Hardware - IQS Newsroom

Advantages of Plastic Springs

IQS Newsroom — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 12:40:43 +0000

Springs are an important part of many machines, products, and processes. Without the use of springs, many of the products that we use today could not exist. Many of the springs used in today’s world are made of a variety of metals, such as steel, aluminum, brass, and nickel. However, sometimes a spring cannot be made from metal for a variety of reasons.
If a customer has a product that operates around magnets, using a metal spring could be disastrous. However, the product will not function properly without a spring of some kind. Luckily, modern manufacturing has made it possible to create strong spring styles from other materials. One of the most successful materials is the use of plastic in spring manufacturing.
A plastic spring can perform many of the same functions as a traditional metal spring. While there are a few drawbacks to plastic, such as a shorter lifespan and lower weight capacity, there are many advantages to using the plastic as well. A plastic spring can provide many benefits to users, such as:
Reduced weight: Plastic is much lighter than metal and the use of plastic will reduce the overall weight of an object or product.
Recycling options: Plastic is fully recyclable, which makes it the perfect companion for green products and can help a factory improve their environmental impact.
Use in magnetic zones: Plastic will not magnetize, which makes it ideal for use in highly magnetized environments and products.
No conductivity: There is no risk of conductivity with a plastic spring. It is suitable for use in electrical components and other products with highly conductive materials.
Completely-rust resistant: Plastic will never rust or oxidize like a metal spring can, making it ideal for use in moist environments.

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How to Choose Nylon Abrasive Wheel Brushes

IQS Newsroom — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 15:46:10 +0000

By: Brush Research Manufacturing
Abrasive nylon wheel brushes are a type of industrial brush for removing burrs, blending edges, cleaning parts, and improving surface condition. As their name suggests, these wheel-shaped power brushes have nylon abrasive filaments that work like flexible files. Wheel brushes with other types of filaments are also available. Typically, these brush tools have brass, carbon steel, stainless steel, Tampico, or nylon filaments instead of abrasive-impregnated nylon.
Types of Nylon Abrasive Wheels
Buyers can choose from several types of abrasive nylon wheel brushes. Options include standard nylon abrasive wheels for light deburring, nylon abrasive composite hub wheels for high-performance surface finishing, and wheel brushes with abrasive nylon filaments and copper centers. Industrial brush buyers can also choose mandrel-mounted nylon abrasive wheel brushes with either standard or flared designs.
Standard Nylon Abrasive Wheel Brushes
Standard nylon abrasive wheel brushes are used for light deburring, edge blending and surface finishing. Safe and non-reactive, these industrial brushes are an excellent alternative to steel filament brushes for extrusion cut-off burrs. Standard nylon abrasive wheel brushes mount on most pedestal grinders, a type of grinding machine used to hand-grind cutting tools such as drill bits.
When selecting standard nylon abrasive wheels, choose brush tools that use aluminum oxide (AO) or silicon carbide (SC) abrasive. Aluminum oxide abrasive is recommended for brass, bronze, and softer metals. Silicon carbide abrasive is suitable for parts made of mild steel, stainless steel, and cast iron. Grit selection is also important to consider.
High-Performance Nylon Abrasive Composite Hub Wheel Brushes
Nylon abrasive composite hub wheel brushes are high-performance industrial brush tools. Safe, dependable, and built with virtually indestructible cores, they feature a higher filament density and balanced construction. Use these brush tools for machine-based and off-hand deburring, surface conditioning, and edge radiusing.
Nylon abrasive composite hub wheel brushes provide a precise edge radius on carbide cutting tools and last longer with less filament breakage. These high-performance wheel brushes are also used to surface finish metal shafts, turbine blades, steel gears, machined parts, and extrusion cut-offs.
Copper Center and Mandrel-Mounted Wheel Brushes
Wheel brushes with copper centers can be gang-mounted and come in a variety of arbor hole sizes. They are designed for general-purpose surface finishing, and are excellent for light deburring and edge blending. There are two styles of mandrel-mounted wheel brushes: standard and flared. Both types provide a reliable alternative to steel filament brushes, and are ideal for use in automated machinery and CNC equipment.

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The Aerospace Industry and the Captive Fastener

IQS Newsroom — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 16:26:20 +0000

The manufacture of appliances, furniture, and even automobiles was revolutionized with the invention of the captive fastener. Fasteners themselves have been around for some time, as a fastener is really anything that helps hold two objects together. For example, a bolt and a screw are types of fasteners. But the captive fastener is something different. The captive fastener is embedded in one part of the object and then the other part of the object is then anchored inside the fastener.
Aerospace fastener manufacturers have found the captive fastener to be an enormous amount of help because one of the best things about the captive fastener is that it helps eliminate the need for extra materials. The traditional means by which pieces of equipment that require fasteners are put together will sometimes need extra pieces of wood or metal to be fastened together properly. Depending on the project, using extra materials can be problematic. Captive fasteners come to the rescue because these types of fasteners are often used in areas where it would be very difficult to use a screwdriver or a wrench to make sure the fasteners are secured. Instead of needing the extra pieces to hold the components of an object together, the captive fastener allows for objects to remain connected securely. It is not hard to understand why the aerospace industry would find so much promise in a captive fastener. There are so many intricate parts on machines like the space shuttle, supersonic airplanes, and even satellites, that to be able to safely anchor parts together is of ultimate importance.
Aerospace fastener manufacturers have found an excellent way to help the aeronautics industry construct machines that have the potential to revolutionize life as we know it. Because something like a moon rover can be constructed in more efficient and cost saving ways, the aerospace industry can devote more time to exploring unknown frontiers.

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The Benefits of Wire Mesh Shelves

IQS Newsroom — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 14:08:39 +0000

Most manufacturing companies and warehouses have to use shelves for at least some part of the daily business. Shelves are used to hold parts, materials, equipment, and other supplies when not directly on the factory line. While there are a variety of styles of shelves available, one of the best materials for industrial shelves is wire mesh.
Wire mesh is made from a variety of metals and in varying weave sizes. Most shelves use a sturdy metal, like galvanized or stainless steel and have larger holes than mesh used for separating materials. Mesh wire shelves can add the following benefits to your product storage:
Strong load capacity: Mesh wire is surprisingly strong, even though it does not look like it can handle large weight loads. Depending on the type of material and the mesh size, the shelves can hold twice the weight of other shelves, and sometimes even more.
Good weight dispersion: The mesh design makes it easy to distribute weight across the shelf. This eliminates the possibility of the shelf sagging in one spot due to the concentration of weight in that area.
Easy to clean: The mesh pattern is easy to clean by wiping down or by spraying down with a hose. The holes in the shelves make it even easier to keep the shelves clean because dust has a harder time accumulating on the shelf.
Increased sanitation: Because dirt has a harder time remaining on a shelf with holes, mesh wire shelves are some of the most sanitary shelving types that exist today. Even sanitation conscious industries, like the medical industry, can make use of wire shelves because of their sanitary design.
Easy to see products: The holes in the wire make it easy to view the product on the shelves from all angles. This helps make inventorying much easier and also reduces the chance that a product will become lost and remain unused.

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The Many Uses for Diamond Mesh

IQS Newsroom — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 13:59:22 +0000

Diamond mesh gets its name from the shape of the mesh weave rather than from the materials used to create the metal. Diamond mesh can be made from a variety of metals, such as aluminum, stainless steel, and steel alloys, but is commonly made from stainless steel because of the durability and resistance to corrosion. The diamond pattern is created by linking several metal wires together to create a diamond-shaped pattern. This mesh pattern provides a high level of strength at a low cost. In many cases, diamond-shaped mesh is one of the least expensive forms of mesh. In the industrial and construction world, diamond-shaped mesh has a variety of uses including:
Fencing: Perhaps the most common use for diamond-shaped mesh is in fencing. The typical chain-link fence is usually formed with the diamond pattern, as well as fences with smaller spacing between each piece of wire. Chain-link fences are commonly used to protect unsafe or areas with toxic materials from unauthorized users. Mesh fences can also be used inside factories to guard dangerous equipment and protect employees.
Metal lath: The metal lath in construction is an important part of any plaster or mortar coating. The diamond shape is ideally suited as a metal lath because the shape of the mesh pattern helps support the plaster or mortar on the wall or ceiling. Often diamond-shaped mesh is used to support the scratch coat of plaster, mortar, cement, and brick coatings.
Fireproofing: Another industrial use for diamond-shaped mesh is protection from fires. The mesh metal acts as a barrier between flammable materials and the structural supports of commercial or residential buildings and can reduce the risk that fire will spread or damage the structural integrity of a building. Usually, a tighter, thinner weave is used for this purpose in many commercial and industrial buildings.

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Types of Helical Springs: Tension and Compression Springs

IQS Newsroom — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 19:26:01 +0000

Coil springs, or helical springs, are used to store and release energy. This is a simple mechanical device that is used to maintain a force between contacting surfaces or to absorb shock. Typically, coil springs are used in applications such as bouncers and shock absorbers for machines, or as a way to close a lid or door automatically after they have been opened. Usually, a coil spring is manufactured in the shape of a helix from an elastic material that can stretch or compress according to need. After stretching, the spring will automatically return to its original shape.
The helical springs are made up of a wire coiled in the form of a helix and are primarily intended for compressive or tensile loads. The cross-section of the wire from which the spring is made may be circular, square or rectangular. Helical compression springs have applications to resist applied compression forces or in the push mode, store energy to provide the push. Different forms of compression springs are produced.
Most helical springs are made from metal, but often plastic coils are used. A coil spring is a type of torsion spring because the spring acts in torsion when the spring is extended or compressed. Most springs are manufactured by winding a wire around a shaped cylinder former, which provides the spring with the correct shape and tension according to the form design.

Tension Spring

A tension spring is designed to resist stretching. Often, they have a hook and eye at either end to attach it to another component. These springs are used for cushioning or to automatically close an opening or keep two pieces of an object together.
Uses:
●Trampolines
●Automotive interior and exterior
●Garage doors
●Farm equipment
●Pliers
●Medical devices such as stretchers and surgical lights

Compression Spring

Compression springs are designed to resist compression. They are often used for absorbing shock in motors and other machines, including car suspension.
Uses:
● Valves
● Locking doors
● Railways
●Cars
● Electrical switches
●Large stamping presses
●Ballpoint pens
Both kinds of coil spring are used equally in manufacturing and commercial uses. When shopping for springs it is important to consider various variables. Such as configurations required, the weight of the load, the required elasticity and any regulations that must be followed. The right manufacturer will offer you affordable, precision made and uniform parts, whether you require a high volume of coil springs or just a few. Also, be on the lookout for companies that offer desirable services, such as ISO compliant green manufacturing, lean production, ISO-certified manufacturing processes, AS9100 certified springs (for aerospace applications) and ISO certified management systems.

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Laptop Computers and their Personal Friction Hinge

IQS Newsroom — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 18:41:48 +0000

One item I am not complete without is my laptop computer. I use it everyday after work and it accompanies me on every trip (even if it is only a one or two day trip). One aspect of this device I am really thankful for is the friction hinges. Friction hinges are a type of hinge designed to allow for controlled movement. While many door hinges, like those on screen doors, allow the door to snap shut after it is no longer held, friction hinges prevent this from happening. They keep the item opened to the same level it was. This is very important for products like laptops that contain sensitive screens. If the product was able to simply snap shut once someone let go of the top, the screen could easily be damaged. The friction hinges not only allow the computer to stay open during use, but are able to protect it as well once it is done being used.
Friction hinges are also often referred to as constant torque hinges. They are called this because they require more torque to rotate than most other models, yet not so much that they are difficult to rotate. Due to the wide amount of varieties available, applications used for and their advanced nature, friction hinges are among the most complex in the hinge family. It is their duality of fluid motion and angle retention that is able to set this model apart from all other hinges. Other products that can easily make use of this characteristic include movable vehicle sun visors, portable DVD players, certain building doors like loading docks and more. Although these products offer many advantages, the one disadvantage they have is that they do wear down and fail more easily. The frequent opening and closing can wear them down to the point that they will no longer be usable. Progress on this fault is being made though, and many manufacturers are now able to offer guarantees.

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Metal vs Plastic Gears

IQS Newsroom — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 21:13:04 +0000

In most people’s minds, metal gears are significantly better than plastic gears. A plastic gear is seen as weak and likely to break at any moment. However, there are actually many cases where using plastic gears instead of metal gears can actually provide many benefits. Consider the following potential benefits of a plastic gear before deciding whether to use metal or plastic for your next series of gears:
Plastic can absorb backlash shock: A plastic gear can absorb the shock from the motor starting and stopping better than a metal gear. This is due to the properties of plastic, which can absorb shock rather than reflect it.
Plastic has mechanical stops: Steel gears have no mechanical stops at the end of the travel range. Most plastic gear models include the mechanical stop design to avoid extra wear and tear on the teeth of the gear and the motor itself.
Plastic has a longer wear period: Surprisingly enough, most gears made from plastic have a longer life expectancy than many metal gears. The metal gears simply grind down faster than plastic models, and plastic requires less lubrication.
Plastic needs no backlash adjustment: Many steel gears require frequent adjustment to avoid backlash issues from the shock of operating the gear and the vibrations from the motor. Since plastic can absorb these vibrations, the gears can often last much longer. Many daily-use gears use plastic instead of metal, including door openers, conveyors, and large industrial machines.
So before you write of plastic as a gear material, remember the benefits that plastic could bring into your manufacturing plant. You may be surprised at how much you love the cost-saving gears over traditional metal gears.

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The Advantages of Expansion Bolts

IQS Newsroom — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 14:40:02 +0000

Upon first look they look slightly complicated, like something from an infomercial that you might as well not even try, just save the money that would surely be lost on purchase. However, expansion bolts can be quite useful, as well as reliable and dependable. Definitely not something you would find in an infomercial. A type of anchor bolt, it is comprised of a bolt, nut and lead sleeve assembly that is able to expand when tightened. While most bolts will have to crack the surface they are placed into, these models instead fill the deformities; not only improving the overall look of the structure, but also firmly strengthening the connection. It is able to create a firm bond and offers an extreme carrying weight. This provides additional advantage in industries that might work in vibratory environments because it helps reduce the risk of crack in the structure. Some industries that make use of expansion bolts include construction, masonry walls, turbines, motor couplings, gears, mining, seating and sign installation.
There are several different set ups when it comes to these products. These include the bold-lead sleeve-tapered nut, the bolt-lead sleeve-metal cone-nut and the tapered bolt-lead sleeve-metal cone-nut. No matter how expansion bolts are assembled, some characteristics remain consistent. For example, the nut and cone are made of steel alloys that are able to offer both strength and corrosion resistance. If they will be exposed to water or other environmental elements, the bolts might also be finished with cadmium and zinc plating for additional protection. Then there is the lead sleeve. This part of the assembly is essential to the expansion bolt. Being a malleable substance, when it is compressed it is able to easily fill the drilled spaces along with any cracks or pores surrounding it. This allows it to attach in multiple points without needing to worry about the product cracking or shattering the material it is anchored in.

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The Advantage of Spring Latches

IQS Newsroom — Fri, 30 Aug 2013 12:10:03 +0000

When it comes to products, the fastest and easiest solution with the highest possible quality is usually desired. This quick fix mentality goes for nearly any industry, large or small. One simple and small item that can offer quick solutions is a latch. There are an abundance of latch types that are used daily, in all aspects of life: home, work, travel, etc. However, one type of latch that sticks out is a spring latch. This specific type has some qualities that others do not that make it sought after in certain instances. Can you guess what it is?

Photo Courtesy of Sierra Pacific Engineering & Products

The structure of a spring latch is simple. In the simplistic structure the size can vary quite a bit, while the overall design tends to be similar across applications. A metal frame holds a bolt and around the bolt a spring is fixed to always push the bolt to the furthest out position. When the bolt is pulled the spring compresses thus disengaging the bolt from whatever it is holding together (e.g. a gate). When released, the bolt shoots forward to its resting position with a decompressed spring. An easy way to visualize how a spring latch works is to imagine launching a pinball. After a quarter is put into the machine a ball pops out and rests on the bolt, but when you pull back the bolt there is tension from the spring around the bolt. When you release the bolt on the pinball machine, a forward force is exerted onto the ball making it launch into play.
Unlike pinball machines spring latches are used to hold two components together, either open or closed. The latches job is to make sure that neither component is moved from that desired position. The spring latch acts similar to a deadbolt but instead of the push pull action necessary for a deadbolt to engage and disengage only one movement is necessary because of the spring does the rest of the work for quick detachment. Spring latches can be used in a variety of applications, from windows and doors, to gates and truck beds.
The quick release mechanism of spring latches makes latching fast and easy for any application that it is used on. Where do spring latches make your life easier? Have you wished something you were using utilized this type of latch? Share your stories with us.

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