Smalley Blog

February 13, 2019	Smalley’s Finishes for Retaining Rings and Wave Springs Whether you need added corrosion resistance or simply want to change the appearance of your part, Smalley has a wide range of finishing processes to ensure that your retaining rings and springs perform the way it needs to in your application. Below is a list of some of the more common choices Smalley has available. Oil Dip is a standard finish for all of Smalley’s products produced in carbon... Read More>>
January 22, 2019	Smalley's On-Time Delivery Smalley strives to provide you with the best customer service possible. This is why we strive to be the best in the industry when it comes to getting your order delivered as quickly as possible, whether your order is large or small. At our headquarters in Lake Zurich, IL, we stock thousands of standard retaining rings and wave springs that can be shipped same day for next day delivery. If you... Read More>>
January 9, 2019	Application Spotlight: Nested Spirawave Wave Springs Smalley’s 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. Bearing Preload Nested Spirawave springs produce two to three times more... Read More>>
December 18, 2018	Introducing Smalley’s Newest Standard Wave Spring Series: Nested Spirawave® Springs! Smalley is proud to announce the first standard line of nested wave springs on the market. Though we have offered Nested Spirawave springs as a custom for 30 years, they will now be available from stock in carbon and 17-7 PH stainless steel from .500 to 4" or 16 to 100 mm. What are the benefits of Nested Spirawave Wave Springs? Two to three times the force Nested wave spring forces increase... Read More>>
November 27, 2018	Ask the Expert - Wave Spring Compression and Load Welcome back to Ask the Expert! This time Smalley's Expert Engineers answer questions about wave spring functionality. When a wave spring is compressed, does its diameter increase? What happens to the spring load at work height if the outside diameter is confined? The diameter of a wave spring will grow with compression. This is also referred to as diameter expansion, and all Crest-to-Crest®,... Read More>>
November 6, 2018	DIN Interchange DIN standards are documents that specify requirements for products and outline required characteristics which were developed by the DIN Consumer Committee, which resides in Germany. The DIN Consumer Council establishes standard protections internationally for many different products to ensure safety, environmental soundness, and legal certainty. Smalley has compiled an interchange list for its... Read More>>
October 26, 2018	Color Variations in Metals 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. Common alloys used include: Carbon steel Stainless Steel (302, 316, 17-7) A-286 Inconel (X-750, 718, 625, etc.) Elgiloy® MP35N® Beryllium Copper Operating environment must be considered when choosing materials; because... Read More>>
October 8, 2018	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 between the rings and balls. This radial play is necessary for proper operation, however, in most applications, it is also necessary to help reduce or eliminate the internal clearance to maintain... Read More>>
September 25, 2018	Application Spotlight: ID/OD Locks - Retaining Ring Functionality Spirolox Retaining Rings have many advantages. They are simple and safe to install and remove. They are produced with little to no waste, which makes them an economical choice for stainless steel rings. They are also groove interchangeable with stamped rings, but they have No Ears To Interfere® with assemblies. These features permit them to fit into an internal and external groove simultaneously... Read More>>
September 11, 2018	Ask the Expert – Smalley Load Specifications Welcome to another edition of Ask the Expert, a series in which expert Smalley Engineers answer difficult questions about retaining rings and wave springs. What is the minimum work height of part CM20-L1 if made with carbon steel SAE 1070-1090? What is the load at that height? This specific part was designed to be compressed to a work height of 2.72 mm to achieve a load of 35 +/- 3.5 N. We... Read More>>