Wire forms like handles, display hooks, food-service equipment, and medical equipment require careful attention to both appearance and functionality. In this blog post, we will explore various wire form finishes and materials to consider when aesthetics plays a crucial role in your design.
Most wire forms are not visible when assembled into a final product and appearance is not a concern. Other wire forms are easily visible, or are the product itself, and careful attention must be given to both appearance and functionality.
The majority of wires we initially manufacture have a naturally dull appearance. While stainless steel may be perceived as having a polished look, achieving this requires specific processes. For a balance between an attractive finish and cost-effectiveness, consider the following materials:
Beyond material choice, additional options exist to enhance the appearance of your wire form component or product:
When designing your wire form, remember that appearance can also affect the overall functionality of the product. By carefully selecting materials and finishing processes, you can ensure that your wire forms not only meet performance expectations but also contribute to the visual appeal of the final product.
At Orlando Precision, we specialize in creating wire forms that balance both form and function. Contact us today to discuss how we can enhance the aesthetics of your wire forms while maintaining their functionality.
Do you have an existing compression spring that you either need to replicate or modify? If you do, the first thing we will need are your manufacturing requirements. These will include material, finish, physical dimensions, and load requirements. In this blog, we will cover how to measure your compression spring so that you can provide accurate manufacturing specifications.
The most straightforward method to measure a compression spring is by examining its physical dimensions. Here are the key measurements you need to consider:
If you know your load requirement or spring rate, you can further refine your spring specifications. This will ensure that your spring performs exactly as needed. If you don’t know your spring rate, Orlando Precision can determine it from a sample using our load testing machines.
Load Requirement: This is the force or weight your spring needs to support when compressed a specific distance, or to a specific length.
Spring Rate: The spring rate, often referred to as stiffness, indicates how much force is needed to compress the spring by a specific distance. It’s measured in force per unit of length (pounds per inch or newtons per millimeter).
The best way to specify your compression spring is by providing only your most critical dimensions. This approach ensures that your spring manufacturer can create a spring that precisely matches your needs. Providing too many dimensional requirements can over constrain the design and may impact manufacturing costs.
Measuring your compression spring correctly is vital for ensuring that it performs as intended within your application. By understanding the physical dimensions, load requirements, spring rate, material type, and finish options, you can work with a spring manufacturer to create the perfect spring for your needs.
At Orlando Precision, we specialize in manufacturing high-quality compression springs to meet a wide range of industrial and engineering needs. Contact us today to discuss your compression spring requirements, and we’ll work with you to deliver the precise solution you need.
In critical industries like aerospace and manufacturing, the demand for precision in spring and wire form manufacturing is non-negotiable. At Orlando Precision, we understand the pivotal role these components play in high-stakes applications. We are committed to delivering only the highest quality products, ensuring they are manufactured as designed.
Quality is fundamental to our operations at Orlando Precision. Every manufactured part that leaves our facility reflects careful craftsmanship and adherence to stringent quality standards.
Our processes are carefully controlled with our ISO 9001:2015 quality management system. This dedication to precision ensures the reliability of our manufactured springs and wire forms, aligning with the expectations of our customers.
At Orlando Precision, we understand that timely delivery is often as crucial as the quality of the springs and wire forms we manufacture. Our commitment to on-time delivery is supported by a well-structured and organized production process. We optimize our operations to ensure that each order is manufactured well within the timeline we agree to. We understand that high priority projects require urgent attention and work with you to offer the best possible lead times.
Customer satisfaction is not just a goal but a way of life at Orlando Precision. We believe in building lasting relationships with our customers by providing exceptional customer service.
Our dedicated support team ensures that customer needs are addressed promptly and every concern is met with a solution. We strive to understand the unique needs of each customer, tailoring our services to exceed their expectations. Our commitment to exceptional customer service sets us apart and fosters a strong sense of trust and reliability.
As a USA-based manufacturer, we take pride in contributing to our nation’s manufacturing industry. Every spring and wire form we produce reflects the dedication and ingenuity of our local workforce. By choosing Orlando Precision, our customers support local manufacturing, bolstering regional industries and ensuring that our products carry the hallmark of quality associated with locally sourced manufacturing.
At Orlando Precision, our mission is clear: to provide the highest levels of quality, ensure on-time delivery, offer exceptional customer service, and uphold the heritage of American spring and wire form manufacturing. We invite you to experience the Orlando Precision Advantage and witness the difference that commitment to excellence can make. Request a quote today, and let’s embark on a journey of precision and reliability together.
Thinking about getting a wire form prototype made before going into full production? If you need a proof of concept or anticipate design iterations, a prototype is the best place to start
Whether you know exactly what type of wire form you need or have no idea where to begin, wire form prototyping provides a great opportunity for collaboration. Customers share their design or describe issues with an existing wire form, and we offer our expert recommendations. It’s a chance for us to iterate together and make sure the part can be manufactured effectively and efficiently at higher volumes.
Here’s what to expect when you contact Orlando Precision for prototype wire form manufacturing services.
Before manufacturing wire form prototypes, we first aim to understand exactly what a customer’s needs are. The process begins with reviewing a design, a sample, or even an idea.
We can work with whatever you give us, but we provide the fastest turnaround on a quote when we receive a fully developed drawing. No matter where we begin, we’ll always want to discuss your part with you to better understand critical considerations, such as:
During design review or while reverse engineering a sample part, we may recommend design revisions to help improve the functionality of your prototype. A common issue we encounter in wire form design assistance is that wire forms can be overstressed. When a wire form is overstressed, its properties change over time, leading the wire form to not function as planned or ultimately, to fail.
In addition to correcting functional issues, we may also recommend a different material based on the end use of the part.
At Orlando Precision, we believe that the original designer or engineer is the true expert at assessing end use criteria for part functionality. It’s important for us to give our customers the final say before we proceed with a prototype. As soon as we receive your official confirmation and order, we’ll prepare to run your wire form.
Once we receive your order, we build a custom setup on our coiling or wire forming machines. We produce the wire form in our Garland, Texas custom precision spring shop. The part moves through our QA process, where we verify all critical dimensions. You can provide an application or fixture for us to test your prototype as well.
We encourage customers to be absolutely certain that their wire form prototype functions as intended in its application. If the part isn’t perfect, we can do additional rounds of prototyping. It’s always better to get your wire form right in the prototype phase before jumping into a big order!
wire form prototyping is an easy, collaborative way to get the part you need with all the right requirements before making a big investment in a production order. If you need wire form prototyping services, get in touch with Orlando Precision today to request a quote!
To ensure optimal functionality and prolonged lifespans for springs, manufacturers rely on a crucial process called heat treating. In this blog post, we will delve into the fascinating world of spring heat treating, exploring its significance, methods, and benefits it brings to these essential mechanical components.
When manufacturers form springs, they create residual stresses within the wire, making the spring susceptible to failure. For example, a compression spring experiences inner surface tension and outer surface compression due to these residual stresses. Heat treatment is one of the most common methods to alleviate these stresses.
Manufacturers use several methods to heat treat springs, tailoring each to achieve specific results based on the spring’s material and intended application. The most common methods include:
Since 1984, our company has made it our mission to provide customers with top-quality services throughout every stage of spring manufacturing. We take pride in helping you attain new levels of success by scaling your custom springs and are honored to have many customers choose us as their full-service custom spring manufacturer. Contact us for a quote and experience the difference of working with Orlando Precision!
Do you need to incorporate a wire form into your assembly? At Orlando Precision, we actively engage in wire form design discussions with our customers, offering cost-effective solutions to enhance strength, functionality, and precision in assemblies.
Wire forms can often serve as more affordable alternatives to metal castings and machining. In this article, we will explore design tips for incorporating a wire form into your assembly and discuss the advantages of each approach.
By constraining a wire form within an assembly, you can reduce production costs by eliminating the need for secondary operations like threading or flattening the ends of the part. Here are a few methods to achieve this:
Fasteners are effective for securing wire forms in place, but they require additional design considerations. The key feature is a round inner diameter that accommodates a bolt or screw. Here are a few fastening methods:
Welding is an effective way to secure a wire form, although it can be costly. This method is particularly suitable for lower volume projects due to its minimal setup costs.
At Orlando Precision, we want you to have all of the information you need as you begin planning your design. Request a quote today to see how we can assist you!
Want to transition your custom spring seamlessly from prototype to production? Your best bet is to work with a spring manufacturer with expertise in both manufacturing stages that can facilitate the progression from one stage to the next.
Here are the top reasons Orlando Precision customers choose to work with our team for prototyping and production.
Whenever a customer sends us a new design or makes a significant change to an existing one, we create at least one prototype to make sure that we get it right. When high-volume production is the goal, we take the time to optimize the prototype for manufacturing at scale.
Conducting our due diligence during prototyping helps us avoid unwelcome surprises during production. Often, we provide customers with several iterations of a custom spring for testing so that they can determine which version works best.
Although we remain mindful of customers’ timelines, we never rush the prototyping process. We adjust the design as often as needed until the customer is completely confident in their custom spring’s performance.
When you bring a prototype created by one spring manufacturer to another spring manufacturer for production, there is a risk that information will become lost in translation between the two shops. Incomplete documentation from a prototyping shop is a common problem customers face, often forcing them to prove out the custom spring again with the production manufacturer.
When you work with our shop for prototyping and production, you can rest assured that by the time we reach production, we know your custom spring inside and out and can proceed with the utmost confidence.
As we wrap up prototyping, we take note of any changes that we may need to make in anticipation of high-volume production. Finishing services, such as plating, are often added or adapted for production, and manual processes may pivot to CNC machining alternatives to save customers time and money.
Laying this critical groundwork before production begins enables us to plan for required processes, materials, and more to achieve a quick production turnaround.
Some spring manufacturers sacrifice attention to detail for speed during production. But Orlando Precision customers can expect the same quality control during high-volume production that they enjoyed during prototyping.
Because we pave the way for production success during prototyping, our customers never have to choose between high-quality springs and speedy production一they get both.
We manage the prototype-to-production transition closely to maintain consistent quality through our rigorous inspection process. If we subcontract finishing services to one of our trusted vendors, we also vet their quality control processes in compliance with our ISO 9001:2015 certification.
Since 1984, we have made it our mission to provide our customers with the highest quality services in every stage of manufacturing. We welcome the opportunity to help you reach new levels of success by scaling your custom springs and are honored that so many customers have chosen us as their full-service custom spring manufacturer.
Request a quote to work with us!
In our almost 40 years of manufacturing high-quality custom springs at Orlando Precision, we have seen many factors that can lead to spring failure.
Our experience has given us valuable insight into the key reasons your springs could fail as designed, and more importantly—how to prevent a spring from failing.
Certain design issues can lead to a spring becoming overstressed and ultimately failing. Factors such as spring length and size, number of coils and the amount of space between them, coil diameter, and the size of the envelope (the space in which the spring is contained) all affect the amount of stress placed on a custom spring.
Excessive spring stress can result in permanent spring deflection, meaning the spring cannot return to its original shape. Even springs that are generally well adapted to handling stress, such as compression springs, may be at risk of this outcome.
Your spring manufacturer should be able to easily identify design problems that are common to particular spring types. Examples of these problems include:
It is important to work with a manufacturing partner like Orlando Precision that understands the importance of first article testing. Creating a spring prototype for testing can help you guard against unfavorable outcomes in production.
The importance of selecting the right material for your spring’s application cannot be overstated. When choosing a material, you must account for your spring’s environment, as well as the amount of stress and repetition it will need to withstand. For this reason, we always make sure we understand a custom spring’s end use when working on a new project.
If your spring will be used in a humid environment, for example, corrosion resistance is an important consideration. A material such as unplated music wire is likely to rust and result in spring failure. Plated music wire or stainless steel will perform much better.
If your custom spring must withstand extremely high temperatures, we might recommend a material like Inconel X750 that performs well in temperatures over 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
No matter what properties your application demands, an expert custom spring manufacturer can help you select the ideal material.
Damage that occurs during spring manufacturing or during secondary processes, such as plating, can severely impact the integrity of a custom spring.
Partnering with an ISO certified supplier like Orlando Precision provides the assurance that your manufacturer will observe the most rigorous quality control practices to protect your springs from damage throughout the manufacturing process.
Customers often bring us failed springs manufactured by other shops and ask us to create spring replacements. In each case, we take the time to review the history of the spring, determine why it failed, and create a new spring prototype for our customer to test. In keeping with the high-quality standards we have in place in our shop, we always aim to resolve any possible issues before moving a spring into production.
At Orlando Precision, we are committed to helping customers prevent their custom springs from failing. Request a quote to work with us.
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