Institute of Spring Technology Quality advice and support, when you need it
About Us e Institute of Spring Technology is recognised as the industry s most authoritative and influential voice. IST is renowned as a unique centre of excellence for spring technology, enjoying an unrivalled pedigree and reputation stretching back many decades. Our sole objective is helping you grow your business combining expert knowledge and advice with a wealth of services, unsurpassed and unequalled on a global scale. Our Mission Statement is To be the best and most successful spring trade association in the world by continuously improving the standard of expertise within our membership". We are right at the heart of the global spring making industry, covering all aspects of research and development, training, problem solving and testing.
Quality advice and support, when you need it
Membership IST's Mission Statement is "to be the best and most successful spring trade association in the world", and central to this are the offerings of our Membership Services section. Membership of IST is open to any individual or organisation active within the spring industry as manufacturer, user, designer - anyone who participates in the spring industry supply chain. By becoming a member of the IST you'll get free, unsurpassed technical support and advice, access to our online database of technical reports and papers and a range of other benefits, such as preferential rates from our nominated partners in fields such as law and corporate travel. IST members can also take advantage of preferential rates for spring calculator software, annual subscriptions for our on-line calculators (for spring design and spring material selection), routine spring/non-spring testing and laboratory services, technical consultancy services, shot peening and ancillary equipment, specialist annual training courses, access to a range of technical publications and also advertising opportunities.
Quality advice and support, when you need it
Testing Services IST offers unique, ISO 17025 accredited facilities for determining the fitness for purpose of springs by offering testing services for each stage of the production value chain material, design and manufacture. Having amassed 40 years of experience in shot peening, we can also advise on the best peening methods for your needs as well as offering sub-contract peening services. Our extensive equipment allows testing of all spring types (and nonspring components) in a range of materials and sizes under a range of conditions. IST s unique combination of technical know-how, experience and knowledge of how springs operate allows us to offer a second to none testing service to our members and non-members alike. We provide an expert and independent failure investigation service, and in the majority of cases can determine why your springs have broken. Often we can provide recommendations to improve the spring design or manufacturing process to prevent future failures. Our experienced and knowledgeable staff have access to state of the art facilities for metallurgical analysis. Springs arrive every day from all over the world, and there is no substitute for the relevant expertise this brings. We offer a visual inspection free of charge before recommending any detailed investigation. www.springtestingservices.com
Quality advice and support, when you need it
Software IST produces Spring Design software that is widely recognised as the best in the world, and the latest version of our Spring Calculator Professional program is supported by an extensive materials database. A vast range of wire and strip materials is included, together with performance data gathered over many years of testing in IST's unique spring laboratories, giving a wider range of fatigue and relaxation predictions than ever before. SCP is truly international, supporting design standards from around the world (BS, DIN, EN, IS, JIS, ASTM/SAE). As well as being available for Windows based desktop machines, a version of SCP is available as a 'Software As A Service' hosted package, and a browser based design solution makes high quality spring design available on any web browser. IST also provides an online, searchable database of materials, called Spring Material Selector, for spring manufacture, and members have access to a searchable database of articles and technical reports. IST also develops all the software used on our load and torque test machines. is software is designed by engineers within the spring industry, meaning it uniquely meets the needs of spring manufacturers and designers. www.springcalculator.com www.springmaterials.com
Quality advice and support, when you need it
Research IST has carried out research in materials science and has created innovative and unique test equipment based on techniques pioneered here in Sheffield. e Fracmat test machine performs comparison of the characteristics of spring materials using techniques drawn from non-linear dynamic systems theory (so called 'Chaos' theory). By allowing comparison of characteristics of raw materials to be made before manufacture, this innovative machine saves time and allows greater uniformity of manufacture. Materials research is at the heart of the data used in our Spring Calculator software. By performing tests on springs made of many different materials, we can provide our software with data unavailable to other similar packages. To generate this data, IST has worked with commercial and academic partners in EU sponsored projects such as 'Techspring' and 'Aerospring'.
Quality advice and support, when you need it
Training IST's world-renowned training courses are designed to give participants a leading edge in spring technology in such fields as basic spring design and material selection, spring failure analysis and prevention. e two day courses entitled Practical Spring Design are held two or three times each year in our Sheffield offices, and are delivered by our technically qualified and highly experienced tutors, who have many years of industry experience to draw upon. Each day includes refreshments throughout and a buffet lunch, and at the end of the course delegates receive a full comprehensive course manual and certificate of attendance. Delegates also have the opportunity to look round IST's facilities, interact with other companies within the spring industry and talk with our on-site staff. IST also delivers tailor-made courses designed to meet a customer's specific training needs, and these can be delivered at IST's offices or on site anywhere in the world. www.springtrainingcourses.com
Quality advice and support, when you need it
Shot Peening Shot peening is one of the best and yet easiest ways to significantly improve the fatigue life of your springs. e risk from surface stress raisers is greatly reduced by imparting a residual compressive stress. is can give a dramatic improvement in the long term performance. IST has a range of shot peening machines, enabling peening with glass bead and conditioned cut wire shot. Post-peening heat treatment is available as part of the service. Our extensive experience of shot peening springs ensures that we use the optimum process parameters to achieve the best performance for your springs. We also offer shot peening consumables: Almen blocks and A, C and N type strips.
Quality advice and support, when you need it
Institute of Spring Technology Henry Street Sheffield S3 7EQ United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 114 276 0771 Fax: +44 (0) 114 252 7997 www.ist.org.uk