At Airedale Springs, we’re always concerned about the quality of our products and ensure that any spring or wireform we create is manufactured to the highest of standards – and capable of meeting the strictest demands of our clients’ industries.
Everything has a finite lifespan, and this includes springs, no matter how high a quality they are. After all, there are several factors that influence their longevity, and which can either extend or shorten it.
Type of Spring
Choosing the right spring is, of course, imperative. Different springs can be used for many different applications, so having the right one means you can make the most of your product – and, since the spring is designed for that particular application, it can withstand the strength and pressure of its environment better. This can help to prolong its lifespan.
Type of Material
One of the most important factors to consider when designing a spring is the material. Spring materials are as varied as the types of springs themselves but selecting the right one means your spring will be ready for applications where resistance to corrosion or electric conductivity, for example, are a concern.
If you require a spring for an application in the electronics sector, we’d take into consideration that the spring needs to have resistance to heat, good conductivity and strength, so we’d be looking at copper alloys or carbon spring steels for this. Some materials are also best suited for high-temperature environments, like nickel alloys, while others need to have a high degree of resistance to corrosion, such as stainless steels.
Quality materials will lead to longer-lasting springs as well, so it’s important to note that spring manufacturers must use only the best materials in order to achieve the best results.
Design of the Spring
Spring design is another key factor. It goes without saying that your spring must be designed correctly in order to perform as needed. You can have the best materials in the world but, if your spring has an error in its design, its lifecycle won’t be long at all. This means that getting the correct specifications matters. If the spring needs to withstand a lot of pressure, it’s vital that it has the right amount of coils or diameter, for instance.
Sometimes, the design has no errors and the problem lies with failing to prioritise the right spring characteristic – for example, if you request a spring with a high level of strength but, in reality, the spring will be placed in a high-temperature environment, the product will fail prematurely because it wasn’t properly designed for the application in question.
If you’re unsure which features your design needs, Airedale Springs can assist you with spring design and help your products meet your exact requirements.
Environmental Conditions
Your spring will have to perform optimally in the environment it’s placed in, no matter what it is. However, over time, it’s normal for the spring to get worn down, since it has to perform the same action repeatedly. Still, ensuring the spring’s longevity is possible by making sure that it’s prepared for the amount of force or pressure it has to handle.
If your spring is extended too far or more force is applied than it was designed for, it can break or become damaged beyond repair. Weather conditions can also play a role in the longevity of your springs; as an example, cold temperatures can cause them to become more brittle and vulnerable to breaking.
Physical Damage
When a spring becomes damaged, its lifespan will be shortened. The spring may eventually snap due to the strain it will now be under, for instance, and it will have to be repaired or replaced. After all, if it takes damage, the spring will no longer perform as it should, which can make your product unviable.
Wear and Tear
As mentioned, normal spring usage can also influence its longevity. Springs are created to do a simple action which is repeated for thousands of cycles so, as time goes by, the spring will experience normal wear and tear. For instance, if the door of a fridge is open and closed six times a day, the springs will become worn down faster than if they only open and close twice a day.
There is no way around this. We account for this wear and tear when designing springs, as we have a deep understanding of not only the materials we work with, but also the diameters that the springs should be, as well as their length and number of active coils.
With this knowledge, Airedale Springs are capable of manufacturing springs that can last the desired amount of time, excluding factors such as damage.
How Airedale Springs Can Help
We only design and manufacture the highest quality springs created by state-of-the-art machinery (you can view the equipment we use in our ‘Why Choose Us?’ page) and through the latest processes with the aim of prolonging the longevity of your springs.
We have many years of experience as compression spring manufacturers and have produced countless others types of springs and wireforms, from tension and torsion to prison and garter springs. We also manufacture small springs as little as 0.15mm, so we cater to a variety of industries and sectors.
Talk to us today to learn more about how we can help – you can fill out our online form, give us a call on 01535 643456 or email us at sales@airedalesprings.co.uk.