European Springs Web Team, Author at European Springs

At European Springs, we’re proud of our long-term commitment to support the manufacturing industry with our apprenticeship schemes. We firmly believe that these schemes are a way of investing both in people and in the industry, with each successful candidate having a positive effect on the sector as a whole.

The past few years have been a struggle for the manufacturing industry at large. Many companies found it difficult to cope with the supply chain issues, talent shortage and gender gap. Whilst it seems now that there is an end in sight to most of the problems caused by the pandemic, the gender gap remains.

In this blog, we’re discussing the need for more inclusivity in manufacturing and the career opportunities available for women.

Addressing the Gender Gap

As prominent spring manufacturers, we are aware of the unfortunate truth that, whilst 48% of women do actively participate in the labour market, they make up only 29% of the manufacturing workforce. Some have noted this as a consequence of occupational segregation limiting women’s career roles in manufacturing. 2021 Make UK’s reportstates that only 8% of women take up apprenticeships in manufacturing due to the impression that it’s not for them.

As disheartening as these numbers read, we at European Springs are one among many companies that are committed to changing this by creating a more inclusive community that welcomes both men and women to successful careers in manufacturing. Much like the bespoke pressings service we offer, we believe that, for this industry to survive, you can’t limit yourself to just one way of doing things; you need to be flexible and adaptable to thrive.

More employers have begun to search actively for new graduates to become apprentices. There is always a constant demand for highly skilled people in the manufacturing industry, so women interested in exploring this part of STEM are valued resources.

Advantages of Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships’ contributions to the economy have been growing over the last decade. The CEBR report on productivity correctly predicted that £3.4 billion of the UK economy was due to the increased productivity of 3.8 million people completing their apprenticeships.

Apprenticeship schemes are a great way to get a hands-on experience of a career and potentially learn things easy-to-miss in the classroom (or that are simply not taught there). In addition, the ability to shadow an experienced member of the team combined with the supervised work can help someone new gain confidence in what they are doing. Apprentices will take, on average, 1-4 years to become fully qualified, but you will also be paid for your work during this time.

There are advantages for the employer as well. For example, the UK government has recently implemented a new incentive payments scheme for hiring new apprentices. This limited-time initiative is available until May 2022 but substantially assists companies who help their industry by taking on new apprentices.

The apprenticeships we offer at European Springs follow a nationally recognised mechanical manufacturing apprenticeship framework that will award certification at BTEC level 3 in engineering operation and maintenance. An NVQ in mechanical manufacturing engineering accompanies this; for more information on our apprenticeship schemes, please contact us.

Other Opportunities for Women in Manufacturing

All across the UK, there has been an increase in scholarships and bursaries to assist women studying for manufacturing positions. Additionally, apprenticeships for all young people have increased, thereby making it easier than ever to start a profitable career in the industry.

Brunel University in London offers a prestigious program for its graduates and undergraduates called Women in Engineering and Computing (otherwise known as WiBEC). This mentoring program supports young women who wish to enter a STEM career in engineering and manufacturing. With over 600 female students benefiting from the impartial advice from their industry mentors since 2014, this is a prime example of how accessible manufacturing has become for women.

More improvements have been made in the manufacturing industry beyond study and apprenticeships. For example, it’s been reported that 67% of manufacturers currently have an EDI in place (which stands for equality, inclusion and diversity), with those EDI plans reviewed yearly. These improvements have led to women making up 29% of the manufacturing workforce in the UK and 18% of the company boards.

Engineering Apprenticeships for Women

As the most prominent compression spring manufacturer in the UK, European Springs wholeheartedly disagrees with the idea that manufacturing is a gender-limited occupation. We celebrate the 23^rd of June every year as National Women in Engineering Day (NWED) because we believe that everyone should feel welcome when choosing to work in the manufacturing industry.

Hopefully, this blog will help inspire some of you to follow your passion and pursue the career in manufacturing you deserve. For more details on our apprenticeship programs, please don’t hesitate to contact us, and one of our experts can answer all your questions.

The demands on spring manufacturers are at their highest when manufacturing suspension springs for vehicles. The automotive industry relies heavily on the highest-quality suspension springs for their vehicles.

As a prominent member of The Institute of Spring Technology and leaders in suspension spring manufacturing for decades, we understand the exacting standards required when manufacturing premium suspension springs.

In this article, we will be looking into more detail about this essential product from our extensive catalogue, the suspension spring.

What is A Suspension Spring?

Internationally, spring manufacturers have two names for this spring type, suspension spring and coil spring, but despite the different names, they both have the same applications.

You will find suspension springs in every road vehicle, from cars to motorbikes and even more industrial or agricultural machinery.

Suspension springs are an essential part of the automotive sector due to their application in vehicle suspension systems. They essentially take all the bumps out of the road and give you a much smoother ride.

How is A Suspension Spring Designed and Manufactured?

During our time manufacturing and supplying suspension springs around the globe, we have had to adapt our product to suit the needs of every project, from small niche applications to huge multinational product lines.

When we manufacture our suspension springs, we work with a wide range of:

Copper
Steel
Titanium
Superalloys such as Hastelloy, Nimonic and Inconel

The springs’ high strength requirements for vehicle suspension make steel alloys the most used for suspension coil springs and valve springs. The steel alloy has the required strength and hardness and offers a higher sag and temper resistance, making it an excellent choice for your suspension coil spring.

Once the spring has been designed to suit the required specifications and chosen material, it’s time to manufacture the final product.

The specifics of manufacturing a suspension spring will vary very little despite the difference in the specification.

What Makes Suspension Springs So Popular?

When suspension springs are combined with shock absorbers, not only does it provide a smoother ride for the driver, but they also make sure that the wheels are in contact with the road at all times, which increases control.

The increased grip is integral to better road handling and general road safety. Icy roads show how a car’s handling becomes impossible without adequate grip on the road. Strong suspension springs prevent this dangerous driving from occurring in all but the harshest weather conditions.

Shock absorbers and suspensions springs work together to create a smooth ride. The springs will absorb and release the many minor imperfections in the average road, so you don’t feel it, and the shock absorbers help keep your tires gripped to the road.

Different Types of Suspension Spring

There are as many suspension spring types as vehicles on the road. As experienced suspension spring manufacturers, European Springs has manufactured suspension springs for every vehicle design.

We understand that each suspension spring needs to be tailored to the exacting specifications of the vehicle it will be installed into. For example, motorcycling, touring, and indy cars all put high demands on their suspension, so they require the most durable springs. Alternatively, a domestic vehicle won’t be operating under such extremes, so they can afford to choose a more cost-effective suspension spring design.

Progressive Vs. Linear Suspension Spring

The way the spring is manufactured will significantly affect the vehicle’s performance; that’s why it’s important to know what you want in your final product. There are two initial aspects of a suspension spring to consider: linear or progressive rates.

The spring rates will tell you how stiff a spring is and it’s the most significant difference between a linear or progressive design.

The benefits of a linear rate suspension spring are their simplicity. A linear rate has only one variable to it and has a consistent, predictable rate. This predictability makes accurately calculating how the spring will act under various road conditions very easy. Since this spring has only one way to respond when in use, the handling feels stiff and responsive and is an excellent choice for an average car or lorry.

However, whilst the linear rate is more popular, it can only handle the situations it was designed for, and you will have to choose to design your spring more toward either handling or comfort but not both; this is where progressive rates come in.

The benefits of progressive rate suspension springs are their adaptability. Progressive rates are more complicated to predict than linear, but they have the potential to handle both comfort and handling in a single suspension spring, something worth exploring in any new car design.

UK’s Largest Spring Manufacturer

With over 70 years of extensive experience manufacturing and distributing bespoke springs and pressings, we are confident that we can supply you with any custom spring design that your latest project requires from compression springs and tension springs to torsion springs and suspension springs.

If you would like to acquire premium suspension springs from the UK’s leading manufacturer, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch online or call us on (+44) 0208 663 1800, and one of our expert team members will be happy to discuss your required specifications.

It’s no secret that the world is not the same place as it was two years ago. The effects of Covid-19 swept across the globe and changed our lives in a multitude of ways. Our work lives changed as industries faced the unprecedented times and were forced to cope with the new way of living and working.

One of the most affected industries was manufacturing; as supply chain issues built up, so did demand, which left companies all over the UK struggling to cope. Unfortunately, the industry lost many businesses during the pandemic – but it’s not all doom and gloom. Coronavirus gave the manufacturing sector the chance to show its resilience.

Here at European Springs, we’re firm believers that the manufacturing industry is built with strong people who can pull through the worst times. The way that many UK manufacturers, including ourselves, coped during the pandemic proved that.

Today, we’re looking into the resilience of the manufacturing industry and how it coped with the setbacks and changes.

How Did the Pandemic Affect the Manufacturing Industry in the UK?

One of the most significant impacts the pandemic had on the manufacturing industry was the supply chain. Materials were difficult to get hold of due to supply issues such as the decrease in materials produced by companies because of the covid restrictions and staff absences.

This had a knock-on effect and impacted the entire manufacturing line. For example:

Delayed deliveries. Even though delays were expected during the unprecedented times, it didn’t mean that they weren’t met with disappointed and angry customers. Not only were customer deliveries delayed, but all deliveries were delayed, which meant manufacturers had to wait for their suppliers.
Rising costs. Due to the disruption that the pandemic had caused to businesses, many were forced to up their prices. Again, this had a knock-on effect, and suppliers increased their costs, which meant manufacturing became incredibly expensive for both the customer and the production line.

Increased Risk and Uncertainty. The world stood still, and many of us were left questioning everything: when we could see family and friends again, when we could return to work when our businesses could re-open. Business owners had a high level of risk involved in their job as one wrong move, and their company could have collapsed.

Other Struggles the Industry Faced

As well as the setback of Covid-19, the manufacturing industry is still dealing with the effects of Brexit. Due to the long list of ever-changing rules and regulations, there was a lot of confusion surrounding deliveries, supply chain issues, customs, and frequent protocol changes. Because of this, the industry took a huge hit, and unfortunately, many manufacturing businesses shut down. This, however, did not help the situation, as although delays were aplenty, demand was higher than ever, so as more businesses closed and the labour shortage rose, more struggled under the weight of the ever-growing list of issues.

How Did the Manufacturing Industry React to These Struggles?

For companies who provide specialist products and services such as bespoke spring manufacturers like ourselves, resilience was at the forefront of our drive to push through and still deliver our fantastic service and high-quality products despite the struggles.

As spring manufacturers, our products are required in a long list of various industries, from defence to agriculture to the medical sector and everything in between. At first, it was difficult for manufacturing companies like ourselves to adjust to this high demand, so many companies did not recover.

On top of this, as mentioned, due to illness and covid restrictions, many companies were understaffed. The labour shortage was something that many businesses struggled with and meant that remaining staff members were under pressure, resulting in stress and frustration.

How Did the Industry Recover?

At multiple points over the last two years, it has seemed like it has been one thing after another, which meant it has been challenging to see how the situation was ever going to improve. However, in early 2022, we can finally say that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and recent surveys amongst the manufacturing industry have proven just how resilient the sector can be.

Output balance reached a peak and have risen by 42%, which was a huge relief to the industry. In addition to this, jobs are continuing to grow by 23% – a fantastic indicator that we are continuing to inspire people to join our resilient industry and become part of a sector they’re proud to be in.

We, too, are proud to be part of the manufacturing industry here at European Springs. We’re not just torsion spring manufacturers, tension spring manufacturers, or providers of pressings and wire forms; we’re part of a bigger picture and are living proof of the strength of manufacturers in the UK.

To join our team as one of our apprentices or learn more about our work, please don’t hesitate to get in touch, and we will be more than happy to point you in the right direction.

When you’re deciding the required specification of your springs for a new project, you need to consider the environment, life expectancy and required load. As an experienced spring manufacturer, we know there is a spring for every job.

In this article, we will be looking at torsion springs – one of the many spring types we manufacture here at European Springs & Pressings!

What are Torsion Springs?

Torsion springs are a different type of spring from your typical spring. These coiled springs work by a twisting motion; this rotational movement is known as ‘torsion’ hence the name.

The most popular design for a torsion spring is the helical looped design. This spring type is used when your design needs an angular movement rather than your classic style with a compression spring.

How Is A Torsion Spring Designed And Manufactured?

The helical loop is the most common design for a torsion spring. This design is made by coiling wire and twisting it tighter and tighter. Then, finally, a sideways force is applied to either the right-hand helix or the left.

As a leading company in torsion spring manufacturing in the UK, we offer torsion springs in all shapes and sizes. Any specification can be manufactured to your specific requirements, large, small, double, single or extended length coils.

The production time of this spring is significantly faster than other spring designs due to it needing only one type of machine.

Different Types of Torsion Springs

There isn’t just one type of torsion spring. Most Torsion spring manufacturers will stock different types of this spring, and the most popular is the double coil. The double coil torsion spring is two standard single-coil springs merged to create a double coil spring. This variation is for specifications that require double the torque than the single coil.

What Makes Torsion Springs So Useful?

Where your classic spring works on the idea of squeezing and expanding, the torsion spring is the idea of being somewhat flexible but always returning to its original shape.

For example, most door hinges will have torsion springs in them. This spring brings the door closed again or at least allowed it to bounce back on its hinge to a neutral position. You can open a torsion spring with some force, but it will always bring itself back closed when left alone.

The official description is a torsion spring has a linear characteristic. The torque is equal to force x leg length: M=F x A. the further down the leg, the more pressure is applied, the less counter force is applied.

What Industries Use Torsion Springs?

The unique qualities of torsions springs make them such a popular tool across various industries. Able to do their job in multiple sizes and materials, their versatility has led them to be used in construction to medical industries and many more.

In the agricultural and construction industries, the torsion spring can bring the durability and versatility needed to perform consistently in such a hardworking environment. These springs are used in tractors, ploughs, fertiliser equipment and sprayers. No one wants to change parts or repair equipment constantly, so a sturdy spring like a torsion one is essential.

In the motor industry, you’ll find mostly chrome silicon torsion springs. This material with this spring design allows for smooth motion and tension along the entire spring. You’ll find these springs in the assembly for gear shifters, clutches, valves and the suspension system.

The need for a highly durable spring in the medical sector is vital— the ability to have a high-quality mico torsion spring for intricate equipment is essential. High carbon steel is used in most torsion springs for the medical industry for this very reason. Torsion springs can be applied in hospital beds, dental equipment, wheelchair lifts and hundreds of other pieces of equipment.

Where Have You Used Torsion Springs?

Door hinges have small torsion springs in them, as mentioned earlier, but garage doors have a different way of using these springs. When a garage door is closed, the torsion springs connected are stretched and will be storing considerable energy in them (In this case, the door’s weight). When opening a garage door, the spring takes the weight as it closes again.

Retractable seats are another item that needs torsion springs to work. Any time you leave a stadium or cinema seat and the seat you were on folds itself up, that’s a torsion spring pulling the seat to the backrest.

Your average clipboard would be more complicated if it weren’t for torsion springs. That pressure you feel when prizing open the clip, you are exerting force on the spring. The spring will hold your papers tight once you let go because that’s its natural position.

If you need standard torsion springs in a fine to medium weight category, please browse our spring catalogue to find the correct spring for your project. Or contact us today to discuss with one of our team members creating bespoke torsion springs with your unique requirements.

Dozens of manufacturing firms have been claiming back tens of thousands in tax relief thanks to new R&D tax credits. By choosing to claim R&D expenditure credit, you can benefit from Corporation tax relief on your company’s future research and development costs. Read further to learn how these tax credits could help the future of your business.

What is Research and Development Tax?

Research and Development expenditure credit is otherwise known as RDEC. R&D expenditure credit replaced the large company scheme and changed the rules and applications.

This credit relief is designed to support companies working on innovative projects in technology and science in general. Any innovation can be boiled down to a simple process of resolving uncertainty. Every new creation had to address something in the world that was not quite right and fix it, and this is what reliefs like RDEC want to support.

This can be companies developing new business components, products, software and inventions. The desired result is an increase in new or improved performance, functionality and quality in general.

The research and development expenditure credit was initially 11% of your qualifying R&D spending. It was increased in January 2018 to 12%, then finally 13% in April 2020

As of writing this article, the credit is calculated as 13% out of your qualifying R&D expenditure. Additionally, these expenditures must be incurred after 1/04/2020. This resulting figure is taxable, and depending on your companies status, the credit could be used against the liability or result in a cash payment.

Research and Development Criteria

The RDEC can be claimed by a range of companies working in science, manufacturing and technology. If your company has plans to research, develop, and advance in your field, you may qualify for R&D criteria. As bespoke spring manufacturers, we have a lot of experience with the R&D process required to fulfil our client’s orders.

R&D work must be part of a planned project related to the companies trade to qualify for R&D relief. It can be associated with a current or future trade, but it must be practical; economics, pure maths and other theoretical fields are ineligible.

When determining if your project is worthy of R&D relief, there are several requirements to consider. First, you should ask yourself, did your project:

Overcome uncertainty? Succeed or fail was there uncertainty to its success?
Prove challenging to accomplish for a professional in the field?
Look for a way to improve the field with science and technology?

Which Businesses Can Claim?

Almost any business can apply for these tax reliefs – software engineering groups, spring manufacturers, even construction companies. The focus is on what your R&D project plans to innovate in your field.

There are many different types of R&D relief, such as RDEC. And the size of your company will dictate which is appropriate for you.

SME R&D Relief

If you’re a small and medium-sized enterprise (or SME), you may claim this credit relief, but only if you have a turnover of under 100 million euros or a balance sheet total under 86 million euros. Additionally, you must also have less than 500 staff under your employment.

If your company is loss-making, then the SME R&D relief lets you claim a tax credit of up to £14.5% of the surrenderable loss. Also, you may deduct 130% of your qualifying costs from your yearly profit. This 130% is in addition to the usual 100% deduction to bring you to a total of 230% deduction.

Remember to consider any linked companies/partnerships when investigating these requirements.

RDEC

You may also claim this credit under certain conditions as a small-medium enterprise. You are eligible to apply for the research and development expenditure credit If you have been subcontracted to complete any R&D work for a larger company. Also, you are eligible to apply if you have received a subsidy or grant for your R&D project.

How Can I Claim?

To claim your RDEC relief, you will need to enter your expenditure into the Full company tax return form (CT600). This form will only apply to the current tax year it’s filled in, so be aware that you will need to submit a separate claim if your project takes longer.

To apply for your claim, you will need to have a GOV.UK gateway user ID and password and all the information on your R&D project, and you must prove it meets the R&D requirements mentioned above.

When applying for your RDEC credit, the main goal is to allow you to offset the tax you owe to HMRC and before and R&D tax relief is paid. This way, Loss-making and profit-making companies are treated the same when claiming.

At Europen springs and pressings, we believe in innovation and growth in the industry. The only way to succeed is to keep pushing those limits to achieve outstanding quality and efficiency. Our many years working to develop new techniques, products and our work with apprenticeships has shown us that only through improvement can anyone succeed in business.

With the broadest range of compressions springs, tensions springs and torsion springs in the UK in our catalogue, we are confident that we can fulfil any of your needs. Please contact us online today or call us on 0208 663 1800 to discuss how we can help your company.

Many manufacturing companies are discovering the benefits of adopting a sub-assembly process. The sub-assembly process has become the much-needed solution for manufacturers in many sectors, from aerospace to construction.

European Springs is proud of the sub-assembly process we provide; read on to learn what sub-assembly is, why it’s so effective and perhaps discover how it could help your business.

What is the difference between sub-assembly and assembly?

Firstly there are two titles for this process, subassembly manufacturing and sub-assembly manufacturing. However, despite the two names, it’s the same process.

Sub-assembly is the process where you combine pre-made pieces into your final product. These pre-made pieces are known as an assembly. Assembly is a common term assigned to an OEM (or original equipment manufacturer) who creates complete parts or products.

An assembly is essentially the process of manufacturing a finished product. Assemblies can be combined to create larger sub-assemblies and components until your final product is made.

Benefits of Sub-Assembly

The sub-assembly process has proven to be a valuable improvement to the workflows of many businesses. Choosing to outsource your sub-assembly manufacturing operations to a third party can bring many benefits, for example:

It reduces production time. Outsourcing to third parties will allow many of your components to be made simultaneously. Additionally, the creation of the final piece is much faster, with many parts completed before they even arrive.

It lowers production and equipment costs. In addition, with third parties being contracted to complete these sub-assemblies, this leaves your companies resources free to be redirected into other needs.

Finding third parties with access to specialist equipment will eliminate your need to buy it. Embracing third parties in your process will also reduce your staff training requirements for new techniques and tools.

Improved accuracy is also a benefit of sub-assembly. The whole concept of sub-assembly is essentially breaking the problem down into manageable small pieces. By using a system where manufacturing teams only need to focus on one part of the project, they can study and become experts. Unless your staff must be aware of the whole process, we always recommend breaking it down into these manageable categories.

Different types of sub-assembly

During our many years of manufacturing bespoke stampings, we learnt that there just isn’t one single process to this system. Instead, our skilled engineers at European Springs and Pressings can offer a range of strategies customised for your sub-assembly needs.

We offer single operation assembly techniques for fully automated processes. In a single operation assembly technique, only a single model product is produced in this line. Our fully automated processes adapt to high product demand. Each approach has its own merits, so contact us today to discuss your needs with us.

Tapping

Tapping is a well known and highly efficient manufacturing process. The tapping method is cutting a thread inside a hole so that you can easily thread a screw cap or bolt into the hole. Additionally, you can use it to put a thread on the nuts for increased hold. Using tapping helps reduce machine downtime giving higher cutting speeds and longer tool life.

The material you choose, the coating and geometry are all significant decisions for your forming or cutting taps. A tap made in a certain way with certain materials may not be as effective as you would hope. Don’t be afraid to talk to us first to discuss your goal, and we can make sure you get the right combination.

Tapping is the most common thread profile, appropriate for all machine types. Whether it’s a rotating or non-rotating component, tapping is a great idea to include.

Resistance and Ultrasonic Welding

Resistance welding is used for joining two metals. A welding head applies pressure to the metal between the two electrodes at its head. The resistance utilises heat to create friction heat where it’s used. This is achieved because the electric current at the head tries to move through the metal. The heat is from the metal’s resistance, and the friction is localised at the contact point.

Ultrasonic welding is when two materials (metal or plastic) are joined without melting. It’s called solid-state welding.

High-frequency mechanical vibrations pass through both materials, causing them to slide on top of each other. This creates its own form of heat friction and bonds the two materials together.

The benefit we enjoy from using ultrasonic welding is that it’s the fastest welding technique available.

Experts in Mechanical Assembly

As experienced spring manufacturers, we promise to deliver a premium service for all our customers. Our sub-assembly team is one of many teams that specialise in creating custom and prototype work from bespoke springs to bespoke wire forms and pressings.

If you need the services of our sub-assembly team, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch and discuss your needs.

Author: European Springs Web Team