Flat
springs and pressings are generally manufactured from strip
material and are named “Flat” by virtue of the material section
which generally has a width to thickness ratio in excess of 8.
Although it is becoming increasingly common for flat parts to be
produced from sheet materials this is usually associated with
the production method utilised of laser cut, chemical etch or
wire erode.
Most flat springs and pressings are produced on
power presses,
four slides or multi-slide machines. The decision to the
selection is more often than not that of the manufacturer in
order to achieve the correct specification versus the production
volumes involved. For small to medium quantities of parts it is
not unusual to have a number of auxiliary tools to complete
bends and forms not part of the primary form tool in order to
balance economy of tool cost with component unit price.
Of course there is an infinite variety of shapes of flat springs
and pressings only limited by an individuals imagination but it
requires the support of an experienced
design team to ensure the
right design solution is achieved for functionality and form.
Kato-Entex has long experience of designing and
developing
complex tooling for flat spring manufacture. With the ability of
being able to produce very small quantities of
hand made parts
supported by a highly skilled toolroom workforce we can meet
with a customers needs. Utilising all the different production
methods mentioned does not limit us in our design decision
ensuring the customer achieves a satisfactory result.
