Institute of Spring Technology (IST)

IST is committed to keeping abreast of world-best knowledge on all aspects of spring technology. Research Projects are undertaken to maintain state-of-the-art expertise. Such projects may be funded by companies for their own benefit, to provide data for a newly developed product or technology. Alternatively IST will seek to gain funding for projects that would be likely to yield benefits to many companies in the spring supply chain - e.g. from the European Commission.

CURRENT EXAMPLES

TECHSPRING - Part funded by the European Commission, which explores advanced stress analysis methods for the spring industry. The project has quantified the effects of processes like prestressing and shot peening and looked at subjects not previously studied like extension spring hooks and torsion spring legs. See www.spring-tech.eu for further details.

AEROSPRING - Part funded by ATEP, in which fatigue and relaxation data will be generated for the first time for titanium and nickel alloy spring materials. This data will be especially useful to the Aerospace industry and others that use exotic spring materials.

CURRENT FUNDING APPLICATION

SAFE DESIGN STRESSES - EN 13906 Parts 1 - 3 have some errors and inconsistencies. IST are leading a consortium who wish to:

- Define safe static design limits for all spring materials

- Improve Goodman Diagrams for dynamic applications

- Eliminate errors from EN design standards so that they become the world's best.

NEW IDEAS

IST would be delighted to discuss any new ideas for a research project.

TYPICAL PROGRAMS THAT IST PARTICIPATE IN ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. European Funded Research (currently Framework 6 and Framework 7).

2. Technology Strategy Board (UK) Research.

3. Regional Development Agency (UK Regional) Research.