Category: Science

At European Springs, we take great pride in our expertise in designing and manufacturing various spring and pressing products for various applications. These humble yet indispensable components prove their versatility across various household, workplace and transportation objects as reliable parts. Read on to see how many springs you unconsciously encounter daily, the importance of understanding different spring designs, and our bespoke services to create these applications.

Springs in Household Items

Springs are ubiquitous in countless household items, pivotal in their functionality and convenience. While the list is extensive, we can only touch upon a few examples.

Sprung Mattress

Springs are the unsung heroes of a good night’s rest. As we lay down to sleep, the compression springs in a sprung mattress provide crucial support for our bodies. They react to our movements throughout the night, ensuring optimal comfort and alignment. Without these springs, a restful night’s sleep would be impossible.

Door Handles

Have you ever considered the role of springs when opening doors? We rely on them countless times daily as we enter and exit rooms. Torsion springs provide the necessary tension, making it effortless to grip and turn door handles, allowing smooth operation with minimal effort. This spring design is used in any size door that operates on a hinge principle, be it a large facility, internal home or even microwave door.

Remote Control

Next time you use a remote control, take a moment to appreciate the springs at work. Without springs, remote controls and similar battery-operated devices would cease to function. This vital combination of springs and pressings completes the electrical circuit within the remote control battery compartment, enabling the transmission of signals to control electronic devices. They provide the necessary power for the device to operate without dependence on external power sources or wires.

DVD Drives and Games Consoles

Tension springs have an essential role in the design of DVD, Blu-ray and games console entertainment devices by providing the necessary force to maintain the function of the drive tray. These springs are typically used in the loading mechanism of the players, allowing the tray to smoothly open and close.

When the eject or load button is pressed, the spring expands or contracts, exerting the required force to move the tray. Without tension springs, DVD and Blu-ray players’ smooth operation and functionality would be compromised. Including these springs ensures reliable and efficient performance, allowing users to load and eject discs conveniently.

Springs in Workplace Items

Workplace equipment often incorporates spring designs to enhance functionality and improve user experience. For example, various pieces of office stationery would surprise people with custom spring designs within them.

Staplers and Hole Punchers

Staplers and hole puncher springs use tension and compression to provide the necessary force to compress the material being worked on. These springs are typically located inside the tool’s main body and push the plunger forward when pressure is applied to the handle.

Badge Holders

Retractable badge holders often use spring designs to enable the cord or chain to be easily pulled in and out of the holder. These retractable mechanisms typically include a clock spring that stores energy from the user’s pull and unwinds to extend the cord or chain. The spring tension is designed to be strong enough to securely retract the cord or chain while remaining sufficiently flexible to offer a comfortable and convenient user experience.

Mechanical Pens

Pens and pen caps often utilise compression springs to ensure a secure and smooth action when opening and closing. The spring is usually located in the pen barrel or the cap and applies the necessary force to hold the cap in place or move the pen tip forward.

Springs in Transportation

We cannot avoid encountering springs even when travelling from home to work. Springs have a vital role in the transportation and automotive industry and are highly effective at helping us easily get from our homes to workplaces.

Springs in Cars

Springs in cars play a crucial role in providing a smooth and comfortable ride for commuters. Suspension systems with coil springs absorb shocks and vibrations, ensuring a stable and controlled driving experience. The springs in these systems are significantly improved over the years but you’ll also find compression springs in other areas such as the seats.

Springs in Trains

In the rail industry, springs serve as vital components in the suspension systems of both locomotives and carriages. They help absorb the lateral and vertical forces generated during train travel, ensuring a stable ride and passenger comfort. These springs assist in maintaining the balance and stability of the train, facilitating a safe and efficient commute between home and work.

Springs n Busses

Busses also rely on springs, specifically in their suspension systems, to provide passengers with a smooth and comfortable journey. Coil springs or air springs support the weight of the bus and absorb bumps and vibrations, resulting in a more pleasant ride. By ensuring a comfortable travel experience, these springs help people commute effortlessly from their homes to their workplaces.

Bespoke Spring Manufacturing from European Springs.

These are just some of the many items that depend on springs to function, and they, in turn, rely on spring manufacturers like us to create these components to the highest standard.

With our expertise and commitment to excellence, application designers can trust that their products will meet the highest standards and surpass customers’ expectations. A partnership between your designers and our team of engineering manufacturers is essential in achieving innovative and reliable solutions for the above examples and many more across every sector.

To enquire about our bespoke service, contact us today, and we’ll help get your application the spring designs it needs.

Understanding common spring issues is vital for ensuring reliable performance in your product, machine design or other application. By familiarising yourself with these issues, you proactively prevent potential failures and setbacks in your process.

Read on to discover the importance of understanding common spring issues both before and after the manufacturing process and the consequences of spring failure.

Importance of Understanding Common Spring Issues

To ensure optimal performance and longevity of your designs, it’s crucial to have a deep understanding of common spring issues. This knowledge allows you to:

• Select the right spring type for your application, considering load capacity, material properties, and environmental conditions.
• Implement preventive measures to avoid spring failures and their associated risks.
• Take timely action in case of any signs of spring problems, ensuring prompt resolution and minimal impact on your operations.

Identifying Signs of Spring Problems Before Failure

Identifying early signs of spring problems is essential not only to prevent catastrophic failures but also to ensure the reliability and longevity of your springs. Here are some common signs of spring issues and their significance to help you proactively approach spring maintenance.

Spring Deformation

Deformation is a broad term that includes the bending, twisting, or warping of a spring and is a clear sign of a problem. Such issues will occur due to a form of spring failure or improper installation. For instance, compression springs that appear curved or misaligned have likely been deformed, and this would indicate an underlying issue in one of the previously mentioned areas.

Spring Loss of Load

A significant decrease in the load-bearing capacity of a spring is an indicator of a problem. It can result from material fatigue, overloading beyond the spring’s limits, or corrosion, among other factors. Suppose your tension springs cannot maintain their supposed tension or sags under a reduced load. In that case, it may have lost its load-bearing capability.

Spring Noise

Squeaking, popping, or grinding noises may occur due to misalignment, insufficient lubrication, or damaged components. For example, if your torsion springs produce creaking sounds during operation, it could be due to friction or misalignment.

By recognising these signs of spring problems early on, you can take measures to address issues before they worsen. Vigilance and prompt action can prevent catastrophic failures, production downtime, and safety hazards. Regular inspections and maintenance are essential to extend the lifespan and enhance the performance of your springs.

Understanding Spring Failure Modes

In order to ensure the reliability and longevity of your springs, it’s crucial to understand the three main failure modes: fatigue, overloading, and corrosion, some of which we mentioned earlier.

Let’s explore each of these failure modes in detail and understand their impact on spring performance and overall design.

Spring Fatigue

Fatigue failure happens due to repeated cyclic loading and unloading over time. This failure mode leads to a weakening of the spring, reducing its load-bearing capability. Inadequate design, material selection, and manufacturing processes contribute to this failure mode.

To mitigate spring fatigue, it’s essential to use high-quality springs from reputable manufacturers. These manufacturers adhere to strict quality standards and employ advanced manufacturing techniques to ensure the durability and reliability of their springs. By prioritising quality, you can minimise the risk of fatigue failure and safeguard the performance of your spring systems.

Spring Overloading

Overloading occurs when a spring is subjected to loads beyond its designed capacity. Insufficient design calculations and unexpected external forces can lead to overloading, causing permanent damage or failure. Taking a proactive approach to load management is key to avoiding failures and maintaining the reliability of spring applications.

Spring Corrosion

Corrosion is the gradual deterioration of a spring’s material due to chemical reactions with its environment. Exposure to moisture, chemicals, high temperatures or corrosive substances can lead to corrosion and weaken the structural integrity of the spring.

Taking proactive steps during the important spring prototyping stage is essential to compensate for this potential issue. For example, consider selecting corrosion-resistant materials that can withstand the anticipated working environment. Stainless steel or coated springs are popular choices. Proper spring surface treatments or finishes should be applied to protect against corrosion.

Additionally, regular maintenance, including inspections and cleaning, will help identify and address any corrosion that occurs over time. Knowing these failure modes is vital since it allows experienced spring manufacturers like us to take steps to eliminate the risks. Regular process inspections and reviews, material selection, and adhering to perfected design guidelines ensure we maintain optimal spring design performance and extend their lifespan with our customers.

Consequences of Spring Failures

Spring failures can have significant consequences, impacting both your productivity and bottom line. Let’s explore the potential outcomes of spring failures:

Machine Downtime: When a spring fails, it can lead to unplanned downtime in your machines or equipment. This downtime disrupts production schedules, causing delays and affecting overall efficiency. Time lost during repairs or spring replacement can result in substantial financial losses.

Safety Hazards: Failed springs can pose serious safety hazards, endangering both machine operators and end-users. For example:

• Spring failures in heavy machinery or equipment can cause sudden movements, leading to accidents and injuries.
• In safety-critical systems, such as automotive suspension or braking, spring failures can compromise the overall functionality, putting lives at risk.

Increased Costs: Spring failures not only lead to costly repairs or replacements but also result in additional expenses, such as:

• Production losses due to machine downtime.
• Investigation and diagnosis of the root causes of the spring failure.
• Extra expenses related to any damages caused by the failure (e.g., product recalls or legal liabilities).

Understanding the potential consequences of spring failures underscores the need for proactive maintenance, a reliable spring manufacturing process and effective troubleshooting strategies. By addressing common spring issues, you can avoid these consequences and ensure the smooth operation of your products and machines.

Leading UK Spring Manufacturer

We’re dedicated to providing high-quality spring manufacturing services thanks to the expert knowledge our engineers have developed combatting spring failure. Whatever your spring needs may be, we’re passionate about providing personalised support.

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or require further assistance. Let’s ensure the longevity and precision of your spring systems together.

Here at European Springs, we have over seven decades of experience designing, manufacturing, and implementing our springs in various sectors. As a result, we produce an impressive stock catalogue of springs and are familiar with every type, including the unlimited scope of custom and bespoke springs. This enables us to work closely with all industries, providing our expertise and high-quality products to the masses.

However, this world may seem complicated and somewhat daunting for those not in the spring manufacturing industry. So to shed some light on the importance of the sector, we’re exploring everything you need to know about springs in physics. We’re taking it back to basics by exploring the definition of a spring, the history of its design, the importance of spring durability, and so much more. Read on to learn about the fascinating past of springs and how we at European Springs use this knowledge to assist us in manufacturing high-quality, durable products for a wide range of industries.

What Are Springs?

Before we delve into the physics behind spring design, let’s take a look into what a spring actually is. There are many different wordings of the definition of a spring. Essentially, a spring is a flexible object that can store and exert force and mechanical energy simultaneously when subjected to force. While doing so, it deforms in shape before returning to its original form when the force has been removed.

Springs come in an extensive range of forms, including:

• Compression springs
• Torsion springs
• Suspension springs
• Wave springs
• And so many more.

Each of these spring types provides the user with a list of benefits and capabilities suited to a different use. As a result, the use of springs is almost endless. They can be found in practically every industry, from farming and agricultural machinery to the medical sector and everything in between.

How Were Springs Invented?

Springs have been in use throughout human history, with some of the first recorded examples in use within the bow and arrow. From there, developments occurred globally, with the spring going from strength to strength and incorporating itself into a range of objects, such as tweezers.

It wasn’t until the late 15^th century that the first coiled spring was documented. This documentation of use included springs in door locks and spring-powered clocks. The latter led to the implementation of springs within watch design, a manufacturing practice still in use today.

However, it was Robert Hooke who propelled the use of springs in 1676 with Hooke’s Law.

All About Hooke’s Law

In 1676, English scientist, mathematician and architect Robert Hooke made a discovery that would forever change springs in physics. In simple terms, his idea was that the more a spring is deformed, the more force is needed to further deform it. He noticed this when looking into the stress vs strain curve and how for many materials, they have a linear region.

When stretching a metal spring, the force required to deform it is directly proportional to the spring’s extension. In algebraic terms, this is written:

F = -kX

F is force, k is spring constant, and x is the deformation or extension length.

Of course, like with every rule, there are exceptions. For example, if a spring is stretched too far, it will not conform to Hooke’s Law, and when this happens, the measurements are taken, and this length is considered the elastic limit.

The Spring Constant

To further understand the importance of Hooke’s Law, let’s dive into the k within the formula, otherwise known as the spring constant.

This part of the equation refers to the exact force needed to deform a spring. For example, if you want a stronger spring, the spring constant must be high; the lower it is, the weaker the spring.

Various factors come into determining the spring factors, such as:

• The diameter of the wire and the coil
• The material used to manufacture the spring
• The length of the spring when relaxed
• The number of coils

Once you have determined this, you can work out what needs to be done to achieve your ideal spring constant for the usage of your spring.

Where Does Spring Physics Come Into Spring Design and Manufacture

As leading spring manufacturers, we understand that physics plays a significant part in the design and manufacturing of springs. Understanding Hooke’s Law, the spring constant, and the other physical elements of a spring allow you to customise a spring to your exact specifications, which is precisely what we do here at European Springs.

It’s essential for our designers and manufacturers to know how a spring will behave in different circumstances. For example, durability is crucial for many of our clients who need their springs to handle a significant amount of force. We know that in order to strengthen a spring, thus making it more durable, we need to increase the spring constant.

A lot of the time, these things can’t be estimated and instead require precise numbers in order to get the desired result. Our experienced and knowledgeable engineers have been specially trained to ensure that the best results are achieved for every single spring designed and manufactured here at European Springs.

We are proud to produce an extensive range of specialised springs with this knowledge and can provide bespoke springs to your exact specifications considering the physics detailed above.

Mechanical springs are present in every area of our lives, and it is easy to take these practical components for granted. A humble spring may seem simple, but manufacturing high-quality springs involves implementing a surprising number of complicated processes.

What Is Spring Winding?

The first step, spring winding, is the generalised term used to cover the many different ways springs are physically manufactured. This name is related to the winding nature of most spring designs but with slight changes for each type.

Spring wire is fed into one of our advanced CNC (computer numerical control) machines, which will be straightened into a default, flat shape before being manipulated into the desired result.

Coiling Machines

Spring coilers will feed the wire into rollers that draw it through guides that culminate in a coiling point. The wire is coiled backward at this point to form the intended spring shape. This is used to create many custom spring designs, such as tension, torsion and compression springs.

Forming Machines

We use forming machines to create tension, torsion springs and varied wire forms. A spring-forming CNC machine will have six to eight tooling slides on the face which help it perform several bends and hoops in addition to the standard spring coil. As a result, this machine has more adaptability than a coiling machine.

Bending Machines

Computers control our CNC bending machines as they use a variety of uniquely placed rollers. These rollers will form the inserted flat wire into bespoke wire form designs. Then, rollers moving tool heads, and guides push and pull the metal into the final design. This machine is usually chosen for high-quality wire forms but can be used for bespoke spring designs.

Heat Treating Springs

The second step, heat treatment, is a beneficial process that helps improve the quality of the material of the spring. The heated processes will modify the crystalline structure of the metal alloys through repeated heating and cooling. This will be conducted at different intensities and durations, with the effect on the material being:

• Increase durability
• Higher temperature resistance
• Increased ductility

Spring manufacturers provide this service as part of the metal fabrication process because it has dramatically improved physical properties without altering the dimensions. Common heat treatments are hardening, annealing, quenching and tempering.

Hardening

Metal hardening is where the alloys are heated above the critical temperature for the material and then cooled again rapidly. There are various ways of quickly cooling the materials, including the quenching process. Few metals are only hardened; most will have additional treatments such as tempering or stress relieving to improve their workability and toughness.

Quenching

This cooling process has a significant effect on metals. Quenching can be done minimally with air cooling or dramatically with water or oil. The rapid cooling of quenching essentially freezes the microstructure of the metal and creates stress. This unintended side-effect can be fixed with tempering.

Tempering

The cooling process puts metal under strain, but that can be relieved with tempering. Tempering further develops the material’s properties and balances them out after the hardening and quenching process. The specifics will vary depending on the desired result and the material.

Generally, tempering involves reheating the cooled metal at a relatively low temperature. The material’s microstructure creates chemical precipitation and spheroidzation of the internal elements. Spheroidzation is particularly relevant to compression springs as it assists with rolling the coils.

Annealing

This process aims to increase ductility, specifically, making the material more malleable without fracturing. This reduced hardness is because the annealing process reduces the dislocations inside the metal’s crystalline structure.

Dislocations are defects inherent within metals. These irregularities strongly influence the properties of the metal, with an excess number increasing the metal’s corrosion susceptibility. Therefore, annealing is usually performed on materials that have been cold-worked or hardening to prevent the metal from becoming brittle.

Coating and Finishing

The final phase of spring manufacturing involves applying coating, plating or other finishing processes. If heat treatment is about the internal quality of the metal, then this stage addresses the external surface.

Spring manufacturers ensure their springs have the most extended longevity by applying effective coatings that prevent corrosion and improve visual aesthetics.

Shot Peening

Shot peening is where the finished springs are attacked with spherical shots. This effect applies compression stress, which can be seen as compression dimples on the surface. In addition, shot peening strengthens the material against fatigue, corrosion and cracking.

Plating

A thin layer of metal is applied to the surface of the spring during an electroplating process – a mixture of chemicals and electrical currents attach the plating to the metal. This process improves corrosion resistance as a fresh layer protects the spring below. Plating is also used to improve a spring’s aesthetics or electrical conductivity.

European Springs has a long history of manufacturing the highest quality springs for companies globally. Leaving handmade manufacturing behind, we use advanced CNC machines to produce large batches of bespoke springs, usually using the many varied steps outlined above.