Case Studies

Our customers support our claim to be short run specialists, offering one of the largest inventory of in stock springs in the country, and offering custom made springs in record time. We also save many companies as much as 30% when they sign up for our unique Spring Portfolio Management Program.

Check out these case studies from our valued customers.

Large Array Of Different Springs

When a manufacturer of brakes was severely impaired because the 382 different springs that they used in their applications were seldom where they were supposed to be when they were supposed to be there, they came to Hardware Products for assistance. Because Hardware Products has a stock spring line and computer programs to manage that line, they were able to enter these 382 different springs into the computers and manage the customer’s inventory for them. Now the two divisions of that customer routinely get made to order springs shipped the very same day they are released. In addition, the customer gets courtesy calls when the inventory falls below established re-order points and the customer gets monthly reports of the inventory levels of all 382 different springs.

Valve Manufacturer Needed Double Torsion Springs With Identical Positions

Recently, a valve manufacturer was convinced that they had a novel idea when it came to the springs in their valve. They wanted to use what is known as a double torsion spring in their application. The trouble was, they had shopped the double torsion spring around and every spring manufacturer that they tried sent in double torsion springs where the legs on the double torsion spring varied by more than what the manufacturer perceived as acceptable limits. When they came to Hardware Products, they warned us up front of the contest. On our first several tries at this application, we too, found that the ends on the double torsion spring varied. However, upon further analysis, we found a way to manufacture the part with amazing consistency. The customer continued their development and now have has a truly unique way of accomplishing the task.

Compression Springs Delivered Overnight

When a major manufacturer in the Southern United States realized that a computer glitch would mean he would have 500 workers with nothing to do tomorrow, he called Hardware Products. The customer needed 500,000 compression springs made to order and delivered over night. Hardware Products had to ask five spring winders to set up 5 different coilers and to stay until 10:00 PM that evening, but we made the 500,000 compression springs manufactured and drove them to the airport where they were flown south and delivered to the customer the next morning. As a result, 500 workers were not laid off for the day and the production schedule was maintained.

Barrel Spring Initial Tension Difficulty

A major manufacturer was having difficulty getting a barrel spring with very precise initial tension. They had shopped the product around to several spring manufacturers and each time they received springs well within industry standard but not tight enough for their application. They came to Hardware Products to see if we would be able to accomplish the challenge. The barrel spring does require very specific attention to certain attributes of the machine set up, but after analyzing the situation, Hardware Products was able to overcome these difficulties and now provides the customer with a barrel spring that is well within the customer’s acceptable limits.

Compression Spring With Such Tight Tolerences It Could Not Be Made Automatically

A computer manufacturer needed a compression spring that had to be so precise that it defied automatic manufacture. The compression spring also had to be made out of an alloy that was very sensitive and changed more than acceptable limits in the heat treating aspect of the application. The manufacturer went to many vendors to see if they could get the compression spring they needed but most turned them down. Hardware Products also discovered that it could not make the spring automatically according to the very tight parameters. We did however discover that we could make a go/no go gauge that would very rapidly distinguish the acceptable springs from the unacceptable springs and in that way were able to give the customer the very tight tolerances that they needed at what was a reasonable cost.

Unusual Alloy For Chemically Corrosive Environment

A hi-tech manufacturer needed a spring that could work in a very chemically corrosive environment and stand up over long periods of time. One of the somewhat commonly known alloys that could work in this application was known for being a little inconsistent. Yet the customer required not only that the spring stand up to the environment over time, but that it be very consistent. They sought out many spring manufacturers and virtually all of them no quoted the part. When they came to Hardware Products, they asked us if we could come up with a way that they could accomplish both attributes of the project. Hardware Products developed a manufacturing technique that formed the part, then measured it and if it was incorrect reformed it until it was correct. By doing so, they were able to give the customer what they wanted.

Compression Springs With Squareness Under 2 Degrees

When a major manufacturer of control devices realized that they needed compression springs with tighter grinding tolerances than industry norms, they came to Hardware Products. Together, as partners with this customer, Hardware Products invested in some new machinery and the customer entered into a long-term contract. As a result, the compression springs with a maximum grind of 2 degrees are maintained on a regular basis and the customer difficulties have disappeared. These compression springs now routinely do the job at virtually the same cost as the predecessors had without any of the difficulty.

Hot Wound Springs In Stock

The Hardware Products Stock Spring Line is the only Stock Spring Line in the country that carries hot wound springs in inventory. As a result, one valve manufacturer in the western part of the country significantly lowered its inventory carrying costs by using Hardware Products hot wound stock springs. Now, knowing full well that Hardware Products carries these in stock, the manufacturer is able to employ a just in time process even on a hot wound spring.

Compression Springs With Variable Pitch And Ten Different Loads

A major manufacturer of air controlling devices had to come up with a compression spring that could immediately react to air flow changes without letting any air escape. The manufacturer came to Hardware Products with their design which had 10 different loads of varying rates in one compression spring. This is quite unusual in the industry. Hardware Products had to virtually design the spring coil by coil so it could comply with the customer’s requests. After many hours of work in front of a computer, Hardware Products was able to design not only one compression spring for this customer, but in time were able to design a family of compression springs that would cover a wide array of air controlling devices.

Special Packaging

Frequently, our customers require springs with unusually light loads. Such “flimsy” springs almost always require special packaging to keep them from becoming so severely tangled that they can never be separated. Over the years, with the help of several local packaging experts, Hardware Products has been able to develop many different types of preventative packaging. Whether the springs are individually affixed to adhesive board and shipped in layers, or installed in tubes in lengths of up to five feet or whatever is in between, Hardware Products will be able to work with you on your unusual packaging requirements.

Medical Application Required Flat Spring To Be Set Automatically

Today’s very demanding medical applications created a situation where a major medical producer had to assure that a flat spring was very stable even after many uses. In order to comply with this, the flat spring had to have the set removed. Set removal is an expensive and usually very tedious process. Hardware Products had to come up with a way to remove the set from this flat spring and still remain competitive within this careful but price conscious market. We ultimately did, and by doing so have provided this medical manufacturer with a way to guarantee the stability of his product and a price which is well within market parameters.

Springs Manufactured For Other Spring Companies

Because of Hardware Products’ ability to quickly manufacture parts in smaller quantities, many other spring companies frequently buy their small quantity requirements from Hardware Products. In that way, they are able to keep their production lines free for the longer run quantities that are the staple of their market. One spring manufacturer uses Hardware Products for the manufacturing of a part that has such a tight tolerance that they would prefer to have Hardware Products manufacture, test, and certify the part than to tie up their own resources.