The Importance of Spring Design
Attention! Input results shown will be +/- 10% from middle value. Hint: The closer your min and max inputs are, the more accurate your results will be!
Attention! Input results shown will be +/- 10% from middle value. Hint: The closer your min and max inputs are, the more accurate your results will be!
Attention! Input results shown will be +/- 10% from middle value. Hint: The closer your min and max inputs are, the more accurate your results will be!
More often than not, springs are the last component taken into account when designing or creating a product, and this can create many problems when reaching the prototype or production stages. Even though springs are key components in many devices, machines and products, it might be hard to realize just how important they are. There is a whole art and science behind spring design and manufacturing. If you are in the process of creating, designing, or manufacturing a new product that requires springs, then you need to consider the importance of its design first.
Spring Design.
As mentioned previously, spring design is an art of its own. It requires many calculations and several different factors need to be taken into account. Depending on the type of spring, the load, the movement, the space it will go into, the action required of it, etc., a spring needs to be designed with care and precaution. There are limits and restrictions to certain spring designs and all these need to be taken into consideration, minimal change to just a single factor can alter all attributes of the spring.
- -Changing the material type of a spring can alter the loads and capabilities of a spring even if all dimensions stay the same.
- -Increasing or reducing the outer diameter or wire size by just one thousandths of an inch makes a difference.
- -Adjusting the coil count even by one quarter of a coil changes the whole design and capabilities of it.
That is why we have tried to simplify the design process with our spring creator calculator which automatically calculates all the formulas and results for you. This saves you time in having to do the formulas again and again until you nail the right design. Also, our experienced engineers are trained to work meticulously with the highest level of expertise in this art, and can best assist you when you are having difficulty creating the ideal spring design.
There are certain limitations to all spring designs. Some compression spring designs are not safe to travel/deflect all the way to solid height, or able to carry the amount of load you demand under the specifications you have. That is why it is so important to consider the spring design before finalizing any other elements in your product. If you wait until the last minute to try and squish a spring into the spot where you need it, it may not be possible to create a spring strong, weak, or sturdy enough to fulfill the function you need. This is specially true in products that require ultimate precision, where the deflection or travel of the spring needs to be very specific, or where the load amount is very demanding. We always recommend that you first consult with one of our specialized spring engineers if you are trying to design a product that will require a spring. It is always best to get expert advice for this, instead of waiting until you are in the further stages of your product creation.
Spring Manufacturing, Pricing and Lead times.
Another thing to consider is that spring manufacturing is a long process with several stages of quality control and production involved. Once your spring is designed, not every manufacturer will have the capacity to create the spring design you require, especially if your spring has a very high or very low index, is too small or too large, requires a hard to find material type or has some other sort of extravagant demand. You should take all this things into consideration as well as lead times and pricing.
Custom spring orders have a lead time of about 3 to 5 weeks, and custom spring pricing for a simple spring is usually no less than 300 to 400 dollars. This is because, in order to manufacture a custom spring, larger lots need to be ran in the machines, they cannot be set up for just one or two springs. This means that, depending on the spring, the minimum amount is usually around 25 pieces. However, there is a great advantage to this because large quantity lots are usually very economical, and we provide incredibly good deals and competitive discounts when very large quantity orders are placed.
Yes, a spring is a small piece of coiled metal, but it is so much more than this. There is a great deal of work and engineering that is put into the creation of a spring in order for it to function adequately. It should be given the importance it merits and the priority it demands in your product design process. Our engineers are ready to help you get your product working and springing into action in no time. Contact us today at: (951) 276-2777.