NitroSprings FAQs
What are NitroSprings?
Designed and manufactured in the UK by Metrol Springs Ltd, NitroSprings are high-force, heavy duty industrial gas springs. The NitroSpring brand is known for its quality, durability, and advanced engineering abilities. These heavy-duty compression springs offer ultra-high force in compact designs, with adjustable forces and no preload required. This makes them a significant advancement in compression spring technology, capable of handling the toughest conditions. Nitrogen gas springs are a superior alternative to standard compression springs, disc springs, die springs, and hydraulic systems.
What industries are NitroSprings used in?
NitroSpring gas springs can be used in various applications due to their high force, compact design, and long travel abilities. Some industries include marine, offshore, steel mills, agriculture, drilling and mining, food processing, and transportation.
Which spring option has a long lifespan?
Our NitroSprings have an estimated 1 million cycles, dependent upon travel. The NitroSpring range does not suffer with fatigue like other metal spring products do, and they are resistant to contamination and corrosion in demanding applications. Because of this, they are ideal long-life alternatives to mechanical springs that require minimal maintenance.
Do NitroSprings suffer from compression set?
Compression set occurs when a spring is exceeding its maximum safe load and travel. A NitroSpring does not experience this and can be compressed 100% of its travel, without suffering from fatigue or a reduced lifespan.
Can NitroSprings have a long travel?
A NitroSpring, despite its compact design, can have travel lengths of up to 2 metres.
Are NitroSprings corrosion resistant?
Yes, various surface treatments are available, allowing them to perform in extremely corrosive environments such as offshore and marine applications.
Do NitroSprings have high forces?
Yes, Metrol’s NitroSprings can have forces of up to 40kN.
What improvements does the NS-20-40 range offer?
The NitroSpring NS-20-40 range offers significant advantages over standard 5000N gas springs including:
– Increased life span through advanced sealing technology with a double seal arrangement
– Easy and efficient charging and degassing in the field, through our unique pressure adjustment valve
– Heavy duty construction – built to perform in challenging environments
– Enhanced guidance provides improved durability against side loads, the main cause of gas spring failure.
Are NitroSprings CE marked?
Only gas springs above 1L in volume should be CE marked. Metrol manufacture gas springs conforming to the pressure equipment directive PED68/2014/EU and can therefore CE mark gas springs. We also manufacture all our gas springs to the same standards of quality, traceability and testing.
What is initial force? The difference between a pre-load force and an initial force.
A standard wire spring in its free state provides no force, as you compress the spring, the force is generated and builds up according to the spring rate. However, NitroSprings are very different as they have stored energy. Therefore, to compress the spring, the initial force must be overcome, giving the NitroSpring a high starting force.
This makes installation easier and safer. It also means NitroSprings have more travel than wire springs, disc springs, and die springs, as they do not use up the stroke to get to the required pre-load force.
How can I adjust the force in a NitroSpring?
The force in a NitroSpring can be increased or decreased to the desired amount using the pressure adjustment valve. This is ideal when prototyping, or when the force of a unit needs to be changed to suit the application type. Metrol provide pressure adjustment equipment, along with training instructions.
What makes NitroSprings different from standard Gas Springs?
Our NitroSprings have been undergone years of research and development testing, incorporating specialist sealing technology, along with the latest in surface treatment, to provide the ultimate heavy duty gas spring that Can be direct replacements for standard spring products. This means that unlike standard gas springs, our NitroSprings can be used in industrial environments and have superior durability – with resistance to side loading, contamination, and corrosion.
Can a NitroSpring be used instead of a Wire Spring?
Yes, Metrol’s NitroSprings can achieve higher forces and longer travel, whilst having small diameters. Ideal for applications where space is restricted.
Can a NitroSpring be used instead of a Belville Washer or Disc Spring stack?
Yes, advantages of NitroSprings include that they require no pre-load, resulting in longer travel in a more compact package, and their specialist sealing technology and coatings allows them to be used in contaminated environments which may damage disc springs. For more information on the benefits of NitroSprings over Disc Spring stacks, click here.
Why are NitroSprings the best heavy duty spring option?
Our NitroSprings have been designed to last, with their ability to perform for over 1 million cycles without suffering from material fatigue. This makes them an ideal heavy-duty spring option in comparison to standard coil springs.