Custom springs suit automobile applications
A
William Hughes product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Jul 3, 2008
Torsion springs can be either single, which gives a higher force in a smaller space, or double, which provides a balanced force or torque.
A modern car interior contains springs in the centre console, glove box, cup holders, grab handles, sun visors and door mechanisms, the designof which has to take into account factors as tactility and strength, available space and operational life.
With so many options available, many car interior manufacturers are using the total design service available from William Hughes to engineer individual springs that provide the most cost-effective solution for each application.
Torsion springs provide a perfect solution for many automotive applications.
They can be either single, which gives a higher force in a smaller space, or double, which provides a balanced force or torque.
To overcome friction springs can be coated with special materials or the spring geometry can be optimised to minimise the effect.
Other options include tension or compression springs in a range of sizes and materials.
In modern vehicles, each part of the car interior needs to impart the right 'feel' to the driver.
So when the design engineers at William Hughes were asked to develop a special torsion spring to release an armrest catch on a central console, ergonomics were the primary consideration.
The catch mechanism had to be designed to slow the movement of the console to make it open gently.
It also needed to be easy to operate with minimal effort.
The team at William Hughes was provided with a complete set of parameters for the operation.
The design engineer needed to fully understand every aspect of the application to ensure that the proposed design would be both economical and fully compatible with the plastics and fabrics also used in the assembly.
The designer needed to consider how the unit could be assembled quickly and easily.
With the help of the latest computer aided design software and specialised spring data, William Hughes used their knowledge and experience to develop a spring that was optimised for the application.
In this instance a single torsion spring provided the best solution and William Hughes was able to quickly produce prototype springs for evaluation before the design was finalised for volume production.
Quality systems to AS 9100, ISO 9001:2000 and ISO/TS 16949:2002 ensured consistency and accuracy while William Hughes' investment in the latest CNC machines and quality procedures meant that continuity of supply was assured.
In addition to special springs for car interiors, William Hughes can also supply a wide range of bent wire forms and sub assemblies for car seats and trim panels.
Seat frames are welded or clipped together and supplied as complete pre-assembled units.
Not what you're looking for? Search the site.
Google Ads
Contact William Hughes
Related Stories
- Compression limiters stop plastic cracking
- Canted-coil springs used in Hubble repair
- Araldite adhesive bonds components and fixtures
- TFC supplies sealing rings for diesel engines
- Coiled spring pin used in oil pump design
Browse by category
- Consultancy and Services (906)
- Machine Building (4,552)
-
Engineering Design Software (6,219)
- Engineering Design Software (13)
- 2D CAD software (201)
- 3D CAD software (1,162)
- FEA and structural analysis software (373)
- Fluid, thermal, noise, vibration software (334)
- Simulation, modelling, validation software (922)
- Rendering, visualisation, styling software (200)
- Materials design and moulding design software (152)
- Process, instrumentation, automation software (260)
- Electrical design software (165)
- Publishing and documentation software (230)
- Maths, charting, statistics, QA software (318)
- Data, document management software (312)
- CAM, CNC, production management software (571)
- File conversion software, data capture (355)
- PLM and collaboration software (651)
-
Drives, Motors and Controls (3,389)
- Drives, Motors and Controls (1)
- Precision Motors and Gears (416)
- Industrial Drives/Controls (1,282)
- Linear Drives and Motors (115)
- Industrial Motors (500)
- Stepper and Servo Drives, Motors, Controls (1,073)
- Small Mechanical Components, Joining, Tools (1,983)
-
Control and Instrumentation (5,054)
- Control and Instrumentation (2)
- Plantwide control (1,332)
- Plant- and Machine-Wide Communications (1,180)
- Smaller-Sized PLCs (388)
- CNC and Motion Controllers (186)
- Mid-range and Large PLCs (202)
- Power Supplies, Uninterruptible Power (566)
- HMIs/Operator Interfaces (295)
- Logic Controllers, Timers and Relays (96)
- Cabling, Conduit, Signal Conditioning (807)
-
Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (5,512)
- Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (1)
- Data acquisition Software and Communications (497)
- Data Acquisition Hardware and PC I/O Boards (477)
- Electrical and Electronic Testing, PAT Equipment (633)
- Form/co-ordinate, optical, vision instruments (728)
- Gauges, Indicators and Instruments (442)
- Data loggers (421)
- Materials testing equipment (419)
- Telecomms/network test equipment, software etc (155)
- Testing and Calibration Services and Information (508)
- Testing, analysing and monitoring equipment (1,231)
-
Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (4,192)
- Batteries, chargers and circuit protection (556)
- Connectors, Terminals, Busbars, Slip Rings (690)
- Enclosures and Equipment Cooling Fans (710)
- Knobs, Handles and Enclosure Hardware (425)
- PCs and Embedded Systems (806)
- Electrical and Electronic Subassemblies (370)
- Electrical and Electronic Components (635)
-
Materials and Processing (2,982)
- Materials and Processing (5)
- Materials and components (2,231)
- Rapid Prototyping (458)
- Materials processing and testing (288)
-
Engineering Industry News, Resources (6,112)
- Engineering Industry News, Resources (4)
- Engineering Business News, Views (388)
- Engineering Exhibitions, Events (564)
- Engineering Conferences (426)
- Engineering Seminars (401)
- Engineering Industry Developments, Awards (634)
- Engineering Guides, Newsletters (352)
- Engineering Recruitment, Employment (219)
- Engineering Training Courses (438)
- Engineering Education, Resources, Standards (843)
- Engineering Industry Reports, Surveys (597)
- Electronic Resources for Engineers (278)
- Health and Safety Legislation (402)
- Health and Safety Strategy, Risk Assessment (113)
- Health and Safety Consultancy, Software (175)
- Health and Safety Events, Training, News (278)
-
Powertrain Design (3,636)
- Powertrain Design (2)
- Bearings (954)
- Chains and belts (328)
- Gears, brakes, couplings and engines (1,450)
- Hydraulic Components (471)
- Lubricants (430)
-
Capital Equipment (3,408)
- Capital Equipment (1)
- Manufacturing Machinery and Plant Equipment (467)
- Production line blowers and fans (64)
- Compressors and Air Treatment (517)
- Electronics Manufacturing, Tools, Instruments (192)
- Electrical hardware (131)
- Machinery and Production Equipment (1,101)
- Robotics, Handling and Storage (935)
-
Sensors (7,131)
- Sensors (8)
- Accelerometers and Vibration Sensors (430)
- Loadcells, Force Sensors, Torque Sensors (707)
- Pressure sensors (625)
- Flowmeters and Flow Sensors (621)
- Level Sensors and Leak Detectors (529)
- Linear Position Sensors (407)
- Rotary Position, Tilt and Angular Sensors (551)
- Proximity Sensors (707)
- Gas, Chemical, Radiation, Magnetic Sensors (286)
- Humidity and Environmental Sensors (154)
- Temperature sensors (613)
- Vision and Colour Sensors (1,390)
- Barcode Sensors (103)
- Valves, Pumps, Process Hardware (3,650)
