Author: European Springs Web Team

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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With the turn of the new year, predictions for the year ahead are a handy way to try and optimise for any changes which could impact your business.

In 2017 the manufacturing industry was affected in many ways. Brexit impacted the global manufacturing market, with companies seeking new markets and new products.

We saw an increase in reliable robotics, AI, and other technological advances.

Blue glowing future technology

This leads us to the question of what is in store for 2018.

In the ever-changing, fast-paced market that is manufacturing, here at European Springs Ireland we like to keep up to date with any new exciting methods within the industry so that we can pass these efficient changes on to our customers.

Here are our predictions for the year ahead.

Positive Predictions

  1. New Technologies

The technological world is constantly developing, with companies racing to create the newest technology the fastest, every day.

Predictions include a greater reliance on robotics, as the manufacturing industry moves to implement the growing technology in the production line.

This will impact productivity, as well as streamline a whole host of processes that certain companies struggle with on a day to day basis.

3D Printing Technology Car

In addition to this, other innovative technologies, such as 3D printing, will become more prominent in mass scale production. Certainly, something to look forward too.

  1. Expanding Workforce

Another new year, another release of graduates into the manufacturing market.

The volume of new, creative thinkers encourages change and motivates existing workforces, and as new ideas are brought to the table, there is the potential of manufacturing methods evolving and improving.

  1. Continuation of Healthy Business Prospects

2017 was a very good year for business. According to a Bloomberg report, 2017 was the best year for manufacturing since 2004.

This invites a continuation of development throughout the industry, and hopefully indicates a maintaining of this development or even a further surge in business.

  1. New Business Opportunities

Similar to the idea of a new expanding workforce each year, with the prospect of a new year, we can look forward to a potential abundant year full of new business opportunities.

With companies in Britain, in particular, looking to focus on manufacturing from within the country to cut costs, the possibility of new business opportunities are thriving.

  1. Improving Economic Relationships

As the fear of Brexit subsides, companies are beginning to recognise and focus on the positive changes that the new government initiative sets to implement.

Greater negotiations, communications and relationships between businesses, across continents, are set to encourage business trends, especially in the manufacturing world.

Alternatively, for manufacturing facilities in the UK, such as ours in London and Cornwall, the economy looks set to get stronger, meaning greater business prospects long term, and a more stable market.

2018 looks to be an incredibly exciting time for the world of manufacturing.

By opting to supply your company’s springs and pressings from European Springs Ireland, you can rest assured that our expert team are constantly hard at work, searching for the next advances and concepts within the manufacturing industry that we can pass on directly to you.

Contact us today to see what we can do for your business.

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What are Torsion Springs?

Torsion springs are a variety of springs that are twisted in a helical fashion. This means that when pressure is applied to the spring it exerts a force called torque in the opposite direction. This mechanism is widely used in products such as clothes pins for example. When you apply pressure to the pin it then exerts torque when released until it is closed, holding the clothes in place.

Another variation of the torsion spring is the torsion bar. This is a straight bar that can be rotated about its axis. These are made of steel and are used generally in heavy duty vehicles as suspension.

torsion spring

Main Uses for Torsion Springs

Torsion Springs have a variety of uses as their impressive rotational energy allows for a transferrable mechanism that can be integrated into many different products.

Firstly, they are commonly used in large vehicles such as trucks, SUVs, or vehicles that generally transport a lot of weight. This is so that the manufacturers can easily change the torsion bars. They do this to change the ride height or compensate for engine weight.

An advantage of torsion springs in vehicles is the durability of the torsion bar as its mass allows it to handle a lot of stress. This is demonstrated by its use in many military vehicles, such as the M1 Abrams tank which has stood the test of time since its development in 1979.

Another popular use for torsion springs is their application within garage doors. The springs are tightly wound around a metal shaft that is connected to a cable drum when the garage door is opened. The tension is released and it spins the shaft, turning the cable drums by wrapping around the drums and raising the door.

When the garage door is closed it winds the torsion spring back around the metal shaft and restores the tension. These springs generally last for around 30,000 cycles; a full cycle consists of both the opening and closing of the garage door.

Torsion springs are also used in the hinges of many doors as it allows them to close after being opened without electronic technology. In theory, it is quite a simple design; the torsion spring is attached to a hinge with one side connected to the stationary plate on the wall and the other side connected to the moving plate on the door.

This means that when the door is opened the pressure applies tension to the torsion spring and once the door is released the rotational energy moves the door back into place.

Their Design

The spring designer must take into consideration how much tension their springs need to undertake to know just how large they need to be. For example, when put under pressure the springs coil diameter will reduce and the length with increase. This means that the metal wire they use needs to be able to bend but return to it’s original shape with ease and have a decent durability which will require little replacement.

As torsion spring manufacturers, we are experts at producing torsion springs to suit your requirements. For more information on our services and products here at European Springs Ireland, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our expert team here.

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The output of the UK manufacturing is expanding at the most rapid rate since 2008. The industry also recorded a seventh consecutive month of growth in November. In ten years, the UK manufacturing sector has never seen so much growth. It looks like 2018 is going to be a wonderful year, not just for the entire manufacturing industry, but for the sectors inside, such as gas spring manufacturers like ourselves.  So, why is the figure so, and how did we get there?

Car production

Output Figures

Renewable energy projects, boats, cars and aeroplanes for export helped to increase the output 3.9% higher in just three months. In fact, the official figures show that the entire industrial output rose by 0.4% in November.

Output from construction also fell by 2% compared with previous months, however, that was the industry’s biggest fall since August 2012. The main positive for this sector is the 1.2% increase in new housing.

November 2017 was estimated to have a total production increase of 0.4 % in comparison to October with an expectation of the majority of this coming from energy supply. While this was originally the prediction, this increased by 3.2% due to the change in temperatures. This was because the temperature was warmer than average in October and colder than average in November, which meant an obvious effect on production and supply.

Economic Growth

While there are positives and some negatives in the statistics, one main figure to focus on is the growth of the economy as a whole. This has slowed down within the first nine months of 2017, with higher inflation caused by the fall in sterling. This was of course due to the Brexit referendum. However, it is important to note that the UK economy did grow by 0.4% in the three months to September.

While the figures are looking great, it is also vital to point out that UK manufacturing makes up only 10% of the economy. While an important section, it is a small one.

Riding on Trends

One could say that British manufacturing depends on two trends; global growth and currency.

While, as mentioned, the value of sterling has fallen following Brexit, this circumstance has made UK exports much more competitive.

For the first time since the middle of the financial crisis, the 3 main engines of global growth – USA, China and Europe, are all performing strongly. This has led to further exports which are contributing to narrowing the trade deficit.

While there is a clear divide in value between what we import and export, the entire economic picture seems subdued. However, assisted by a positive outlook in the British manufacturing sector, we have not seen such quarterly optimism since way back in April 2008, and furthermore, we are enjoying a solid run of growth since 1997.

Young male manufacturer iStock_000067202615_Small

Lee Hopley, chief economist at The Manufacturers’ organisation EEF has said:

“UK manufacturers were, in the main, in good shape as 2017 came to a close, with the majority of sub-sectors enjoying growth. Manufacturers’ expectations for the year ahead point to output and export growth being maintained through this year on the back of continuing support from a burgeoning global economy. This, together with an ongoing commitment from government to deliver on its industrial strategy, will be crucial in helping to propel the sector forward”

While looking ahead, Brexit uncertainty is likely to continue affecting these figures, the UK Manufacturing sector can only be optimistic following from these numbers.

European Springs Ireland are looking forward to what the world of springs will be doing as the year continues and how the growth of Manufacturing can help all the sectors grow equally.

If you would like any information on how our services can help your business grow, we would love to discuss. Simply get in touch with our expert team.

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