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FAQ: TFC's Smalley Ring & Spring Products
News and PR from TFC Ltd - Published 06 March 2018
Frequently asked questions on TFC's Smalley parts.Our Smalley product customers are worldwide and encompass a broad range of environments and applications. Whilst our products are specified in almost every industry, we have expertise in the
Petro-Chem, Defence, Off-Road and Automotive industries. You can find our Smalley parts specified in many other industrial markets and they have even been used to put a spring in the step of running
trainers!
2. Are your catalogue parts manufactured in Inconel and, if so, is it still deemed a standard part?
Our standard materials are carbon steel, 17-7 stainless steel, 302 stainless steel and 316 stainless steel depending upon the product. However we can supply parts from the standard range catalogue in a wide
variety of exotic alloys and, since our parts are manufactured by edgewinding rather than die-stamping, there are no tooling costs involved. As we have hundreds of alloy sections readily available from stock,
in the factory, we can readily supply non-standard items within very short lead times. Our technical sales team are on hand and will find an appropriate solution.
3. How are your Smalley parts manufactured?
Our Smalley products have been developed using an exclusive edgewinding manufacturing process that
requires no special tooling. A precision coiling process is utilised that coils flat wire on edge to produce the highest quality rings and springs available in the market.
Smalley parts can be manufactured to your
exact specification in almost any diameter, any number of turns and in any quantity. The minimal no-scrap process employed virtually eliminates waste and allows for the economic production of small
prototype quantities and for parts produced in exotic alloys.
4. Why can't you just quote it?
TFC strive to offer the perfect Smalley part first time, every time. In order to make sure the parts fit your application and dimensions perfectly, we may ask questions in the early stages to ensure we are going to supply the exact part you need. We like to understand the application and any environmental
constraints in order to provide you with the most cost effective solution.
5. Can we obtain free samples of your Smalley products?
TFC is proud to offer free samples of our standard catalogue parts that include Spirolox® retaining rings, wave springs and constant section rings for you to test in your application. If a standard part will
not satisfy the application, we have a specific pricing policy that allows for the economic production of a small quantity of prototypes for proving purposes.
Why can't you just quote it?
Other announcements from TFC Ltd
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RAILTEX 2019
In our industry, it’s vital to keep moving forward; to constantly innovate and to allow your clients and customers to do the same.
13 May 2019
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Application Spotlight: Self-Locking Rings in Automotive Applications
TFC offers an array of standard retaining rings for different automotive applications. Selecting the appropriate ring requires an understanding of the application requirements, which includes thrust load, groove dimensions, and many others. If your application rotates at high speeds, the rotational capacity of the retaining ring will be important to consider.
05 Apr 2019
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Application Spotlight: Wave Springs for Bearing Preload
What is bearing preload? When assembling individual bearing components, the outer race, inner race, balls, and retainer all work together so that there is a controlled amount of internal clearance be
14 Mar 2019
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Our Finishes for Retaining Rings and Wave Springs
Whether you need added corrosion resistance or simply want to change the appearance of your part, we can offer a wide range of finishing processes to ensure that your retaining rings and springs perform the way that they need to in your application. Below is a list of some of the more common choices that we have available.
01 Mar 2019
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Applications – Nested Spirawave® Wave Springs
Our new Nested Spirawave® Wave Springs can be used in applications across many different industries. They are used to replace a stack of single-turn wave springs or when a single-turn spring cannot produce the forces necessary within an application. Below are just a few examples of how nested springs can be used.
08 Feb 2019
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Introducing our newest Wave Spring Series: Nested Spirawave® Springs!
We are proud to announce the first standard line of nested wave springs on the market. They will now be available from stock in carbon and 17-7 PH stainless steel from .500 to 4″ or 16 to 100 mm. View the new range.
25 Jan 2019
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Colour variations in materials
Smalley retaining rings and wave springs can be manufactured in many different types of alloys. Each of these materials has specific properties which make them appropriate for use.
06 Dec 2018
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Which Exotic Alloy is right for your application?
This week, our experts field some questions about material selection and how to know which exotic alloy to use in your application.
11 Oct 2018
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Product Spotlight: Smalley Internal Retaining Rings
Internal retaining rings act as a removable shoulder within a bore/housing.
01 Oct 2018
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Three reasons why Wave Springs are a great alternative to Disc Springs
Disc Springs, also known as Belleville Washers, along with die-stamped Wave Washers, are commonly used in high load engineering applications such as clutches and valves. However there are some major problems involved in their manufacture that makes TFC's Smalley Wave Springs a preferred choice for some engineers.
13 Aug 2018
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Material Update for Our Smalley Products!
Industrial Grade MP35N has recently been added to the expansive list of materials with which our Smalley flat wire products can be manufactured. This unique material was added because its superior strength and corrosion resistance make it an ideal option for our Aerospace, Medical and Petro-Chem customers.
26 Jul 2018
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Smalley Self-Locking Rings Product Spotlight
Our familiar and popular Smalley Spirolox® Retaining Rings can also be manufactured with a unique self-locking feature that make them ideal for applications where high rotational speeds are involved or, where the effects of vibration, rapid acceleration or impact loading is problematic.
06 Jul 2018
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High-Speed Electric Motor Demands Superior Retaining Ring Products
Our engineers were faced with a problem when asked by one of our leading automotive electric motor OEM's to supply a 33mm external retaining ring capable of withstanding rotational speeds in excess of 17,000 rpm.
19 Jun 2018
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Wave Springs FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Smalley Wave Springs Compared with a helical coil spring with the same deflection, can Wave Springs offer the same load level or higher? Yes, the load at a given operating height is determined by several factors such as material thickness, number of waves and the number of turns (coils). These factors can be modified to provide a spring with a higher spring rate or one that functions similarly to a helical coil spring. Our technical sales team can provide assistance to help identify the correct wave spring for your application.
26 Jan 2018
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Why should I consider using ARaymond™ Quick Connectors?
ARaymond™ Quick Connectors simplify assembly operations because of their simple operation and their accessibility.
17 Nov 2017
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Need to reduce your material handling costs?
We can help you gain control and accountability of your stores.
17 Nov 2017
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What's the difference between internal and external Spirolox retaining rings?
Welcome back to Smalley Talk, where our engineers answer commonly asked retaining ring and wave spring design questions.
28 Feb 2017
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The Smallest Wave Springs on the Market
TFC have been the leading European supplier of Smalley spring products for almost 40 years...
28 Feb 2017