Beehive Springs
Ovate Wire Beehive Valve Springs |
| Beehive Springs made from Ovate Wire for the Ultimate Performance Using the latest in “ovate” ultra high tensile steel alloys and advanced processing techniques to optimise surface residual stresses, Force Technology ensures its supreme quality engine valve springs produce the maximum achievable force in the smallest of space envelopes. Combining this with Beehive end shape technology and sophisticated dual-rate damping, very high-speed valve springs are achievable for some of the world’s most high-performance applications. Force Technology always goes the extra mile to ensure the highest standards are achieved. There is no compromise!  With the reduced height of ovate wire, shorter solid lengths are achievable whilst maintaining wire strength through the increased width. This allows ovate wire springs to fit into a shorter fitted height application, ultimately allowing for a shorter engine head and reducing the engine’s mass. Ovate wire also has the advantage of having an improved stress profile across its cross-sectional profile, giving an improvement on stress distribution vs. round wire.  In summary BEEHIVE springs made from OVATE wire have the following benefits… Reduced shut height Increased lift Increased force in shorter available space Higher engine speeds Marginal improvement in damping properties Marginal improvement in stress distribution in wire for improved fatigue life However, it is not all advantages; the disadvantages of BEEHIVE springs made from OVATE wire include… Higher machine set up costs Cannot be used with an inner-spring Potential for increased stresses in the reduced diameter coils Increased spring-mass for the same force/rate as round wire. Longer material lead-times and higher material costs and order quantities  Working directly with the engine designer Force Technology uses the latest in 3D design and finite element analysis to ensure every valve spring is optimised to the individual application. The spring design is calculated to ensure the valve remains in contact with the spring and to minimise coil surge and spring resonance. All in all, this leads to a significant increase in performance for high-speed applications and results in improved engine economy.  The world’s most advanced valve spring steels, made from combinations of silicon, chrome, vanadium, nickel, and molybdenum, giving ultra-high tensile strength, are used for the ultimate in fatigue life and relaxation performance. Super-clean raw rod, with low non-metallic inclusion levels near the surface, ensures the best possible quality of materials. Processes such as shaving of the surface and 100% surface inspection to 40 microns ensures very high surface quality.  During processing, every aspect is reviewed, ensuring the surface residual stress of the springs is maximised to give the best results. Advanced processes such as Nitriding, Shot Peening, Micro Peening and Super Polishing are all worked into the formula. Every part is individually inspected to ensure the physical characteristics fully match the specifications. Painstaking visual checks are also carried out to remove the risk of the minutest of imperfections on the surface, before packing and shipping to the customer.  Finally using our own in-house spin test rig, vibration testing and durability testing of the engine valve springs can be carried out. Vibration testing analyses for dynamic resonance and surge peaks through the complete rev range of the engine. This allows the damping properties to be fine-tuned to reduced stress peaks at certain revs in the valve springs. Durability testing can be programmed to replicate the rev profile of the engine on a particular race circuit. Typically this is carried out over many hours to ensure the drive train can achieve the required design life. The valve train components are also investigated for wear and degradation on breakdown after testing. Thus ensuring unsurpassed performance from the engine valve spring and the associated valvetrain system.  If you have issues with existing parts, we are pleased to offer a full failure and laboratory review service. Microscopic failure analysis is carried out using the latest digital microscopes, in combination with our own in-house Scanning Electron Microscope, to offer a full root cause Failure Analysis Report. As one of Europe’s leading technical spring manufacturers, we have many decades of experience in permanently resolving customers long-running spring issues in precision, high duty, and high fatigue applications. To guarantee the winning formula contact Force Technology, the Solution Providers at sales@forcetechnology.co.uk  |