From cars to pens, compression springs are used in various products throughout the world. In fact, many products you use and depend on every day wouldn’t work without properly functioning, high-quality compression springs. If you look around your house or garage, you’ll probably set your sight on several products that use these springs.

You probably know that compression springs work by resisting linear force of an applied weight through compression. The weight can be applied at the top or bottom of the spring. Even though you know what a compression spring’s job is and how it works, and you know the spring you choose to put into your products should be high quality, here are three things you might not know about high-quality compression springs.

1. Quality in Durability

A high-quality compression spring that doesn’t last isn’t worthwhile. You need to be able to rely on the spring’s longevity. If the spring can’t stand the force being applied to it, it can weaken or break and ultimately render the product it’s in useless. Precise calculations need to be taken into consideration during the spring’s design stage so the configurations are correct. Thorough stress testing or evaluation should be done to ensure the spring can last with long-term use, and the right material and size needs to be chosen to ensure endurance under every condition the product is placed in.

2. Quality Is Dependent on the Manufacturer

The manufacturer you chose to design and create your springs will have a lot to do with the ultimate quality you receive. If a manufacturer only uses cheap materials in order to save money or if it doesn’t have experienced staff on hand to design the spring, you could end up with a low-quality component that ultimately won’t work. The manufacturer also needs to have the right, well-maintained equipment and technology to get the job done right. The manufacturer should also have systematic testing processes in place, be able to provide you with a prototype, and be able to lead you on the right path through excellent customer service and spring expertise so you get the high-quality spring you need.

3. Quality Is in the Right Spring

Material type isn’t the only thing that affects a spring’s quality. You can have the perfect material, but if the spring isn’t the right one for your intended use, it won’t be any good to you. Compression springs come in many different shapes and sizes. You can choose from types like variable pitch, barrel, and conical, and each type is meant for diverse types of products. The size of the spring will also have a great deal of impact on its functionality. Even though a manufacturer can claim to create compression springs using the highest quality materials, it doesn’t mean it will be necessarily right for you. Many other factors need to be considered.

High-Quality Springs for High-Quality Products

High-quality springs are necessary for any industry. However, there are many considerations involved in what exactly makes a high-quality compression spring. Durability and endurance is a must—no one wants a product that will stop working within a week. The quality of the spring will also be highly dependent on the manufacturer you choose—is the supplier equipped with well-maintained manufacturing machinery? Does it have spring-design experts on staff? Lastly, even the best spring won’t work for every product—a spring’s usefulness relies on it being the right spring—in shape, size, material, and finish—for the product you’re putting it in.