Springs – The Essential Information
As you are probably aware springs have been used in products for many years, you may not realise it but they are essential to running of everyday life. They are present in mobile phones, motor vehicles, mattresses, garage doors, industrial robots and many other products that are used constantly!
Spring Definition
Putting it simply a spring is an object that is used to store mechanical energy and will always have some form of elasticity. A spring can be compressed or stretched therefore the force it exerts depends on the change in length. Commonly springs are made out of steel however, here at European Springs a lot of our springs are manufactured with super-alloys to provide a high quality, extra durable product. Any material can be used to physically construct a spring however determining what should be used depends on the operating environment and spring design.
Types of Spring
When many people think of springs they will often picture the typical helical spring, when actually there are various types that work in a range of different ways. The more that you know about each spring the more certain that you can be when deciding what type of spring you need for your project or machinery. After you have decided on what type of spring is needed, you can learn what coatings, materials and surface treatments would be the best for it. There are four main types of spring, these are;
Compression Springs – a helical shape and the most common. It is designed to operate with a load; the spring will become shorter as a load is applied to it.
Tension Springs – these springs also have a predominantly helical structure but features two circular hooks at each end. This spring is designed to stretch as a load is applied to it.
Torsion Springs – a helical spring is used to apply a torque force or rotational energy. As torsion springs are required to be attached to other components they will feature legs at either side of its body.
Gas Springs – instead of featuring a helical structure these springs operate when a volume of gas is compressed.
For more information on the above spring types take a look at our informative infographic. There are many other springs that we produce here at European Springs such as disc springs, clock springs and die springs. We use specialist equipment to create our springs to ensure that every single product is of a high standard and completed to superior quality.
Whether you require compression springs, tension springs, torsion springs or even a bespoke spring, whatever your spring needs we can provide the perfect solution. So call us on +44(0) 208 663 1800 to discuss your requirements.
European Springs