Smalley Wave Springs

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TFC is the sole UK & leading European supplier of Smalley Wave Springs. Smalley and TFC have built a reputation for unsurpassed quality and an expert, collaborative engineering team.

Smalley Wave Springs (Flat Wire Compression Springs) offer the unique advantage of space savings when used to replace coil springs. By reducing spring operating height, wave springs also produce a decrease in the spring cavity. With a smaller assembly size and less material used in the manufacturing process, a cost-saving is realized.

Wave springs operate as load-bearing devices. They take up play and compensate for dimensional variations within assemblies. Wave springs can produce an unlimited range of forces whereby loads build either gradually or abruptly to reach a predetermined working height. This establishes a precise spring rate in which load is proportional to deflection.

Functional requirements are necessary for both dynamic and static spring applications. Special performance characteristics are individually built into each spring to satisfy a variety of precise operating conditions. Typically, a wave spring will occupy an extremely small area for the amount of work it performs. The use of this product is demanded, but not limited to tight axial and radial space constraints.

With over 40 years experience and with a technical support team available in-house & in the field, TFC are pleased to advise the ideal Smalley Wave Springs for your application.

TFC is the sole UK & leading European supplier of Smalley Wave Springs. Smalley and TFC have built a reputation for unsurpassed quality and an expert, collaborative engineering team.

Smalley Wave Springs (Flat Wire Compression Springs) offer the unique advantage of space savings when used to replace coil springs. By reducing spring operating height, wave springs also produce a decrease in the spring cavity. With a smaller assembly size and less material used in the manufacturing process, a cost-saving is realized.

Wave springs operate as load-bearing devices. They take up play and compensate for dimensional variations within assemblies. Wave springs can produce an unlimited range of forces whereby loads build either gradually or abruptly to reach a predetermined working height. This establishes a precise spring rate in which load is proportional to deflection.

Functional requirements are necessary for both dynamic and static spring applications. Special performance characteristics are individually built into each spring to satisfy a variety of precise operating conditions. Typically, a wave spring will occupy an extremely small area for the amount of work it performs. The use of this product is demanded, but not limited to tight axial and radial space constraints.

With over 40 years experience and with a technical support team available in-house & in the field, TFC are pleased to advise the ideal Smalley Wave Springs for your application.

Need Assistance?

Contact our Engineering team now +44 (0)1435 866011 or

Request a Sample
Download a Smalley CAD
Smalley Product Search

Coil springs are an engineering marvel that goes beyond picking a random metal and wrapping it around a metal rod to create the spring. Every aspect of the coil spring, from the thickness of the material, the pitch and the free length, are carefully considered for the load of the spring. Unfortunately, some of the considerations don’t include the space allocations of the spring, which means you might have the right spring, but the space is limited. This is where wave springs come in handy.

They are much smaller in size, almost half the free length of the coil spring, but produce the same compression, if not better.

What is a Wave Spring?

Wave springs are a type of compression spring that has been in existence for more than 100 years. Unlike normal springs that are made of round wire, wave springs are made of flat wire and have a unique design that features multiple waves per turn. This unique design is what allows the wave spring to offer the same spring force as a standard spring while standing at only half the operational height of a normal coil spring.  

How Wave Springs Work

The functioning of the wave spring is more or less the same as that of the coil spring. The difference is in how it disperses the weight.

The spring starts at the free height. This is the natural height of the spring with no load applied. When a load is applied, the height of the wave spring is compressed to a new height called the work height. The wave spring disperses the weight through the spaces within the waves.

Advantages of a Wave Spring

Because of the unique design of the wave spring and its unique approach to compression, it offers unique benefits that you don’t get from coil springs. Some of the reasons why you should consider using a wave spring in place of a coil spring include the following;

Less axial space

When using a wave spring, the operating height of the spring can be reduced by up to 50%. This makes a wave spring an ideal option in operations where space is tight. The low crest-to-crest height of wave springs helps overcome space constraints. The spring offers the same spring force as a traditional spring but at a reduced operating height. Using wave springs means reducing spring cavities resulting in smaller and more compact assembly sizes, consequently saving costs.

Design flexibility

We can customise wave springs to fit the exact application requirements. The number of turns, the material type and thickness can all be adjusted to match the customer’s requirements. The unique design of the wave spring makes it possible to create bespoke springs to almost any diameter. The design of the spring can be optimised without the need for additional tooling making production more efficient and less costly.

Accurate and predictable load distribution

Wave springs come with various tolerance on loads and specific working heights. Whether the application is dynamic or static, you can pinpoint the load that wave spring outputs, delivering reliable and consistence performance in your applications. Some of this is credited to our engineering prowess, but wave springs also get their fair share of the credit.

Versatility

Wave springs can thrive in just as many applications as traditional springs and have become a trusted solution across many different industries and applications. The springs come in small and large diameters for light to heavy-duty applications. Wave springs feature in thousands of applications ranging from every product, like the smartwatch, to the much-advanced oil rigs. There’s no limit to the application of wave springs.

Diversity in creation

Wave springs can excel in extreme conditions because the spring can be made from exotic alloys to suit the extreme condition where the spring will be used. Matching the material to the conditions of the spring can enhance its performance and prolong its service life.

With TFC, you can experience the full benefits of wave springs. Combined with our extensive service solutions, we can help you make the most from wave springs by delivering quality wave springs matched to your needs, requirements and applications.

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