WB Jones Spring Co. http://www.springsfast.com/blog Thu, 23 Feb 2012 19:14:12 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Stainless Steel http://www.springsfast.com/blog/2011/12/stainless-steel/ http://www.springsfast.com/blog/2011/12/stainless-steel/#comments Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:03:07 +0000 michaelwp http://springsfast.net/blog/?p=41 Stainless steel’s tolerance to high temperatures and moist environment draws customers to this type of material. While it is more expensive and weaker than carbon steels, it may be worth it. Unlike carbonsteels, stainless steel can withstand temperatures from 550ᴼF to 650ᴼF depending on the type. In addition, stainless is more resilient to corrosion such as rust. Passivating stainless steel springs will further enhance its corrosion resistance capabilities.

It is important to note spring tempered stainless steel is slightly magnetic, unlike raw stainless. To make the different wire diameters, stainless steel is drawn at room temperature. This process is called cold drawing. The cold drawn process changes the properties of stainless steel; hardening it and making it magnetic.  The more cold work needed (i.e. the smaller the wire diameter), the harder and the more magnetic the stainless will become. This is why using a magnet to determine the material of a spring is misleading.

For more information on the properties of stainless steel, check out our glossary at the link below.

http://www.springsfast.com/glossary.php

]]> http://www.springsfast.com/blog/2011/12/stainless-steel/feed/ 0 Music Wire http://www.springsfast.com/blog/2011/12/material-music-wire/ http://www.springsfast.com/blog/2011/12/material-music-wire/#comments Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:57:56 +0000 michaelwp http://springsfast.net/blog/?p=33 Music wire is the most popular material used for coiled springs and is recommended by most spring designers. It has a high and consistent tensile strength, an ability to take severe bends, and a long useful life.  In addition, its cost is very similar to the lower quality carbon steels, especially when the wire diameter is small and the quantity needed is low.

However, there are some issues with using music wire.

  • It is not corrosion resistant. Appling a protective coating, like zinc plating, can help slow corrosion. However, if the spring is exposed to harsh elements, stainless steel may be best.
  • It cannot withstand high temperatures above 250ᴼF. For high temperature requirements, switch to 302 stainless steel.
  • It loses its high tensile strength as the wire diameter increase. Generally spring designers will suggest oil temper at these large wire diameters.
  • Is not very cost effective in low stress and large quantity application. For large production needs and low stress applications, hard drawn carbon steel is the way to go.

For more information about the properties of music wire check out our glossary.

http://www.springsfast.com/glossary.php

]]> http://www.springsfast.com/blog/2011/12/material-music-wire/feed/ 4 Scragging http://www.springsfast.com/blog/2011/10/scragging/ http://www.springsfast.com/blog/2011/10/scragging/#comments Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:33:12 +0000 michaelwp http://springsfast.net/blog/?p=19 Scragging is the English term for “set removal”. I personally like using scragging because it is more fun to say. Scragging or set removal is a process where the spring is pressed to its solid height. This procedure is not necessary for every spring. It is used mostly on springs that are overstressed at solid or at a required deflection. Once the spring is taken to solid, it will be able to operate at a higher load capacity without overstressing.

However, there are some implications with scragging. For one, pressing a stressed spring to solid causes the overall length and pitch to shrink. This typically is fixed by making the spring longer, so when it is taken to solid it will be “set” at the designed length. Second, it is an extra production procedure; so expect an increase in cost. Not only will someone have to physically press each spring to solid but it is a guess and check process to tweak the shrinking length issue. Third, some springs are too long, too big, or too overstressed for the scragging process to help.

]]> http://www.springsfast.com/blog/2011/10/scragging/feed/ 0 The Key to Finding the Right Spring http://www.springsfast.com/blog/2011/10/the-key-to-finding-the-right-spring/ http://www.springsfast.com/blog/2011/10/the-key-to-finding-the-right-spring/#comments Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:58:37 +0000 michaelwp http://springsfast.net/blog/?p=9 Finding a replacement spring or a spring for a new project is a piece of cake if you have a print or sample. But not everyone is so lucky. For the unlucky, it can feel like finding a needle in a hay stack. However, knowing the restrictions of the project is the key to designing the perfect spring.

Answering the questions below can help determine the right specs for your spring.

  1. Does the spring need to fit in a space or over something?
  2. Are there environmental elements that may affect the spring material?
  3. Does the spring need to have a certain load capacity?
  4. How far does the spring need to compress or stretch at a given load?
  5. Is there a specific overall length or solid height needed?

Once you have the important restrictions pinned down, use them to fill out a request for quote. Follow the link below!

http://springsfast.com/custom.php

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