that we wanted to acknowledge their fantastic achievement.

What is an Environmental Management System?

An environmental management system (EMS) is the process that manages a company’s or business’s environmental programs in a well-organised, succinct, methodical manner. In a nutshell, the main goals that are laid out for an EMS are that it needs to be compliant with legal requirements and to reduce the amount of waste a company produces. However, for the last point, there is more to it.

If a company simply reduces the amount of waste for a small period of time, they will not be certified. The EMS ensures that there is an official development, implementation and coordination of environmental policies. For example, waste reduction starts off with ideas in order to prevent pollution and minimise waste. This results in the desired outcome and it is something that a company has to continue with maintaining.

How Does It Benefit the Company?

It was found in one study (de Vries et al. 2012) that, by following the standards of the ISO 14001:2015 certificate, harnessing the above certification has been shown to have a positive impact on environmental performance. In addition to this, a company that has this certification can identify cost effective methods to manage their waste and energy systems.

Massive congratulations are in order for our London site. The next step now is to ensure that our sites will thrive and develop. During this, the Leeds and Cornwall sites will start on the journey to be accredited with the same ISO certification. The future of Europeans Springs is a bright and prosperous one.

Well done everyone at European Springs!

European Springs

22/08/2016

The process of choosing materials is a vital step in custom spring design, as the reliability of the design depends on the materials chosen. Minimising costs and improving efficiency is easily achieved through thorough material testing – ensuring that you’re choosing options with structural integrity and quality.
From design to manufacturing, choosing the right materials ensures the highest possible standard for the finished product. This is a consideration that should be taken into account throughout the entire process, from the initial planning stages to the delivery of a final product.

Factors to Consider

The mechanical properties of materials will relate to the design’s strength; the material must possess the appropriate strength and stiffness to allow for proper use in engineering industries. Wear of materials is another concern when designing – manufacturing techniques may put pressure on a product, meaning further wear resistance is necessary.

A methodical process is required to select the highest quality materials; several factors including chemical, thermal, mechanical, electrical, and environmental properties need to be considered before a process of elimination is utilised to choose the best material. Depending on manufacturing techniques, different materials will perform differently under certain conditions.
When choosing a material, it’s vital to determine its flexibility for design and manufacturing. By knowing a material’s limitations, the design process is simplified and its restrictions taken into account.

Sustainability

Becoming a more environmentally conscious business involves the selection of manufacturing materials. The right choice for the products will have high energy efficiency and recyclability levels, allowing you to assure your clients that all practices adhere to legal obligations. By wilfully reforming your business and its efficiency policies, you will be demonstrating sustainability concerns.

Through receiving the ISO 14001 certification, here at European Springs and Pressings Ltd we guarantee an environmental management system that reduces our impact on the environment while improving efficiency.

The right materials elevate a design and showcase engineering expertise; for instance, being similar to the design of springs utilised in BLOODHOUND SSC (SuperSonic Car), our springs were showcased at the Royal Cornwall Museum. Our method of choosing the right materials complements our proficiency in perfecting spring design and manufacturing procedures.

We are leading spring manufacturers and experts in high speed press technology. Here at European Springs and Pressings Ltd we provide optimised and durable products by specialising in high quality source materials. As compression spring manufacturers and tension spring manufacturers, we offer a range of products. For more information about our bespoke springs services contact our highly skilled team on +44 (0) 208 663 1800 and we’ll happily answer any query you have.

Alternatively, you can follow us on Facebook and Twitter to see our latest news and updates.

European Springs

18/08/2016
This month we’ve been getting more than a little excited about the Bloodhound SSC – a SuperSonic Car that has become the focus of a recent exhibition in the Royal Cornwall Museum – and thinking about that car’s beauty and style has also got us thinking about some of the design principles that make it all possible.

One of the most crucial design elements, and something which every engineer should know about (especially those involved in car manufacturing!), aerodynamics means everything that relates to the study of what happens when air hits a solid object and, of course it’s practical application.

And, while we’ve been thinking about it in terms of vehicles lately, it’s actually a crucial element of many items that we see or use each and every day. From wind turbines to bridges, and even the planning for how to lay out entire towns, aerodynamics plays such a vital part in day-to-day life, we thought it was worth putting together a guide laying out the basic principles for those of you who work in other areas to get to grips with

Ancient Origins

While they might not have been discussed as such, the basic principles behind aerodynamics have been known for 1000s of years; key principles such as drag (which we’ll get to in just a moment) would have been needed to power objects such as sailboats and windmills in ancient civilizations, while specific information relating to them appear in the work of writers such as Aristotle (384-322 B.C.).

As early as the 17th Century, aerodynamics began to take shape as the modern discipline that scientists and engineers make use of today. Thanks to brilliant minds such as Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Renard, ideas surrounding aerodynamics have developed over time to become the set of knowledge that we are able to utilise now.

The Fundamentals

As we mentioned earlier, the basic principle of aerodynamics is to work out how an object, such as the wing of a plane, will interact with the air. Essentially, this allows you to consider the forces that will impact the movement of the object, and consider how to limit or enhance them.

One which you’ll almost certainly be familiar with is drag, a force which acts in opposition to the relative motion of an object which is to say, it tries to stop you from moving. A lot of drag can cause turbulence, which has a negative impact on the stability of a vehicle, so designers need to take this into account by making vehicles as streamlined as possible. This will also mean that the vehicle needs less fuel to get up to speed, making it great for conserving energy and helping the environment.

The other important force to know about is lift, which can be calculated by working out the velocity of the air. For something like an aeroplane’s wing or a boat, higher velocity will make for lower pressure – and this is what allows for lift. For a design team, understanding these forces and the relevant equations ensures that a finished product will be faster, more efficient and more stable.

Everyday Application

The uses of aerodynamics that we’ve listed above play an active part in our lives every single day. For instance, aerodynamic clothing allows cyclists themselves to become more streamlined, giving them increased speed. Even better, the way that the air moves over the cyclist means that there will be less drag when it hits the person behind, allowing them to hit quicker speeds with their bike too.

Exactly the same principle also applies to motorsports, allowing the 2nd place vehicle to benefit from the clean air that passes over the lead car. This means that coming up behind a 1st place car as a racing driver can give you the boost needed to accelerated into the lead position.

There’s so much more that we could tell you about the fascinating science of aerodynamics, but hopefully this info has been enough to get you interested!

European Springs

11/08/2016
A group of extremely talented engineers from the John A Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, within Harvard, the prestigious Ivy League University in America, have created the very first entirely soft robot.

The subject of robots is definitely a fascinating one for us here at European Springs, which is the reason why we like to keep up to date (and keep you guys updated) with the latest robotic news!

We were extremely fascinated by the news of this new soft robot – a design that has been given the nickname Octobot. The device, which is powered by microfluidics, has been influenced by the movement, strength and elasticity of octopuses. The Harvard engineers have admitted that these sea creatures have long been inspiration for their breakthrough in robotic design.

An Extremely Challenging Task

The engineers were fully aware that they had set themselves a seemingly impossible task – a robot with no rigid parts has never been done before. Previous attempts had struggled to come up with effective ways to replace the usual components such as batteries and controls. Would it be possible to design a working system that was completely soft?

Extensive Research

The extensive research carried out by the engineers at Harvard have shown that this is entirely possible. The robot – Octobot – is driven by small amounts of hydrogen peroxide. A small amount of liquid fuel is converted into gas through a chemical reaction – this is used to design the soft limbs of the bot.

A 3D printed microfluidic logic circuit is what is responsible for controlling this reaction and controlling when the peroxide decomposes to gas. This is also used to 3D print the functional components that will be used within Octobot – such as the fuel and power storage.

What Next?

Now that the initial concept and research has been completed, the team over at Harvard will now go on to fully design a robot that can crawl and interact within its environment.

They hope that their design will go onto inspire and influence science and roboticists in the future.

There is definitely more to come now that we’ve had this breakthrough in robotics and we can’t wait to hear more! Don’t worry; we will definitely keep you updated!

Until then, please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information on how we can help you make a breakthrough in your own engineering masterpieces.

European Springs

03/08/2016
Springing into action, Redruth based European Springs & Pressings Ltd, is at the heart of an exhibition at Royal Cornwall Museum dedicated to the world’s land speed record attempt by BLOODHOUND SSC (SuperSonic Car).

The new exhibition not only unveils, for the first time, a full size BLOODHOUND interactive model car but also celebrates Cornwall’s past and present engineering successes alongside the UK’s most ambitious engineering feat. European Springs and Pressings Ltd have their engineering expertise showcased with a number of their springs displayed – similar in design to the springs used in BLOODHOUND – alongside fellow Cornwall Manufacturer Group members, Watson-Marlow (WMFTG), with one of their peristaltic pumps.

Two decades on from when Andy Green secured the title as the only person in history to drive faster than the speed of sound at 763mph in 1997, BLOODHOUND is designed to go from 0-1,000mph in 55 seconds, achieving one mile at just 3.6 seconds when it achieves the land speed record in South Africa in October 2017.

Michael Gibbs, Managing Director of European Springs & Pressings says: It is a privilege to be part of this exhibition, to have been chosen as an exemplar of engineering alongside such a global icon is extraordinary and something we’re very proud of.

BLOODHOUND SSC will travel under its own power for the first time at Newquay Aerohub in June 2017, in a slow speed (c.220 mph / 354 km/h) shakedown test. This will also be an opportunity for the BLOODHOUND team to practice live-streaming data and imagery from the car – a key aspect of BLOODHOUND’S mission to share the adventure with a global audience.

The 7.5 tonne and 13.4m long BLOODHOUND will then be shipped off to Upington, South Africa where it will be transported by road to the team’s desert base at Hakskeen Pan.

Eric Nicholls, chair of the Cornwall Manufacturers Group, who are sponsoring the schools element of the Museum’s education programme, concludes: The Duchy’s engineering accomplishments, past, present and future cannot be celebrated enough and I am delighted that some of our members, who contribute to the £732m annual economic impact of manufacturing in Cornwall are part of this significant story.

Follow BLOODHOUND’S extraordinary engineering project and be inspired by engineering by visiting Royal Cornwall Museum’s exhibition from 3 August to 30 October 2016.

European Springs

Category: News & Updates

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