One Size Doesn’t Fit All:

There’s no room for error when it comes to valve design.  This is particularly true of the smallest components, like the energising springs in the seals.  An imperfect fit will impact the long term reliability and even lead to unexpected, and potentially catastrophic, failure.

Springs need to deliver optimal performance in demanding industrial environments.  Any issue or mismatch, from too weak a spring to unsuitable coil geometry, can lead to inconsistent sealing, accelerated wear, or costly downtime.

That’s why we take a consultative approach at Clifford Springs.  And a great time to consult with us about energising springs is when you’re designing a new valve needing an energised seal.

We recommend using canted coil instead of traditional ball valve seal springs.  Their slanted coils and near constant force when compressed makes them more effective and allow you to reduce the size of your valves, whilst potentially increasing their lifespan.  

And if you don’t want to make the switch to canted coil, we can still help.

We know that the spring inside a valve is incredibly important, not just for day-to-day effective function of the seal, but to extend the seal life as long as possible and reduce maintenance intervals. 

We work closely with seal and valve manufacturers to understand every detail of the application, providing advice at design stage, work on prototypes and validate designs.  Our clients’ success is as important to us as our own.  The goal is always to create a spring that does precisely what it needs to do – and nothing it shouldn’t.

The process starts with understanding the exact forces involved, the available space, temperature and pressure conditions, and the required service life. We consider factors like deflection range, preload, fatigue resistance and material compatibility, and look at every element of the design to support sealing integrity, providing technical solutions to reduce costs and improve performance.

The opportunity to act as an extension of our clients’ engineering teams, helping to de-risk projects and increase confidence in performance-critical components, is something we welcome. Our in-house testing, modelling capabilities, and extensive experience across industries mean we can support both standard and highly specialised applications.

Choosing a bespoke spring is not just about fit – it’s about future-proofing performance, reliability and peace of mind. So, if your next project involves sealing challenges, talk to us early. We’ll help ensure that your spring supports the seal.

Search related valve / actuator articles:   Clifford Springs LtdIssue 99Springs