TFC engineers were faced with a challenge when asked by one of their leading automotive electric motor OEM’s to supply an external retaining ring capable of withstanding rotational speeds greater than 17,000 rpm. Conventional external circlip retaining rings are limited by centrifugal forces when the forces involved are sufficient to lift the ring out of the groove, in this case, TFC's standard Spirolox® rings could only be considered suitable for rotational speeds of 8,000 rpm.

The Solution

The solution was found by supplying a special custom designed ‘Self-Locking’ ring that allowed the ring to function properly with higher rotation. The self-locking feature utilises a small tab on the inside turn of the ring that locks into a corresponding slot on the outside turn. additionally, in withstanding higher rotational speeds, the ring is also capable of sustaining vibration, functioning under rapid acceleration and absorb a degree of impact loading.

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What makes TFC's Spirolox® Rings unique?

All our Smalley Spirolox® rings are manufactured using a unique edge-winding process which is as flexible as it is precise and accommodates design changes without the need for additional tooling or die modifications. This process facilitates the development of prototypes allowing the production of low quantity custom orders quickly and economically. Even after the initial prototypes are produced, the same process allows the design to be altered with simple machine adjustments or even a change of raw material size.