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Reducing the environmental damage of various industries in the UK is a challenge that manufacturing is rising to. The main focus is to reduce harmful ecological waste and make carbon emissions neutral through reduced output and offset compensation efforts.

Industries like manufacturing have significantly negatively affected the environment for many decades. Still, with new processes being developed often, the industry has a greener future.

UK Sustainability Challenge

It has been just over a year since the UK hosted COP 26 (United Nations Climate Change Conference #26) at the end of November 2021. This impactful conference addressed three main goals related to reversing climate change:

Revisiting the 2015 Paris Agreement for improvements such as limiting warming to 1.5°C
Phasing down unabated coal usage
Committing to financing climate change efforts in developing countries

There was also a pledge to increase countries to aim for Net Zero status. With over 40 countries already committed to reversing deforestation and electricity generated from coal, they adopted over 140 members into the Net Zero plan.

The UK government heavily supports the Net Zero 2050 plan as a road map for companies to improve their ecological status. It involves time-based targets that must be met to create a genuinely carbon-neutral economy in our country. However, rather than one single way, many smaller methods are helping spring manufacturers achieve their sustainability goals.

What Are Green Skills?

Green skills are an assistive framework that promotes a more sustainable approach in many areas, including manufacturing. In addition, these skills positively affect individual attitudes within the workplace regarding environmental care. Examples of these are already evident in many workplaces with recycling, but green skills develop it further with adaptable competencies that create a broad green mindset.

Competencies are the culmination of shared skills, knowledge and values that help workers act on a green mindset without distraction from their daily work. Using these green skills, minor ecological improvements can be made daily, building over time into significant, permanent change. The details of these skills will be dependent on your company’s focus, but there are three primary competencies:

Cognitive Competencies

Cognitive involves the company’s awareness of their effect on the environment and what green practices will reduce them to promote sustainability. This competency is relatively fluid, as it can change and grow as new innovations are discovered and applied to your working methods.

Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Competencies

Whereas cognitive is thought of as planning, development, and study, these two are about implementing the ideas to assess their effectiveness. Interpersonal involves creating strategies for your team to follow and establishing guidelines for long-term goals that will track progress. Intrapersonal addresses new skills that may be required but are also intricately connected to technological competencies.

Technological Competencies

Many new eco-friendly processes involve new machinery, technology or strategies that will help reduce harmful waste or carbon emissions. One already wildly successful example is the general elimination of paper correspondence in business, such as letters or printed emails. The increasing implementation of digital processes such as emails has drastically reduced paper waste. The same concept can be applied to other areas of manufacturing. Being more attentive to the sourced raw materials and choosing recycled sources reduces the industry’s effect on the environment immensely.

Sustainable Circular Models

Sourcing the required materials sustainably required significant changes across manufacturing processes. Circular models aim to eliminate the traditional linear method of product creation that leads to waste and link it to have the waste support new creation. Recycling supports a circular model, but the concept needs to be developed furth within industries. Improving the circular economy model to a remanufacturing plan means greater security and reduced costs relating to sourcing materials as the waste can be reused.

Manufacturing is a high-energy industry that uses many resources and electricity to operate productively. As a result, most facilities are contributing to carbon offset schemes for their power generation needs and supporting the increased development of renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and wave. The increased availability of these renewable sources has led many facility owners to invest in local generation with smaller wind turbines and roofs covered in solar panels. These sources will supplement some of the substantial energy needs of manufacturing parts and components, thereby simultaneously reducing energy costs and environmental impact.

A Sustainable Future for Manufacturing

European Springs is committed to supporting a more ecologically sound industry for future generations. Decreasing the industry’s impact on the environment will secure that future and maintain the integrity of habitats worldwide. Sustainable material use and manufacture also eliminate toxic by-products from waste entering nature’s systems and harming both plants, animals, and humans.

European Springs is a leading manufacturer of custom springs in the UK, and we are constantly working to improve our high-quality spring manufacturing processes, so they continue to have a minimal environmental impact. Contact us to discuss our working methods or any bespoke spring designs you need for your next application.

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:

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.

Industry 4.0, also known as the fourth industrial revolution, represents a remarkable technological shift in the way manufacturing companies operate.

The term covers a broad collection of new operational methods and systems connected to digital systems or those entirely online. This digital industrial revolution is set to change many elements of manufacturing for the better, improving productivity, control and costs sector industry wide.

What Is a Digital Industrial Revolution

There have been many industrial revolutions, each creating permanent change in the manufacturing industry. Starting with the first industrial revolution, steam power and mechanisation were introduced. This replaced hand labour and significantly increased a manufacturer’s productivity.

The second revolution involved replacing steam power with electricity. This encouraged a more global industry that could accommodate vastly larger production lines and more cost-effective creation of components. The third revolution is one we’ve been enjoying for many years. Computerised numerical control (CNC) machinery and robotics increased the potential for automation in manufacturing.

The fourth and most recent revolution stands out from the rest because it is a digital industrial revolution. Whereas the previous ones primarily involved developing machinery or computers, this one improves those with cloud-based analytics and AI.

The Goal of Industry 4.0

The first industrial revolution evolved from a German initiative (Industrie 4.0) into a worldwide term for digital improvement across manufacturing. Comprised of many smaller parts, the term covers many changing processes depending on the company, but some aspects are universal.

Here are some of the main goals of Industry 4.0:

Increased automation
Interconnectivity between physical and digital manufacturing (Industrial IoT)
More closed-loop data systems
Increase productivity and efficiency
Increase in the use of smart products instead of a central control system
More customisation and personalisation of products

Many of these goals are focused on automation through digitising processes to make manufacturing systems more efficient and run smoothly.

What Are the Elements of Industry 4.0?

Many new components exist within Industry 4.0, which collaborate to create a robust set of manufacturing tools.

Using Cyber-Physical Systems

This is one of the goals mentioned above of Industry 4.0 and aims to combine the use of physical and digital systems. So, for example, computer systems could be set up to monitor the progress of biological processes, such as custom springs production. It could alert those that need to be altered if anything is wrong, such as the dimensions.

Smart Factory

Industry 4.0 will see the implementation of smart factories in manufacturing companies worldwide. A smart factory is an automated cyber-physical system that uses innovative technology to learn and develop as it works.

The Internet of Things

The Internet of Things is another cyber-physical system that communicates with machinery and operates equipment while simultaneously allowing humans to be proactive and work. It works through a network of connected devices that exchange data with each other to improve communications and productivity in the workplace.

The Internet of Services

This process is linked to the Internet of Things. Still, instead of focusing on the communication aspect, it focuses on the cyber-physical connections and the best ways of integrating these systems seamlessly for an efficient and productive workplace.

The Benefits of Industry 4.0 for Manufacturing Companies

A new industrial revolution will always bring many benefits to manufacturing companies. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of Industry 4.0 for those in the sector:

Less machine downtime. As fewer physical machines are used, there will be much less downtime. When devices are out of action, processes can come to a halt, which seriously impacts productivity. As spring manufacturers ourselves, we understand the importance of the smooth runnings of machinery
Increased knowledge of digitisation. In this digitally evolving world, an understanding of digital practices is essential. Industry 4.0 allows manufacturers to learn on the job and practice their digital skills.
Better supply chain management. Industry 4.0 allows better supply chain management by improving communications between every stage of the supply process.

Are There Any Downsides to Industry 4.0?

Of course, as with any change to the manufacturing sector, there are downsides as well as overwhelming positive factors. Let’s take a look:

It increases cybersecurity risks. When moving onto Industry 4.0, digitisation increases, so it’s essential to ensure your cybersecurity systems are set up and prepared for the changes to protect your business.
Digital inequality. An increase in digitisation will require more money and time put into preparation to guarantee that the transition is smooth. Unfortunately, some companies do not have the facilities for this, creating some industry inequality.

Despite the drawbacks, here at European Springs, we are always ready to embrace change and excited about these changes to the manufacturing industry. Keep up to date with industry news by heading to our blog, and feel free to contact us, as expert bespoke spring manufacturers, for enquires or anything else you believe we could help with.

The manufacturing industry is an industry of growth and innovation that has adapted to many unforeseen events. For example, the pandemic lockdowns should have damaged the UK manufacturing industry, but these challenges have been overcome, and the industry has grown stronger. Now, with these challenges behind us, the manufacturing industry can look forward to setting new targets and achieving more goals in 2023.

Increased Sustainability

Sustainability is a crucial focus of the manufacturing industry and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future. The future of manufacturing is green, but there are many ways to achieve this. This is due to an increased awareness of the industry’s effect on the environment and the UK government’s plans to create a Net Zero Economy by 2050. Whilst the eventual target is to create a carbon-neutral economy by 2050, manufacturers are aware of the impending milestone in 2030 to reduce total carbon emissions to 45%.

Lean Manufacturing

Many commercial and industrial sectors have dedicated themselves to discovering new ways of maintaining their current operations, but with a reduced environmental impact. In-house waste management and energy usage are the main focuses of many companies as ways of optimising their production. This will improve their environmental impact but also has the side effect of creating a more financially efficient operation that wastes fewer materials. This can be achieved by managers exploring their in-house operations and the elements of their supply chain that proceed with it.

Supply chains are still feeling significant disruptions from the pandemic lockdown. However, as part of the manufacturing industry’s attempts to create a more stable supply chain, many are using the opportunity to explore more sustainable ways of acquiring the vital resources they need. Examples of these environmentally positive efforts are manufacturers eliminating unnecessary transportation, only sourcing what they need with no excess and reducing overproduction methods to their efficient minimums. Other efforts include investment in renewables and paying a ‘carbon debt’ that acts as a counterbalance to their operations and creates a balanced relationship with nature.

Automated Factories

Smart factories and automation have been the focus of significant investment this year and are predicted to continue into 2023. Automation within manufacturing is an existing method that is already highly embraced. For example, as tension spring manufacturers, we use high-quality CNC machines that have proven the increased efficiency and accuracy of automating complex manufacturing processes. This concept has grown into companies investing in robotics and other ways of automating more complex operations, further connecting to the increased development of smart facilities.

Smart Manufacturing Facilities

Smart manufacturing facilities result from companies developing their combinations of CNC machines connected via a system of hyperflexible, self-adapting manufacturing processes. This interconnectivity stretches across the entire facility. Sensors monitoring the progress and results of various operations can be remotely relayed to on-site personnel for review, allowing one person to monitor several activities simultaneously efficiently. The concept is to create a web of connected information sharing that lets a site manager know precisely what is happening during their daily operations.

This level of accessible data is not limited to the physical manufacturing operations either. For example, many manufacturers are increasing the automation of their facilities through the wireless tracking of assets as they travel. This operation covers the entire stream of functions within the facility, from recording the arrival of materials, the various manufacturing processes they undergo and the time and place of their export. Doing so eliminates the need for personnel to log these activities and creates a constant stream of accurate data for the manager to monitor.

Digital Manufacturing Techniques

Digital integration is a method that is being embraced by the manufacturing industry. In 1952 when the first CNC milling machine was invented, the industry saw the potential of computer-aided operations, and many innovations were created to build on this. However, the sector’s current aspirations are more focused on managing more comprehensive data on your specific company’s operations and their associated chains.

Big Data

Big data is an integral part of our work as a spring manufacturer, and it’s predicted to be a vital part of other companies’ plans thanks to the increases in interconnectivity throughout a manufacturer’s entire supply chain. However, supply chain management is still a critical issue as many chains continue to struggle to return to stable normality after the pandemic lockdowns. The response to the erratic behaviour is to optimise your chain, improving its efficiency and predictability. Big data technology involves digital systems with an increased variety, volume and velocity of data. In the context of manufacturing, big data collects together all the disparate elements from up and downstream on your supply chain, creating a far more efficient means of data management and analysis to find new ways of optimising your processes.

Digital Twins

Digital twin software is popular amongst many manufacturers and is predicted to become an essential part of future manufacturing methods. The concept of a digital twin is to create a digital simulation of a physical process or product. CAD (computer-aided design) is an example of this widely used idea, but further advancements are being developed for more intricate twins. This is achieved with various software designed to create digital objects within a computer that an engineer can analyse. These can be considered advanced prototypes, produced cost-effectively, so their manufacture or specifications can be assessed before committing to a physical twin. This is particularly useful when creating bespoke products requiring unique production methods; by testing them in a digital space, you can finalise your concept and prevent your investment from going to waste. It’s predicted that 70% of manufacturers will have a system that uses big data during 2023. Additionally, with investment in IoT (Internet of things) growing, the growth of digital twin technology could rise to 89% as soon as 2025.

It’s clear that digital integration is a permanent part of manufacturing’s future. Moreover, these systems’ effectiveness is increasing alongside the demand for new ideas. With digital integration becoming more achievable each year, it’s conceivable that all manufacturers will need to adopt these effective digital systems to remain a competitive business within the industry.

The manufacturing industry is taking many different approaches toward becoming more eco-friendly. The impressive shift to increased sustainability is inspired by government initiatives toward creating a green economy and drastically reducing the environmental impact of manufacturing. As well as optimising work processes and embracing recycling, many manufacturers have replaced their existing heating plans with air source heat pumps (ASHP).

How COP26 Affected the Manufacturing Industry

The UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) took place in Glasgow in November 2021, and the results of this impressive conference have had a significant effect on the manufacturing industry. Globally, the sector contributes roughly 23% of emissions, second only to energy generation systems and on par with transport.

Many areas were addressed, and plans were implemented to resolve them. Elements such as sourcing raw materials, supply chain vehicles and encouraging a paperless work environment were all highlighted as areas that the industry could improve upon with new green technologies.

Benefits of ASHP

Air source heat pumps are a sustainable way to heat a building, and the technology has become widely popular in commercial and domestic environments. Air source heat pumps are capable of heating large spaces without using conventional fossil fuel sources. They achieve this by extracting warmth from the ambient air outside and drawing it inside to heat radiators or water tanks. This extracted air is funnelled through a compressor, also known as a heat exchange. The amount of heat generated will depend on the size of the unit installed. For example, an average ASHP delivers roughly 4kwh (kilowatt per hour) of energy for every 1kwh used to power it, resulting in a 300% heating bonus for the owner.

Despite the name, they can adapt to either heating or cooling depending on the temperature of the air outside. This has the immediate benefit of replacing the need to purchase a separate heater and air-conditioner with a single alternative, an air source heat pump.

These eco-friendly alternatives to conventional heating have already been adopted in office and school environments, with many more sectors gaining from the benefits. This current progress is estimated to reduce 40-50% of CO2 emissions from these sectors. Manufacturing previously contributed the most emissions, but thanks to ASHPs, this can be drastically reduced.

Costs of ASHP

Spring manufacturers, like any business, are constantly looking for new ways to optimise their expenses. Unfortunately, the unpredictable costs of most conventional fossil-fuel heating systems make planning these costs difficult. In addition, the manufacturing industry’s long-term reliance on fossil fuel-powered heating systems has made reducing heating expenses difficult, especially with rising costs in that area. This makes the development of efficient, eco-friendly ASHP units an attractive prospect as your costs will be reduced to the electricity required to run it. Additionally, these units need little maintenance and can last between 10-25 years, making them a sound investment.

Air source heat pumps are far more efficient than conventional heating systems. They have been rated at 300% increased efficiency in both domestic and industrial environments. The idea of generating three heating units worth of heat for one cost is a gain any manager can’t afford to ignore. A study of the savings produced showed that businesses can save as much as 51% a year with commercial ASHP units while significantly helping the environment.

Supporting Renewable Energy Sources

One of the most prominent benefits of investing in air source heat pumps is their minimal carbon footprint; they’re rated for zero-carbon emissions, enabling you to benefit from green electricity tariffs. Many energy suppliers will provide you with the choice of a green tariff to support renewable energy sources. Choosing a green tariff sends a clear statement that your company endorses renewable sources.

They accomplish this by matching the electricity used for your ASHP units with verified renewable sources rather than taking it from fossil or nuclear sources. This can happen in one of two ways, either your electricity is sourced from renewables, or the energy company purchases a matching amount of electricity from renewables on your behalf. In either case, your supplier should inform you where they source their electricity.

ASHP units also help with industrial plans for carbon offsetting. Carbon offsetting is a significant first step and a successful tool allowing manufacturers to support a sustainable industry more efficiently. A purchased carbon offset represents a reduction of 1 metric ton of CO2 emissions; these purchases financially support the development of renewable energies such as solar, wind and wave.

For example, The more compression spring manufacturers invest in ASHP, the lower the harmful emissions will be, and support for renewable energy will grow. Expanding this example to the whole industry would remarkably improve eco-friendly sustainability across the sector. The green tariffs and carbon offsets simultaneously still support the development of green, renewable energy sources for a brighter future.

At European Springs, we constantly look for new ways to optimise our workflows. Still, we are also conscious of the industry’s environmental impact and are striving to meet these positive challenges of becoming more sustainable.

Browse our complete stock catalogue here, including torsion springs and other high-quality springs, wireforms and pressings.