Everything You Need to Know About Smalley’s Wave Springs

The Smalley wave springs have really been taking the world of manufacturing by storm, and if you want to create anything using these springs, then you need to know what they are and why they are important. These flat-wire compression springs are a direct improvement over standard compression springs, and they are bringing a lot of changes to how people manufacture using springs.

Before we delve into what makes Smalleys Wave Springs so important, we first need to take a look at what type of springs they are replacing.

What are Compression Springs?

Compression springs are what you think of whenever you think of springs. They are springs that are designed to resist compression along the axis. Meaning that whenever you push them down and exert pressure on them, they will bounce back up and return to their original shape. They are found in a lot of different machines and applications, and they are very good at storing energy.

However, the biggest problem with your standard compression springs is that they are too big, and with the gadgets of the world becoming smaller and more compact, they are taking up too much space that is needed for other parts. Now, with the invention of the Smalley wave springs, that problem is solved.

What You Need to Know About Smalley Wave Springs

These springs are 50% the height of normal springs and offer the advantage of saving space while also providing the same energy storage as normal springs. With the decrease in the spring cavity as well as the reduction in the material used to make the springs, manufacturers instantly save on the cost of the springs.

Wave springs are made with a unique flat wire that can hold multiple waves per turn, which gives the same force as a traditional spring while operating at half the size. There are also various types of wave springs that can also be used to replace traditional springs, all while saving on space while being just as effective if not more so!

Finally, wave springs are made with a No-Tooling-Cost edge winding manufacturing process, which coils the flat wire on an edge to create the rings. This process is the main benefit of using wave springs because it allows for fast, cheap, and customer flexibility which allows for custom parts and also no material waste as well during the creation of your custom wire. 

The edge winding process also allows for the metal grains inside of the metal to elongate and lock together, which makes the entire spring much stronger than the traditional stamping method used to create compression springs.

The Benefits of Wave Springs

Additionally, wave springs can produce an unlimited range of forces and can be customized to provide the exact pressure on the load that the item in question requires. Smalley can customize your springs with the number of turns they can take, the type of end the springs take on, the material they are made from, and the thickness of the wires can all be customized.

Additionally, each spring is built to have the needed performance characteristics to satisfy the operating conditions that are needed. The wave springs can also be customized to be built with exotic materials. Along with common materials like carbon and 17-7 stainless steel, you can also get springs that are resistant to certain temperatures, sensitive to magnets, conductive, or even able to operate in both the deep sea and in outer space!

Finally, while wave springs are very small and are also very powerful, they can also save manufacturers a lot of money. They can save money whenever the entire assembly is taken into consideration, and that can offset the fact that wave springs are slightly more expensive than their coil spring variants. If your company is assembling items that are smaller and lightweight, you will see significant savings!

Try These New Springs in Your Old Manufacturing!

Don’t wait when it comes to trying out these brand-new springs during your manufacturing process, because they will save you time and money, while also saving space. And whenever you save space without sacrificing efficiency, you can create better products and that will lead to happier customers!

So don’t be afraid to keep things going and incorporate these new wave springs into your processes. Your customers will thank you, and you’ll wonder how you ever could stand those big standard springs because the wave ones are so much better!

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