Author: European Springs Web Team

Springs are vitally important in a variety of different industries, even though you may not initially know it. No matter how big or small, pretty much every industry will rely on some form of spring in order to be successful in what they want to do.

As there are so many industries to cover, we’ve decided that it would be interesting to take a closer look at some of them, and find out where our springs can fit in! First up is the healthcare industry – one of the lesser-known industries where our springs are integral.

Overview of the Industry

Health is something that we all have in common and, chances are, we’ve all come into contact with something like a compression spring while at the doctor’s office or the hospital without really thinking about it. The medical industry spans a wide range of subjects; from pharmaceutical to the inner workings of surgical tools and each sector within the industry can benefit from the use of springs.

Nurse uniform iStock_000066755007_Small

The healthcare industry is made up of sectors which cover the following areas:

  • Preventative medicine
  • Curative medicine
  • Palliative care
  • Medical products.

Interdisciplinary teams work together to ensure the health needs of the population are met and those who become sick are tended to in the most appropriate manner.

Springs in the Industry

Due to the nature of the industry, it’s essential that only the highest quality materials and products are used to ensure that the safety and health of those who the item will be coming into contact with.

MRI Scan iStock_000081113497_Small

Items such as MRI and X-ray machines are made up of a variety of moving parts, many of which would not be able to function smoothly or effectively without springs. Even small items such as medical staplers require the use of springs, much like a standard stapler does.

Even lifesaving treatments can rely on the use of springs. One that immediately comes to mind is artificial pacemakers, which rely on springs to keep the electrical circuits which are attached to the heart in place. Should these circuits dislodge, the pacemaker would not be able to function correctly, putting the life of the patient at risk.

Some types of forceps also require the use of springs in order to provide a good grip; biopsy forceps are one of the main examples of this, as they need to be able to grip tissue effectively, but not lock in place like other types of forceps. Due to the delicate nature of the biopsy procedure, it is essential that the surgeon has control over the grip, not the forceps.

Little girl inhaler iStock_000064222463_Small

Even some medicine administration systems utilise springs; a simple metered-dose inhaler uses a spring to allow the dose to be administered when the canister is pushed down.

These are just some of the examples of where springs make the jobs of those in the healthcare industry much easier, but there are plenty more, including in the beds that patients stay on while in hospital, to other drug delivery systems.

If you’re in the medical sector and would like to find out more about how our springs can help you in your day-to-day workings, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here at European Springs Ireland – we’ll be more than happy to help you find the right spring, pressing or wire form for your needs.

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It doesn’t feel like it at all, but two days ago was the day of love – Valentine’s Day. It’s a big day around the world, as it is a day where people around the world celebrate their love to one another or express their love for other things, such as their pet, and their friends.

However, in engineering, things are a little different. At European Springs, as well as expressing our love to our loved ones at home, we also express our love in the workplace. This may seem a bit unusual, but let’s have a look into it.

The Love When Manufacturing Various Products

If there’s one thing that we care about more than anything, it’s how we manufacture our award-winning springs and pressings. Every item that we manufacture is handled with care and precision, just like the processes that occur within European Springs.

In the design stage, each aspect is intricately monitored and rigorously tested to make sure that it is fully functional and can withstand its maximum load. When the springs/pressings are produced, they are done so with the best equipment that is available within the industry.

For example, in April last year, our European Springs site in London acquired a revolutionary machine known as the Bruderer BSTA 500-110B, and the results were sensational. The machine itself can produce more than 1000 stampings per minute, which is equivalent to roughly 17 stampings a second! After three months, it was revealed that the Bruderer investment resulted in the growth of European Springs by 10% and created 35 new jobs.

Across London, Cornwall, and Leeds, sales increased by £16m and the workforce increased by 170, which is amazing as a result of one investment deal. Therefore, it is safe to say that the springs that we manufacture daily are of the highest quality, which is excellent for the business, but more so for our clients, as they will be receiving the highest-quality products every single time.

European Springs Pressings Bruderer

The Results of our Love in Manufacturing

The love and consideration that we put into our products, as well as our services, has gone a long way when it comes to our clients. A fantastic example of this was when we worked with Fabric Architecture to help design, manufacture, and install canopies that were located over the retractable seating voids in West Ham’s stadium, the London Stadium.

This project was particularly special to us because we went out of our way to make every aspect of this project personal and extra special. European Springs’ part was to engineer compression springs that would be used within the canopy mechanisms. However, every spring that we created was then coated with the West Ham colours – a beautiful shade of claret.

Michael Gibbs, Managing Director of European Springs & Pressings, even said “…our Production Manager’s love of West Ham, and subsequent suggestion that the springs were powder coated in the club’s famous claret colour, has added a personal touch that has truly made the teams feel part of sporting history”.

From that, it is safe to say that we care so much for our customers, and we put our all into making them happy, as well as the European Springs team. As specialist spring manufacturers, we always ensure that every product that we produce is of the highest quality, and is handled with the utmost care and consideration.

If you want to know more about what we can provide for you, then please don’t hesitate to contact us today on 028 9083 8605 and we will be more than happy to help with any enquiries you may have.

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Torsion springs and tension springs sound similar but they are quite different. On a garage door, for example, torsion springs will extend less than a tension spring, as torsion springs turn and tension springs fully expand and contract.

Lasting longer due to their sturdiness, torsion springs are typically able to last from between 15,000 to 20,000 cycles but tension springs only around 10,000 cycles. Unlike torsion springs, tension springs need more parts to fully function.

Torsion Springs

Through our 14 torsion coiling machines we are able to manufacture bespoke torsion springs of any size and shape, from wire of 0.3mm to 26mm dimensions. The manufacturing process of torsion springs is extremely fast, even with bespoke designs. These springs are typically finished off the machine, which allows for maximum productivity and efficiency.

Working through twisting, torsion springs store mechanical energy and exert torque force in the opposite direction, in a proportional amount to the angle they are twisted at. Torsion springs are commonly used on mousetraps and clothespins, but they can also be found on garage doors.

 

Tension Springs

Also referred to as extension springs, tension springs are created to work with tension. When extended, tension springs are specifically designed to give an exact pull force to an exact length. At European Springs and Pressings Ireland we manufacture tension springs with our 18 tension coiling machines, from 0.1mm to 26mm dimensions. Depending on your needs, we can manufacture both close wound and loose wound helices of equal aptitude.requirements

Our process involves both cold and hot coiling methods and a wide range of materials, with steel and stainless steel being more common. End types can be coiled hoops, hooks, and screw-in variants, or bespoke end designs for your specific requirements. Tension springs can be found on garage doors’ counterbalances or lever based mechanisms.

Through our innovative procedures machines using the latest technology, we utilise a wide variety of sturdy materials that allow for the highest quality of spring manufacturing. Our team of experts is highly trained in the latest technologies that permit for optimised spring design and efficient manufacturing. From standard spring sizes to bespoke solutions that are sure to fit all of your requirements, at European Springs and Pressings Ireland we always ensure that we not only meet but also exceed your expectations.

Your satisfaction is one of our top priorities, and we always guarantee a quick and high-quality delivery of springs, in any quantity your project requires. We supply a wide variety of industries with springs made to specific requirements.

Get in touch our team today by giving us a call on 028 9083 8605; we’re always happy to help and to answer any query you might have. Alternatively, you can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ to see our latest news and updates.

Engineering is one of the most important sectors when it comes to the UK’s economy; it’s so important that it is responsible for providing just over a quarter of the UK’s total GDP, which corresponds to just under half a billion pounds! As such, it is ingrained within our society and it is important to everyone around us, whether you know it or not.

But what will the future of engineering look like? We at European Springs Ireland understand what it’s like to be a part of a revolutionary project, such as when our London based company worked on the new Tate Modern art gallery, as well as the Liberty in London display. As such, we’ve come up with some engineering predictions that could occur in 2017.

Will Virtual Reality Shape Engineering?

Virtual reality really came into itself in 2016, especially with the likes of the Oculus Rift, the Samsung Gear Headset, the PlayStation VR Headset, and the HTC Vive. These devices could provide users with the opportunity to view different perspectives that they aren’t usually used to, which can be easily used in various industries.

For example, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if we started to see virtual reality in more working environments, such as in training exercises, as they can provide users with the skills necessary without actually participating in dangerous scenarios, such as pilot simulations.

Woman experiencing a virtual environment

The Importance of the Cloud

Because of how important wireless technology has become over the last few years, businesses, industries, and technologies have had to develop themselves to make sure that they are keeping up with the latest trends in terms of data collections and transfer.

Therefore, the future will need to make sure that it incorporates the Cloud effectively. There have been some advances when it comes to the Cloud and data collection; one example is the automotive industry.

Companies such as Qualcomm and WirelessCar have been working long and hard to try and incorporate the idea of wirelessly connected cars. These types of vehicles will be able to communicate with one another, such as at traffic lights, traffic jams, on the motorway, etc. It could pave a way to greater safety when driving vehicles, as the wireless communication could potentially predict if a collision would occur.

Automatic braking system concept

The Onslaught of Drones

Drones were traditionally used as pieces of surveillance equipment, sometimes known as unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs. These were specifically used by the military and air force to monitor various areas around the world if there was any unusual activity present in the region. However, with recent investments in retail, drones have seen a slightly different development.

As you are aware, 2016 was the year that retail giants Amazon unveiled that they would use drones to deliver Amazon Prime packages to various subscribers of their online package. Some people were sceptical about the idea of drones flying around the sky delivering packages, especially in built up areas, as there could be a risk of them dropping the packages on people.

However, they were a major success around the world, which is why it wouldn’t come as a surprise if they were to be used by large delivery companies, such as FedEx, UPS, and even the Royal Mail. They can save a lot of fuel as well as money in the long run, so it could be a great benefit for everyone.

Worker Scanning Package In Warehouse

These are some possibilities that could occur within 2017, but it is hard to tell what exactly can happen. Either way, as long as we are fully prepared for what is to come, then the future of technology and engineering will be a bright one.

As leading spring manufacturers, it is important to make sure that all our springs – no matter whether they are compression springs, tension springs or any other design – match the ever-changing regulations within the industry, everything from testing to the manufacturing process.

If you want to know more information, then please contact us today on 028 9083 8605 and one of our friendly members of staff will be more than happy to help.

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Well, what a year it has been!

We are incredibly proud of the team here at European Springs and all that we’ve achieved throughout the previous year. To celebrate these magnificent achievements, and to highlight some of our team’s proudest moments, we have compiled a list of some of our favourite projects and discuss some of the challenges we’ve undertaken throughout 2016; a year which has seen European Springs take to the high-street and become a part of football history.

Olympic Work at West Ham

London Stadium

With the football season kicking off in August, West Ham wanted to celebrate their move to their new home, the London Stadium. The East London football team were originally based at the Boleyn Ground, or Upton Park, from 1904 until the 2015-16 season, at which point they were to relocate to the London Stadium.

However, before they could play their first game against Bournemouth on August 19th, a few finishing touches were needed to be put in place. One such change was to design, engineer, and install canopies over the retractable seating voids inside the stadium. In this project, we worked alongside Fabric Architecture to manufacture a spring solution, and the results were phenomenal!

Springing into Action for Tate Modern

At European Springs, we manufacture and provide the highest quality springs, with everything from compression and tension springs to bespoke wire forms and pressings. One of the most prolific and most involved projects that we were proud to be a part of was when James and Taylor Ltd in London contacted us to produce a spring mechanism for the new Tate Modern gallery.

Our London site in Beckenham pulled out all the stops and was proud to be part of such an amazing engineering project. But you may be wondering how European Springs ties into the project at hand?

Tate Modern Art Gallery

Well, the terracotta and metal façade engineering firm previously approached us to design, develop, and sample a design for the scaffolding fixing clips. However, the scaffolding was, in fact, set to come down sooner than previously anticipated. With this, we had to finish the spring mechanism in just over a week.

We were extremely proud when we managed to complete the task within the allotted time and to the highest quality possible. The hurdles that we had to overcome, other than the incredibly short time constraint, was the nature of the incredibly complex tasks from start to finish, involving unwavering precision and accuracy on every single part of the project that we manufactured.

However, in the end, everyone that worked on the Tate Modern project deserved a huge amount of praise for the work that they have achieved. It was so fantastic, that the Tate even produced a stop-motion film of the Tate Modern being built from the ground up!

Spotlight on: Liberty of London

If there are two things you can say about European Springs, it’s that we manufacture a wide array of springs, forms, and pressings and that they are produced to the highest quality.

As a result, Liberty London – a retail store in London – approached us to produce and deliver 80 springs for their window displays. And we didn’t disappoint!

Liberty London Retail

Initially, you would have assumed that the springs were to be used as components for machines, but they were actually for the displays themselves; the typical compression springs that we manufacture were used to hold the various display items in place. This project showed the public that European Springs are capable of produced any size of spring, from millimetres in length to the two-metre-high items that formed the Liberty London window displays.

This brilliant collaboration showed off the versatility and creativity of our team, and we couldn’t be happier to have been part of such an amazing exhibition. We are proud to say that, along with the various industries that we work with day in day out, the retail industry is now an industry in which we can work to achieve great things.

Even without the fantastic projects that we’ve been honoured to have been involved in, 2016 has seen European Springs invest in some new and exciting technology that enables up to produce springs and pressings at a much faster rate and to a higher order of accuracy. Not only that, our London site has even gained the ISO 14001 Certification, and we are extremely proud of everyone that has been involved throughout such a fruitful year.

At European Springs, we constantly strive to achieve the best results for us and for our clients. If you want to know more about the projects that we have worked on this year, then why not contact us on 0044 7889171165 and one of our friendly members of staff will be more than happy to help.

3D printing allows for fast and affordable prototyping; it has been used in engineering in order to create accurate representations of designs in a shorter period of time. CAD design is utilised in conjunction, helping to produce streamlined results with fewer errors in the finished product.

By reducing the cost of prototypes, 3D is allowing for the construction of optimised robots that are increasingly more durable. With 3D printing in the engineering industry, engineers are able to apply its advantages to several sectors.

 

QuadBot

3D printable and programmable, QuadBot is presently still running a Kickstarter campaign in order to fund its first production run. Students from Manchester University and Engimake founders, Jack Scott-Reeve and Josh Elijah, utilised their master’s degrees in engineering from the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering to develop the Quadbot. Its primary function is to be a learning tool, guaranteeing groups and workshops have an easy-to-use tool that needs little maths, electronics, 3D design, and coding experience.

The robot is completely open source with Arduino C++ and Ardublockly Graphical as main recommended software. It contains approximately 27 hours of 3D printed parts, Bluetooth module, servo motors, cables, and cords. The QuadBot is capable of dancing, walking, avoid obstacles, and much more, allowing for endless creations due to its open source platform.

 

Mars Medical Challenge

This challenge is seeking K-12 United States students to create a 3D design of a medical device capable of sustaining the physical health of an astronaut on a 3-year mission to Mars. The requirement? It needs to be 3D printable for use in emergency situations, diagnostics, first-aid, and other medical solutions.

Hoping to develop technology that will allow humans to travel in space for long-term missions of exploration, the entries are required to be six inches by six inches. The winners of this project will be announced on 28th March, with the big prize being a tour of NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston.

3D printing is here to stay, allowing both engineering professionals and students to create optimised designs that are faster to manufacture and more affordable. As leaders in spring and high-speed press technology, here at European Springs we can help you find the perfect springs for you 3D printed project. Get in touch with us by giving us a call on 028 9083 8605 to speak to our skilled team. We’re always happy to answer any query you might have!

Alternatively, you can find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ to see our latest news.

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