Let’s take a look at some of the common ones you’ll see, as well as examples of their typical uses:

Push-type gas springs to lift and lower loads. These gas springs suit devices that lift or lower loads with easy control and minimal exertion. They support covers and lids in many industries, including automation and machine building, medical technology, electronics—and more.

Pull-type gas springs to fit constrained spaces. These compact springs can mount in any orientation and position. Unlike push-type springs, the gas pressure in the cylinder retracts the piston rod. Pull-type gas springs are used in various industrial applications, as well as medical devices, electronics and furniture.

Locking gas springs to hold a position. Many chair-type applications, such as mobility systems, need to maintain a certain position to support the end user. For example, when a person triggers a chair into motion by pressing a button or lever, a piston valve opens—extending the spring and moving the seat into position. When the user triggers the seat again, the valve closes, locking the piston rod—and chair—into position.

Rust-inhibiting gas springs to protect against corrosion. Many gas spring vendors offer rust-inhibiting versions of their standard models to protect against corrosion in food or hygienically sensitive areas. ACE Controls, for example, offers standard gas springs with an advanced UV coating or stainless steel outer bodies that can also be filled with food-grade oil—conforming to FDA standards.

To learn more about gas spring design and customization, download our latest white paper.

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The post Your Guide to Gas Spring Design and Customization: Part II appeared first on ACE Controls Inc..

The next few blogs will provide a helpful overview of what you need to know about gas spring design and customization. We’ll explore the various gas spring types, selection data, proper mounting—and more.

Let’s kick off the series with a look at standard versus engineered springs.

Standard Gas Springs Can Bring Unintended Results

While standard gas springs can be a quick and inexpensive purchase, a lot can go wrong during sizing and implementation. For one, off-the-shelf springs commonly offer one of three choices of output force. Will one of those forces be exactly right? Either way, you may get unintended results. If the factory-supplied output force doesn’t succeed, for example, your hood or lid may open unexpectedly.

In addition, standard gas springs can come with the wrong end fittings. Situations like these can cause you to spend unnecessary time trying different forces or modifying your assembly—inflating your labor expenses and delaying your operation.

An Engineered Solution Offers Many Benefits

An engineered gas spring, on the other hand, refers to a premium custom part that is adjusted according to your unique specifications. The added investment pays off via the time and labor cost savings that result when your gas spring works to perfection. ACE Controls’ customer support combines online tools and knowledgeable engineering staff to assist you in making the necessary modifications to your standard gas spring—including recommending the correct end fittings to make installation easier.

To learn more about designing and customizing gas springs, download our latest white paper. And stay tuned for more upcoming posts on this topic.

Download the White Paper

The post Your Guide to Gas Spring Design and Customization: Part I appeared first on ACE Controls Inc..

Let’s take a closer look at this new, user-friendly tool:

Make fast calculations 24/7. In the past, any questions about our gas springs required direct contact with one of our application engineers—a process that involved filling out a design form and exchanging information by fax or email. But our new online tool, which you can find under the “calculations” tab of our homepage, reduces this time to less than a minute. It’s also available 24/7.

Explore interactive models. To properly size your spring, the tool asks you to provide the details of the flap, including the length, width and opening angle—to name a few. It then generates interactive 2D and 3D simulations, which you can rotate, tilt and zoom.

Order your spring at the push of a button. Once you input all the data, the tool matches you with one of our most popular gas springs, including the model number, custom filling pressure and desired mounting accessories. You can even download a mounting sketch with all the specifications. Then, when you’re ready to order, simply fill out a contact form and one of our representatives will contact you to finalize the process.

Ready to get started? Click here to try out our new sizing tool.

The post Select Gas Springs Instantly With Our New Online Sizing Tool appeared first on ACE Controls Inc..

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Just ask the students of Hamburg University’s HAWKS racing team, who integrated ACE Controls industrial gas springs into their H0X racecar, demonstrating a nontraditional, yet functional use for the component and highlighting the design flexibility and power of ACE’s products.

ACE Partners With HAWKS
Each year, university students around the world participate in Formula Student, Europe’s most established educational motorsport competition. The purpose of the event is to design and build a single-seat racing car, which is then put to the test at the famous Silverstone Circuit. Students from the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, dissatisfied with the performance of the conventional helical springs used to attach the accelerator pedal, partnered with ACE to incorporate the company’s industrial springs into their racecar. The students were impressed that ACE’s gas springs could be easily integrated into their existing design, saving them time and costly modifications.

ACE Industrial Gas Springs
Universal and tailor-made, ACE’s industrial gas push type springs can support muscle power with forces from 2 to 2,923 pounds, or 10 to 13,000 N. The springs used in the HAWKS racecar (type GS-15-40) needed to exert an extension force of 150 N for a stroke of just 40 mm—a requirement they easily met. The students also found that the ACE spring offset the vibrations of the car very well by keeping the accelerator pedal in a constant position.

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The post How ACE Gas Springs Improve Racecar Accelerator appeared first on ACE Controls Inc..