The choice of spring material plays a critical role in spring performance, reliability, and longevity. Each application has unique requirements, making material selection essential for ensuring optimal spring functionality in real-world conditions.

At John Evans’, we understand the importance of choosing the right materials for your applications. We ensure quality and compliance by adhering to the highest standards of ISO 9001:2015, AS9100, and ISO 13485:2016. With 175 years in spring manufacturing, we continue to engineer springs that meet the demands of various industries, including medical device, aerospace, defense, and robotics.

High-Carbon Steel

While high-carbon steels are already a hard metal variety, manufacturers can also harden and temper them to enhance their wear resistance. Containing between 0.6% and 1.0% carbon, these steels exhibit high tensile strength and durability. They’re economical yet offer longevity, even under heavy loads, harsh environmental conditions, or high-pressure use. High-carbon steel springs are applicable in the automotive and construction industries, and we make such types as:

  • Oil-tempered springs with improved fatigue resistance
  • High tensile strength springs for reliable performance under high stress
  • Hard-drawn wire springs, a cost-effective option for low-stress applications
  • Music wire springs with high-strength durability

Stainless Steel

Versatile and low maintenance, stainless steel (SS) springs won’t require any secondary or coating treatments. They’re suitable for healthcare devices due to the material’s biocompatibility. The chromium content in SS produces an oxide layer on its surface, providing natural protection against corrosion. SS also has high tensile strength and can handle hot temperatures and heavy loads.

We manufacture stainless steel springs with:

  • 301 Stainless Steel. As it doesn’t require heat-treating or degrade in the presence of water, 301 SS is a prevalent material in the manufacturing sector for springs and other formed components.
  • 302 Stainless Steel. Ideal for general-purpose projects, formable 302 SS springs offer applications like consumer products, vehicle parts, and industrial equipment good corrosion resistance.
  • 304 Stainless Steel. With 304 SS, you achieve superior corrosion resistance in springs suited for kitchen appliances and food processing or handling equipment. It’s also durable enough for medical and dental tools, food processing and printing equipment, and more.
  • 316 Stainless Steel. Another type with exceptional corrosion resistance, 316 SS is popular in industries ranging from marine to healthcare. It has common applications in springs for marine equipment, biomedical implants, and surgical tools.
  • 17-7 PH Stainless Steel. Great for challenging applications necessitating hard, high-strength materials, this is a good spring steel for heavy-duty automotive components, aerospace parts, and rugged industrial equipment.

Alloy Steels

Versatile low- and high-alloy steels consist of approximately 5% and 8%+ of alloying elements, respectively. These strong, durable materials offer better corrosion resistance than carbon steel. They also handle rugged use under high stress or heavy loads, making them good for aerospace projects. By varying their compositions and using heat-treating techniques, manufacturers can enhance specific properties for greater customization opportunities.

One common alloy steel for spring production is:

  • Chrome Silicon Spring Steel. Made from chromium and silicon, the material is cold drawn into wire for heat-treating. This technique gives the alloy steel exceptional strength, allowing it to withstand high heat, shock loading, and failure when faced with cyclic fatigue.

Copper Alloys

Copper alloys are strong yet malleable, facilitating fabrication into products like springs for industrial and military equipment, electronic devices, and healthcare components. These materials develop a surface patina layer, which protects them against corrosion. Copper alloys are also naturally antibacterial, nonmagnetic, and electrically conductive.

Our copper alloy springs come in:

  • Beryllium Copper (BeCu). High-strength BeCu provides good ductility and high electrical conductivity. Companies use BeCu springs in industrial machinery, electrical projects, corrosive environments, and applications requiring springs with good impact strength.
  • Phosphor Bronze. This copper-tin-phosphorus alloy provides good wear resistance. Various electrical devices and industrial equipment utilize phosphor bronze springs.
  • Brass. Hard yet flexible, this copper-zinc alloy offers particularly high corrosion resistance. It’s applicable in parts for healthcare instrumentation, mechanical energy storage, and oil rigs.

Nickel Alloys

Capable of maintaining high performance in hot, high-stress environments, nickel alloy materials exhibit unique properties that make them compatible with a diverse range of operations and products. Springs of these strong, corrosion-resistant alloys are sufficiently durable for aerospace, marine, semiconductor, and nuclear power applications.

Nickel alloys are available in such types as:

  • Elgiloy. This nickel-cobalt alloy goes through age hardening to increase its strength. It can handle high-stress applications, making it ideal for springs in aerospace parts.
  • Monel. Made primarily of nickel and copper, Monel is compatible with applications ranging from chemical processing to marine projects.
  • Inconel. Nickel and chromium make up 50% and 25% of this alloy’s composition, respectively. Inconel springs are perfect for semiconductor production, nuclear reactors, and other high-heat applications.
  • Hastelloy. With added molybdenum, Hastelloy makes springs that are well-suited to high-heat environments like those in chemical processing operations.

Speak to an Expert Today

Selecting the right material for your springs is critical to achieving the desired results in your application, and the John Evans’ Sons team is here to help. Contact us for more information on our custom spring materials, or request a quote today.