Stainless steel retaining clips

In many areas of technology, in the automotive or aviation industry, in medical technology, electrical engineering or even in the tool sector, certain parts have to be held or fixed in place time and again.

The following are often very practical solutions to these holding problems Retaining clips with special spring properties on. The advantages of such retaining clips usually lie in their simple and flexible handling. Retaining clips are quick and easy to assemble and disassemble. Quick and flexible assembly options for the parts to be held are another reason for their great popularity, resulting in a wide range of applications.

• Longevity
• Corrosion resistance
• Easy surface cleaning
• Good resistance to chemical and microbiological influences
• Can be used in a wide temperature range

• 1.4310 (X10CrNi18-8) austenitic chromium-nickel stainless steel
• 1.4568 (X7CrNiAl17-7) Stainless chrome-nickel-aluminium alloyed stainless steel
• 1.4401 (X5CrNiMo17-12-2) austenitic chromium-nickel-molybdenum stainless steel

Stainless steel retaining clips are usually used as Stamped and bent parts manufactured on CNC bending machines. The planning and preparation of each individual work step from the flat sheet metal blank to the finished bent retaining clip requires a great deal of experience from the retaining clip manufacturer in order to achieve an optimum result. The finished bent part is punched out by a punching tool and fed fully automatically to the CNC bending machine.

Depending on the complexity of the finished Spring steel clamp more or less individual consecutive bending steps are necessary. In each step, one or, if possible, several partial bends are made. This is done using prefabricated bending tools that match the subsequent geometry. The adjustable servo axes of the CNC bending machine guide Accurate and reproducible through each individual partial bend.

Retaining clips are generally made from rust and acid-resistant V2A steel with material no. 1.4310 (X10CrNi18-8). This High-quality spring band steel is weldable, easy to polish and particularly easy to form. Up to the yield point, this material exhibits a deformation behaviour proportional to the force under bending stress. Depending on the geometric design of the clamp, a progressive or degressive spring characteristic curve can also be achieved.

Retaining clips in the form of Contact springs are used, among other things, in the Electronics industry and serve as installation aids.

Another common application of retaining clips is in the Automotive industryto hold hoses and cables in a desired position in the engine area so that they are not damaged by the constant vibrations during the journey.

Furthermore, retaining clips are also used in the Medical technology This is required, for example, in the manufacture of syringes, ampoules and other sensitive medical products. Here it is particularly important during production that these products are not clamped and held too loosely, but also not too tightly. Here too, a high level of knowledge of spring technology is required.

Often it is simply a matter of several connections are made between neighbouring components and these are held in place with different forces. In such cases, the experience of the retaining clip manufacturer is particularly important. The design and dimensioning of the punched-out unfolding must be based on the correct and suitable geometry. The individual contact tongues, which are intended to hold the neighbouring components with different forces, must be designed in length, width and tongue shape so that all holding requirements are met.

Correct surface treatment such as vibratory grinding, also known in practice as barrel finishing, is also part of the perfect functioning of retaining clips. Electropolishing, chemical blackening or painting and the classic Passivation for surface treatment.

Retaining clips are an important aid when it comes to fastening cables, hoses or other objects. The resilient properties of retaining clips are one of the most important arguments in favour of using retaining clips. With the right design of retaining clips and their geometries can solve almost all holding problems that occur in practice. However, the manufacturer must always have extensive experience in the field of spring technology.