Category: News & Updates

Since the UK voted to leave, Brexit has been an inevitable topic of conversation across numerous industries. With a disconcerting degree of uncertainty in what the future holds for various business sectors, many within the manufacturing industry are wondering how it will affect daily operations.

Manufacturing contributes greatly to the UK’s gross domestic product, accounting for 5% of businesses and contributing £169 billion – that’s almost 10% of the UK economy! Although Brexit will undoubtedly impact manufacturing, is it possible to predict exactly how much?

Here are some of the predicted changes, as well as a look at how the manufacturing industry is already being impacted.

What Does Brexit Mean?

Simply put, Brexit is the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union. It has been two years since the UK voted to leave the EU, with the official date of commencement proceedings scheduled for 29th March 2019.

As 55% of our imported goods are traded with the EU, the move will have a considerable impact on the UK economy.

Over the last several months, terms such as a ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ Brexit have been bandied about in the media. In its simplest form, a soft Brexit means that the UK will continue to have close ties with the EU. Even after leaving the customs union, we would still remain in the single market, retaining the free trade agreement (FTA), similar to what Norway has.

Hard Brexit, on the other hand, means that the UK will move further away from the EU, and will cut all main ties with the European Union, making any trade deals much more unlikely, if available at all.

The Changes So Far

Changes are to be expected across all industries.

In May 2017, the UK became bottom of the G7 Growth League, where we registered a growth of just 0.2%.

On the other hand, there have also been positive changes since the landmark vote happened. Whereas many assumed that the worst scenarios would hit the UK immediately, in actual fact the opposite happened, with the UK economy estimated to have grown 1.8% in 2016.

This, unfortunately, does not appear to be the case in the automotive industry, where uncertainty about Brexit has already put thousands of jobs at risk, making them one of the most vulnerable industrial sectors. One of the main reasons behind this is that investors are now choosing to go elsewhere in Europe due to increased costs.

How Will this Affect the Manufacturing Industry?

Research suggests that the impact of Brexit within the UK could trigger a downward spiral in UK GDP growth. On the other hand, many believe Brexit will make UK manufacturing more profitable. EU membership is a beneficial factor, with prices of manufacturers in the UK domestic market falling by 20%. This would increase competition which in turn would push productivity higher across the economy.

There are further positive factors to consider once Brexit takes effect. The UK will no longer be constrained by existing regulations, after leaving the EU. This means the UK may have more freedom in the market, gaining potentially better tariffs for trade, which could ultimately help boost manufacturing.

Although this is a tough time for the UK manufacturing industry as it prepares for change, it’s important to remember that we have already seen some of the positive benefits of Brexit.

As spring manufacturers, we at European Springs Ireland believe that we can continue to be one of the leading figures in the field of springs and high-speed press technology. Although it is uncertain what the future holds for the UK manufacturing industry, there are still numerous opportunities for the UK to move forward.

If you would like to find out more about our products and services, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today, and we will be happy to help.

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Ireland is known for being a proud and passionate nation, steeped in history and tradition, with stunning landscapes, accommodating people and of course, a love of sport.

In this blog, we look at our historic national stadium and the engineering that influenced its award-winning redevelopment.

The existing arena has come a long way from humble beginnings and the very first All-Ireland finals held at Jones’ Road, site of today’s state of the art ground, in March 1896.

It was some seventeen years after this, in 1913, that the Gaelic Athletic Association (the GAA) were able to purchase Jones’ Road using the gate money from the Croke Memorial Tournament.

It cost them the princely sum of £2,400 and was renamed Croke Memorial Park in honour of one of the GAA’s original founders – Archbishop Thomas Croke.

Completed in 2002 by Irish architects Gillroy McMahon, in conjunction with international sports facilities designers HOK Sport, the newly-developed Croke Park had a number of briefs to fill.

As a sporting venue it had to accommodate huge numbers of visitors at any one time – over 82,000 in fact – and critically, had to provide those paying guests with a full, clear view of the sporting action yet retain the sense of community for which Irish Sport is known.

Being the flagship centre of Gaelic Football and Hurling, it had to reflect this status whilst also being appreciative of the history and culture of the GAA in general.

It was also important that it looked good given the effect such a big stadium would naturally have on the Dublin landscape.

The Perfect View

Aesthetics are integral to the approach taken by the architects and a key part of the Development Control Plan was to involve revolving the pitch by eight degrees so that effectively it should track the line of the railway and the canal that passes immediately to the south of the ground.

Unique to Croke Park is the leaning structural frame with the tiers of seating pitching out towards the field of play. This creates an effect of communal intimacy amongst the spectators in affording them the same focal proximity to the pitch across four tiers of seating.

It was a conscious decision to abandon the European tradition of segregating fans vertically and adopt an American approach to site fans across horizontal lines.

This gives the impression of one huge room and enables fans to walk from the Cusack Stand all the way to the other end of the Hogan Stand, over half a kilometre around the horseshoe.

A Sense of History

In the original plans for the stadium, it was proposed that Hill 16, with the exception of a few rows, would be removed.

Historically and culturally significant, the terrace was both a physical and a subconscious representation of a turbulent past that many would have been keen to retain but did not seem at first architecturally possible. In part, this was due to the fact that the GAA did not own all of the land behind that area of the ground.

Thanks to a touch of engineering ingenuity, however, namely a ‘Y’-shaped structural support system providing a central support column for the seating and catering for a concourse and the cantilever roof, the much-revered stand at the Railway End of Croke Park was saved.

This is a significant deviation from the more traditionally-used ‘H’-framed, post and beams model of structural support.

In addition to being able to accommodate over 13,000 people in the newly-built stand, this revolutionary engineering design solution has also afforded bigger pitch dimensions: the new pitch is a whole seven metres longer and three metres wider than the previous one.

Shane O’Toole, writing for Archiseek in 2002, describes the GAA as “..not just a game, but a culture” and this sense is retained with references to historical events throughout the stadium.

The new Cusack Stand, now with space for 27,000 people compared to the 5,000 it originally held, is of course named after Michael Cusack one of the original GAA founders with the Davin Stand commemorating the first GAA President, Maurice Davin.

This section of the ground also houses the Ali Tunnel, created as part of the redevelopment, to honour legendary boxer Muhammed Ali and his 1972 bout with Al Lewis.

It is impossible also not to make reference to the significant events of 1920 when thinking of Croke Park and the Hogan Stand poignantly pays tribute to Tipperary player, David Hogan, who was killed on Bloody Sunday.

A Regard For the Environment

A contributory factor to the architects being awarded a Gold Medal from the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) was the ability to successfully manage the competing demands of a state of the art building, retaining a sense of the culture of the GAA and a sympathy to the wider Dublin landscape.

Indeed, the chair of the judging panel that awarded the medal, Joan O’Connor described it to the RIAI as “..a landmark in the architectural, historical and cultural landscape of Dublin. It relates well to its neighbours and environment while being an elaborate but delicate signature on the city’s skyline. Not only does it afford 83,000 visitors a full and clear vision of the field of play, it provides a sense of community within its audience and is as impressive when empty as when full to capacity. The secret of the design is in the carefully balanced Y section which elegantly supports the terraces, concourses and the magnificent cantilevered roof.”

Aligning the three demands was of key importance to the architects, who wanted to ensure that the stadium was as aesthetically pleasing when seen at a distance from across Dublin as it is within its immediate environment.

The choice of colours matches those of surrounding buildings and each face of the base of the ground has been designed for the specific context it faces, whether towards the canal or the residential aspect of Jones’ Road.

The Future

One of the most popular sports in Ireland in terms of attendance, Gaelic football shows no signs of slowing down. There was a 24% increase in 2017 spectator numbers compared to 2016 as reported in the Irish Mirror, and an extra €4m received in revenue and the interest in Hurling continues too. There’s little doubt that the redevelopment of our flagship ground has and will continue to contribute to this but it’s more than just facilities.

The stadium of today even hosts music events, with many world-class headline acts choosing Croker as their Irish performance venue. In fact the singer Taylor Swift recently made history by being the first woman to perform two shows in a row at the ground.

The care taken in the design to acknowledge the past whilst looking to the future engenders in us the relevance of our culture in a modern world and we here at European Springs Ireland are proud of the influence of engineering in preserving that for future generations.

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The world of engineering has impacted the way we work in our everyday lives. Everything we take for granted was invented by successful individuals and did not exist once upon a time. Can you imagine if we now lived without some of the world’s greatest inventions, such as the automobile? From ancient tools to the latest digital advances, humans have been inventing and engineering items which have been transforming our lives since we can remember.

Here are just some of the engineering inventions that have not only changed the way we live our everyday lives but have shaped the entire industry and have paved the way for a greater future.

The First Airplane

If it wasn’t for the invention of the first ever plane, would we now be able to travel across seas, venture to new countries or even carry soldiers, assist the injured and rescue mountaineers? On December 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright achieved the first ever powered, sustained, and controlled plane, which has been evolving and changing ever since.

While these flying contraptions have been more than an idea ever since da Vinci’s time, the Wright brothers were the ones to make it a success! It’s fair to say that these siblings kickstarted the foundation for modern aeronautical engineering.

On December 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright achieved the first ever powered, sustained, and controlled plane

Compass

The invention of the compass can’t be traced back to a specific date; however, the earliest compasses were most likely invented by the Chinese around 1050 BC. Created for spiritual and navigational purposes, the first compasses were said to be made of lodestones as this is a naturally magnetised iron ore.

With the advancement in technology and the invention of the electromagnet in 1825, the compass was then developed into what we know today. If it wasn’t for the engineering marvel that is the compass, modern navigation wouldn’t have received the push it needed.

The first compasses were said to be made of lodestones as this is a naturally magnetised iron ore

Automobile

Although the basic foundations for the car were laid early in 1866 by German engineer and inventor Karl Benz, cars didn’t become widely available until the early 20th century. Mass production techniques for automobiles were invented by well-known engineer Henry Ford and are now standard practises with Ford, General Motors, Chrysler and more.

This evolution reflects a worldwide effort – it influenced other technological advances such as petroleum refining, steel making, plate-glass manufacturing, and other industrial processes.

Empty car body shells on production line

Light Bulb

Indoors right now? There’s most likely a light bulb powering the room. The energy we use today and use to light up our offices and homes with was a bright idea from way over 150 years ago. Pioneered by Humphry Davy, he set off on his journey in the 1800s and ended up being one of the most influential and greatest inventors of all time. While Davy began this invention, the first light bulb was patented by Edison and Swan in 1879 and 1880. The invention of the lightbulb electrified new business and led to numerous exciting breakthroughs such as electric transmission lines, home appliances and power plants!

The energy we use today and use to light up our offices and homes with was a bright idea from way over 150 years ago

Small Tools and Components

We may consider planes, trains, and automobiles to be some of the greatest accomplishments from the world’s engineers, but do we ever stop to think about the smaller parts? Everything from tools, such as hammers and spanners, to small components, such as springs and hinges, are just as important, perhaps even more! The first ever coiled spring was invented by R. Tradwell in 1763 and was a British patent.

This stems from the research British physicist Robert Hooke carried out in 1676 on Hooke’s Law, which explores the force which a spring exerts.

When you think about how many products, machines, and household items we couldn’t have if it wasn’t for the nuts, bolts, wire forms, screws and springs, we would have very empty homes and businesses!

 Everything from tools, such as hammers and spanners, to small components, such as springs and hinges, are just as important

This list is by no means comprehensive; these are just a few of the marvellous inventions which have shaped everything we do in our day-to-day routines. You are probably reading this on a PC or phone; both which wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for an engineer or inventor who conjured up the idea.

As spring manufacturers, we are in awe of these engineers – and, of course, the ones we haven’t been able to mention. If you would like to know more about our products and services, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with European Springs Ireland today.

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2018 – the year of the Winter Olympics and Paralympics, the FIFA World Cup and the Year of Engineering. This year will see events, campaigns and initiatives up and down the country, all designed to promote engineering as a career choice for young children and teenagers.

With reports that the UK is dealing with a skills shortage, meaning that we will need 1.8 million trained people by 2025, the UK government is doing everything they can to get young people interested in a career in engineering to secure the future of the industry.

So, what will be going on in 2018, and how can you help to make sure that it is a successful Year of Engineering?

Engineering Apprentices

Who is Already Involved?

There are a huge number of big companies and organisations who are involved in the initiative, covering a variety of sectors and disciplines. These include BAE Systems, Engineering UK, Royal Air Force and the UK Space Agency, to name but a few.

These names don’t just represent the industries most commonly associated with engineering, such as transport and aerospace, in fact, there are companies from sectors including education, fashion and the environment.

Introduce a Girl to Engineering

Research has shown that only 23% of the UK workforce in STEM occupations are women. In a bid to introduce more young girls and women to the industry, ‘Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day’ was born.

The event has already passed for 2018, being held on February 22nd, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start thinking about next year! We wrote about the event back in February, giving suggestions of how you could introduce a girl to engineering.

100 Years of the RAF

On 1st April, the Royal Air Force celebrated its 100th birthday – an event which will see celebrations taking place from now until the end of November. This birthday is particularly poignant as 2018 also marks 100 years since the end of WWI.

This provides the perfect opportunity to explore the engineering behind aerospace, encouraging children and teens to consider the huge advancements that have happened over the course of the last 100 years.

Big Bang Events

In July, schools across the country will be hosting ‘The Big Bang’ events. These fairs are designed to get school children excited about STEM subjects by providing fun, educational and inspiring exhibits that encourage students to consider a career in STEM.

You can find out more about the events and how you can get involved here.

Consider Visiting a Local School

If you are an employer in the STEM sector, this year may be the perfect time to get involved with local schools and colleges. Not only does this provide an opportunity for young students to understand the variety of careers they could have within STEM, it also offers you an opportunity to create a valuable link.

You may find that these children later consider apprenticeship or job opportunities with your company as they are already familiar with your work and have an existing relationship.

Be Vocal Online

Getting involved in the Year of Engineering needn’t take up much of your time or resources. In fact, you could use the internet as your platform to encourage young people in STEM careers. Sharing interesting stories, facts and insights into your workplace could be enough to pique the interests of young people, showing them another side of an industry that they may not yet have considered.

When posting on social media, you can use hashtags, #takeacloserlook, #YofE and #inspireanengineer to make sure that your updates are seen!

There are countless ways that you can get involved in the Year of Engineering in 2018, helping to encourage a future generation of engineers, highlighting how the STEM industries can be exciting, fascinating and important.

Make sure to follow all of our latest updates about the Year of Engineering as well as our company news by regularly checking our blog or following us on our social media pages – Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram.

If you have any questions about our services or products, don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team who will be happy to help.

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At European Springs Ireland, our experienced engineers have been given the opportunity to manufacture and produce some exciting projects over the years, and this year has been no different. The spring industry has developed and advanced greatly over time, allowing new technology to create incredible things.

Being one of Europe’s leading spring providers, we pride ourselves on delivering the perfect end project to our customers. As Saturday 17th March marks St Patrick’s Day, our team has created a Shamrock made from wire forms to celebrate the occasion.

Shamrock

History of St Patrick’s Day

For those who are unfamiliar with the history of the celebration, we at European Springs Ireland will inform all about the special Irish day. St Patrick’s Day is a cultural and religious celebration held on the 17th March, (the traditional death date of Saint Patrick born 385AD). It is a Roman Catholic feast day of the patron saint of Ireland.

This day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, whilst also celebrating the heritage and culture of the Irish. Celebrations involves public parades, festivals, and wearing green attire or shamrocks.

Saint Patrick’s Day is widely celebrated around the world and is celebrated in more countries than any other national festival.

Who was Saint Patrick?

Saint Patrick was a 5th century Roman-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland, and one of Christianity’s most widely known figures. But, did you know he wasn’t actually Irish? His real name given at birth was Maewyn. He was born in Romano Britain into a wealthy family, where his father worked as a deacon and his grandfather worked as a priest in a Christian church.

When he was 16, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken as a slave to Gaelic Ireland. Here, he spent six years working as a shepherd, and it is stated it was here where he found God.

During his capture, he was able to escape, where he fled to a monastery in Gaul, France, and converted to Christianity. After some time living in France, he returned back to Ireland in 432 as a missionary. Although Christianity was a religion which was already held in the country, Saint Patrick enabled it to be more widespread after confronting the Druids at Tara and abolishing their pagan rites.

Later in life, Patrick became a bishop and after his death in 461, he was named Ireland’s patron saint. He was buried at Downpatrick.

In the early days of Saint Patrick’s Day, celebrations were largely understated. It wasn’t until the Irish emigrated to the United States, where they began creating the bigger celebrations and parades we know today.

In the 18th century, Irish soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War held the first St Patrick’s Day parades. These celebrations were known as a way for the Irish to connect with their roots after they moved to America.

shamrock 3

Fun Facts About Saint Patrick’s Day

Here, we have listed three fun facts about this Irish tradition that you may not have known:

  • According to legend, Saint Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Trinity.
  • The practice of dyeing the river green began in Chicago in 1962, when the city officials decided to dye a portion of the Chicago River green.
  • Corned beef and cabbage is an Irish American dish but some of the population were unable to afford certain meals. On Saint Patrick’s Day, it was the best meal they could afford. Since then, it became a staple for the holiday.

Process of Custom Made Wireforms

Wireforms are essential component types which are commonly used in headsets, computer brace devices, or for a simple pin. No two examples of wireforms ever look alike, making them fantastic for creating them into forms for almost any design.

Advanced machinery has had a great effect on the production of wire forms, allowing the manufacturing of huge quantities. Our specialist hand cooling treatments and wealth of experience enable us to make custom made wireforms with precision and quality. This is shown in our production of the Shamrock to celebrate the occasion.

At European Springs Ireland, we deliver professional and bespoke service for the design and manufacturing of springs. If you would like to know more information about our products and services, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our expert team.

From everyone here at European Springs Ireland, Happy St Patrick’s Day.

There’s no argument that springs are everywhere; they play a major role in many items we use on an everyday basis – from our cars to prosthetic limbs.

But while we may use the modest mechanism more than you think, have you ever stopped to consider how compression springs are made?

As spring manufacturers, we’re quite well placed to answer this query, so sit back, relax, and read all about the process.

how are springs made

The Materials

Springs are generally used of hardened steel, and spring manufacturers do have the option to either use pre-hardened steel or to harden the steel in their own process.

The most commonly used materials include stainless steel, chrome silicon, chrome vanadium, music wire and oil tempered wire; all of which are ideal for several spring projects.

However, other materials can be used, such as plastic. It all depends on what the purpose of a spring is for the material required to be determined.

The Design Process

While it’s interesting to find out the scientific process of spring making, it’s equally important to remember that various mathematical equations and processes are used to design the spring needed.

Factors such as wire composition, size, diameter, the number of coils needed, force and its application all need to be considered in minute detail.

Coiling

The process of creating a spring begins with coiling. This can be done with either a heated or cold wire but the metal needs flexibility to be shaped.

Cold winding starts with a wire at room temperature and involves winding the wire around a shaft. Hot winding is more often used for wire that is thicker. The metal is heated beforehand which increases the flexibility. It is then coiled around a shaft while still piping hot.

After the wire has been coiled it is immediately taken off the shaft or mandrel so it can cool and harden to its new form rapidly.

Hardening

Whether the material has been coiled hot or cold, stress is created for the material. Heat effects the strength, so to relieve this the spring must be tempered by heat treating.

The spring is heated in an oven and held at the appropriate temperature for a specific time and then placed aside to cool down.

An example of this is a spring made from music wire; it should be heated at 260 degrees Celsius for one hour.

how are springs made from European springs

Finishing Steps

Before a spring can be used, there are usually five more steps to go through before being placed in an application.

1. Grinding. If the design needs flat ends, then these need to be ground. The spring will be mounted to a jig and held against a rotating wheel until the desired flatness is achieved. An appropriate fluid will be used to cool the spring.

2. Shot Peening. This process helps to resist any fatigue or cracking. The entire spring is exposed to many tiny steel balls that hammer it smooth and compress the material below the surface.

3. Setting. The spring will be fully compressed so that all the coils touch each other. This fixes the length and pitch firmly. Some spring manufacturers will even repeat this process several times.

4. Coating. This protects corrosion. The spring is protected by painting, plating it with a further metal, or even goes through mechanical plating. There is also an alternative process of electroplating.

5. Quality Control

Of course, this is not the end of the process for spring manufacturers, such as European Springs Ireland. The spring goes through various testing devices and quality control steps to ensure the highest of quality.

Through using specific materials and extremely advanced manufacturing processes, all our springs are uniformly strong and of a high quality. We manufacturer a variety of springs – from disc springs and die springs to clock springs and torsion springs and many more.

Get in touch today to find out more about our processes and services.

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