Industrial Equipment Supplies 101 – Spring Plungers and Spring Loaded Devices
Springs are an important tooling component for providing tension and are an all around useful example of industrial equipment supplies. However, those little metal coils can be impractical to work with due to their small size, fragility, and tendency to slip out of the hand when under tension.
Spring plungers and spring loaded devices solve these issues by encasing the coils in a threaded body. These industrial products are then able to provide accurate tension forces in a robust component that is easier to install and has a longer service life. Let’s take a look at how these industrial products work, their installation, and the different materials used to diversify their application.
Inside Of Spring Plungers
This class of industrial products uses a threaded housing and plunger assembly to enclose a spring. This design protects the coils while adding strength and stability to the entire piece. The plunger and housing design allows these welder supply cable industrial equipment supplies to outperform standard components by creating a precise end force with positive and controlled tension. Gone are the days of a spring under tension slipping away and being launched across the room.
The plunger assembly contains a polymer, usually nylon, locking element that holds the plunger in place. The coil is attached to one end of the plunger while the other end allows for regulation of the coil motion. This setup prevents lateral motion, similar to axial bearings, in order to prevent damage and poor operation while simultaneously ensuring reliable linear motion. During installation and servicing, tool forces are applied to the casing rather than a bare coil held under tension.
Overall, this design surrounding the coil increases the serviceable lifetime of this class of industrial equipment supplies while offering improved performance through consistent tension forces.
Installing And Using
Thanks to the threaded casing design, installing these products is significantly easier and quicker than working with bare coils. The assembly is easier to handle since bare springs have to be held under tension while being installed. On the other hand, spring plungers can be locked into place.
Spring loaded devices can even be installed with just a hex key wrench or screwdriver, but it is preferable to use a specifically designed spring/ball plunger wrench. The right wrench will speed up an already quick installation. Either way, be aware that spring loaded devices are hollow industrial products. They have a significantly lower torque resistance than a solid body screw or bolt. Exercise caution and refer to the manufacturer’s instructions when applying torque forces. Otherwise, over-tightening a spring plunger can lead to snapping the casing or deforming the component into an unusable shape.
The locking element described above is included in many spring loaded devices, and this assembly will compress against the threads of a tapped hole when installing. When working with soft metals, like brass, bronze, copper, or aluminum, or soft plastics, be careful not to damage the tapped hole. The force can easily deform soft materials. There are industrial equipment supplies …
Springs are an important tooling component for providing tension and are an all around useful example of industrial equipment supplies. However, those little metal coils can be impractical to work with due to their small size, fragility, and tendency to slip out of the hand when under tension.