Press Release 2-15-12
Katy Spring & Manufacturing, Inc
Compression Springs · Extension Springs · Torsion Springs

Please send inquiries to: sales@katyspring.com
Attn: Mark West Ph. 281-391-1888

Extension Spring Geometry

Extension springs are typically manufactured with an initial tension. Extension spring initial tension is the force required to break apart the adjacent coils. This fabrication method allows consistent free length.
Since the extension spring initial tension is not zero, the spring rate is not truly linear when measured from the unloaded position. However once the initial tension is overcome, the extension spring does behave linearly.

Extension Spring Shear Stress

Since
extension springs

in their resting state, they also have a shear stress in their coils while at rest. The maximum shear stress, in its free position occurs on the inner face of the coils.

After the initial tension is overcome, the extension spring can be analyzed as a compression spring with a negative force. The maximum shear stress in the extension spring increases with the load.

Extension Spring End Stress

When considering a regular extension spring hook, the geometry of the hook often causes stress concentration which leads to failure.

Extension Spring Safety

With an extension spring, there is no such safety geometry, as with a compression spring, since the extension spring is in tension. For this and other reasons, extension spring maximum working stresses are typically limited to three fourths of those for compression springs of similar geometry and spring material.

.106 Stainless Steel compression spring used in automotive industry

Shipping and Billing Address:
3535 Schlipf Rd
Katy, TX. 77493

Phone: 281-391-1888
Fax: 281-391-0666

Please send inquiries to: sales@katyspring.com
Attn: Mark West Ph. 281-391-1888

Shipping and Billing Address:
3535 Schlipf Rd
Katy, TX. 77493

Phone: 281-391-1888
Fax: 281-391-0666

1.025 music wire compression spring used in heavy machinery equipment

Compression Spring Definition and Uses

Press Release 2-6-12
KATY SPRING & MFG, Inc.
Please send inquiries to: sales@katyspring.com
Attn: Mark West Ph. 281-391-1888

Shipping and Billing Address:
3535 Schlipf Rd
Katy, TX. 77493

Phone: 281-391-1888
Fax: 281-391-0666

A compression springs are coil springs storing energy when they are closed by a force. Compression springs are designed to operate with a compression load, so the compression spring gets shorter as load is applied to the spring. Stored energy in the spring is brought back to original state after force is removed to lengthen the spring and push against the object that compressed it.

Mechanical springs are of many forms out of which most common spring is compression spring. Compression springs can further be categorized as Conical Springs, barrel springs and hour glass spring to name few.

From the simple writing pen on car, compression springs have many uses, The function of each small or big machine is determines by the compression spring. For example, how would a ride in that car feel if there were no compression springs to support the shock absorbers?

A compression spring has elasticity born in the spring wire  used to store mechanical energy. Compression springs are usually made out of spring-tempered steel or from age-hardened spring material. Small compression springs can be wound from pre-tempered material, larger compression springs are made from annealed steel and hardened after winding. Some non-ferrous spring materials including; phosphor bronze, titanium, Inconel ™ Elgiloy ™ are used for compression springs requiring corrosion resistance.

Press Release 1-16-12
KATY SPRING & MFG, Inc.
Please send inquiries to: sales@katyspring.com
Attn: Mark West Ph. 281-391-1888

Shipping and Billing Address:
3535 Schlipf Rd
Katy, TX. 77493

Phone: 281-391-1888
Fax: 281-391-0666

A compression spring is any mechanical spring that creates resistance to loading, effectively reducing the size of the external mechanical device for which the compression spring is being used in, producing load in the process.
Compression springs are generally used in applications that require a resistance to compressive force.
Typical examples of compression spring industry applications include; Automotive, Aircraft, Appliances, Valves, Mechanical Seals, Medical Devices, Tools, Machinery and Equipment, Electronics, Agriculture, Aerospace, and much more. In fact, it’s been said that ninety percent (90%) of everything mechanically produced has a mechanical spring requirement and almost half of the mechanical springs are compression springs.
Compression springs are usually open or closed coiled, helical springs. Other types of compressions springs are also called conical compression springs, barrel compression springs, volute springs, hour-glass compression springs and Belleville or disc springs.

Though compression springs are produced in various sizes and shapes to suit each type of application, a number of factors are considered while selecting or designing a compression spring. The primary consideration is the compression spring material.

In designing a compression spring for an application, the helix direction, type of ends, solid height, and compression spring rate, total number of coils in the compression spring, free length, and wire diameter are also taken into account.

More to come regarding compression spring materials in future publications.

Compression spring made out of .125 music used in oil and gas industry

Compression Springs | Custom Compression Springs

Please send inquiries to: sales@katyspring.com
Attn: Mark West Ph. 281-391-1888

Shipping and Billing Address:
3535 Schlipf Rd
Katy, TX. 77493

Manufacturing Spring for the Medical Industry Part ll

Contact Us

Shipping and Billing Address:
3535 Schlipf Rd
Katy, TX. 77493

Phone: 281-391-1888
Fax: 281-391-0666

 Please send inquiries to: sales@katyspring.com
Attn: Mark West Ph. 281-391-1888

Manufacturing springs for the medical industry requires tight-tolerance spring manufacturing methods.

Exotic spring-tempered materials such as Elgiloy ™ Inconel, Monel, Hastallo, and Titanium are use in the medical industry and are required in many medical spring applications.  These types of materials can be found in all types of springs; compression springs, torsion springs, extension springs, flat springs, wire forms, as well as endless other types of spring-tempered forms.

Still many spring wire medical applications use three hundred series stainless steel spring wire.  Stainless steel spring wire used in medical applications have special coatings, unlike the normal soap coating used to lubricate spring wire so that it runs through the spring coilers with less friction.  The very small-diameter spring wire used in medical applications are diamond drawn which lubricates, but with no soap or lubricant chemicals.

These types of medical products these springs are used in include and are not limited to; pacemakers, pill dispensers, medical pumps, hearing and sight aids, implants, prosthetics, implants  and , guidewires.

Guidewires are an interesting medical spring application.  Guidewires are placed into arteries and veins to reach a specific organ such as the heart or liver.  Guidewires are rigid which is why they are spring tempered, to allow doctors to maneuver them around vessels.  The FDA is very involved with the approval of using guidewire devices.  Strict guidelines are enforced with using guidewires not only by the FDA, but also by doctors themselves.

It takes specialized spring manufacturing personnel and a spring manufacturing facility to manufacture the sterile medical spring products.  The very small spring wire requires patience by the operators of the spring manufacturing equipment, as well as clean rooms needed for sterilized spring manufacturing.  Medical springs require specialized packaging for most applications as well as specialized assembly such as laser welding.

Medical spring manufacturing is not something that a spring manufacturer decides to do overnight.  Much must be considered to enter into the medical spring manufacturing market.

Stainless spring wire form with torsion attachment for aeronautics industry

Shipping and Billing Address:
3535 Schlipf Rd
Katy, TX. 77493

Phone: 281-391-1888
Fax: 281-391-0666

Spring-brass-wire-form for-golf towels

Springs in the Medical Industry

The medical industry has always been a niche market for the mechanical spring business.  It’s been said that coil springs of some form are used in over ninety percent of mechanically manufactured components and the medical industry certainly has its share.  Spring are used, for example, in inhalers, pill production equipment, hospital furniture, surgical tools, medical implants, monitoring equipment, and orthodontic devices to name a few.

The raw spring-tempered materials generally used for medical products are three hundred series stainless steel spring wire.  Many times clean rooms or sanitary spring manufacturing methods are required to manufacture these types of medical springs.  Because of the stringent sanitary demands required by medical spring manufacturing, many times the end user will manufacture their own springs.

In order for a spring manufacture to make medical springs they must prove they can meet the clean standards required in the process of medicalspring manufacturing which includes; purchasing stainless steel spring wire, coiling the spring wire, stress relieving, cleaning and passivating.  The medical industry requires that no discoloration to the spring wire is seen after the spring manufacturing process, especially the stress relieving.  This is why medical springs are passivated for the most part.

There is good potential for spring manufacturers in the medical spring business as long as the spring manufacturer understands and is willing to meet the requirements of the medical industry.

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Shipping and Billing Address:
3535 Schlipf Rd
Katy, TX. 77493

Phone: 281-391-1888
Fax: 281-391-0666