Southern Springs & Pressings Ltd
enquiries@southernsprings.co.uk
+44 (0)1425 611517
  • Home
  • About
  • Products
  • Services
  • Who we work with
  • News
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Gallery

What are the correct materials to use in Flat Strip Products?

24/5/2017

 
Picture
Just like wire, there are a wide range of materials available in the production and design of flat strip products.
 
Strip materials can be obtained in different grades of hardness, and some spring materials are able to be heat treated to increase their strength and hardness. We will look at carbon steels, stainless steels and copper alloys only in this blog as there are such a vast range of materials out there.
 
Carbon Steels
The different grades of carbon steel strip are classified according to the carbon content, the manufacturing method, and if heat treatment is used in the process.
 
When formability is need, annealed carbon steel strip is used. After forming, if a heat treatment is used this will increase the materials strength and hardness. If formability is not required there are heat treated grades of spring steel.
 
Clock springs and seat belt retaining springs utilise these materials in their hard condition. They provide a good surface finish, uniformity of mechanical properties and precision thickness tolerances. Carbon steel springs will corrode readily so they do require some form of protection if working in a harsh environment.
 
Stainless steels
Stainless steels are widely used for their corrosion resistance, their ability to withstand elevated temperatures and their resistance to relaxation.
 
They are generally obtained in the hard rolled condition, there is a need to take into account the effect of spring hardness when strip components are designed and manufactured from stainless steels.
 
Stainless steels are around 20% weaker than heat treated springs steels of the same size. During the cold rolling process the hardness of stainless steel is produced causing the stainless steel to be slightly magnetic.
 
Copper alloys
When it is necessary to have high electrical and thermal conductivity and/or non-magnetic properties it is essential to use copper based alloys.
 
Another benefit of copper alloys is their good atmospheric corrosion resistance, as the majority of copper-alloy strip components are used as electrical contacts, many copper parts are electro-plated. With its high tin content, phosphor bronze has the high tensile strength in comparison to other copper alloys resulting in it being the most commonly used.
 
Beryllium copper is a precipitation hardening material and can be purchased in a variety of harnesses, depending on the amount of heat treatment carried out. As one of the most expensive copper alloys, it can be precipitation hardened and used to greater working stresses than the other alternatives.
 
Next month our Director of Quality, Steve Blunt will look at ‘tooling materials’.

Jon Davies, Sales Manager

    Author

    Southern Springs & Pressings manufacture a wide range of springs, wire forms, flat strip components and tailor made metal products ​to meet your needs.  We also provide specialist services such as tooling, assembly and design solutions to help deliver your products to market. ​​

    Archives

    March 2019
    September 2018
    March 2018
    December 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016

    Categories

    All
    CAD
    Components
    Compression Springs
    Conical Compression Springs
    Corrosion Protection
    Extension Springs
    Fatigue Performance
    Flat Strip
    Manufacturing
    Materials
    Prestressing
    Prototype
    Small-Batch
    Springs
    Tension Springs
    Tooling
    Tooling Design
    Torsion Springs
    Wire Forms

    RSS Feed

Call our Sales Team NOW: +44 (0)1425 611517 or send us an email

Legal Notices   |   Download Quality Accrediation  | 
Picture
Keep up-to-date with SSP
NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP


​Website by THE VIVIDESIGNER
  • Home
  • About
  • Products
  • Services
  • Who we work with
  • News
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Gallery
Picture
Picture
Southern Springs & Pressings Ltd
​Stem Lane, New Milton

Hampshire BH25 5NE
tel: +44 (0)1425 611517
enquiries@southernsprings.co.uk​
© Southern Springs & Pressings Ltd 
Copyright © 2016
Cookies Policy. ​
​Privacy Policy
Company Registration Number: 00452833
Place of Registration United Kingdom
VAT Registration Number: 188 5778 89
Picture
Find out about our ISO 9001 accreditation

The VIVIDesigner
SSP manufacture a wide range of springs, wire forms, flat strip components and tailor made metal products to meet your needs. We also provide specialist services such as tooling, assembly and design solutions to help deliver your products to market.
SSP, Southern Springs & Pressings, design, manufacture, assemble, wire forms, flat strip components, tailor made metal products, tooling, sample batches, prototypes, large production run, custom assembly service, extension springs, torsion springs, compression springs, tension springs, press production line, construction, IT, medical, electronics, military, avionics.