---
title: "TFC's Smalley Wave Springs: Space-Saving Technology for the Aerospace Industry | TFC Europe"
description: TFC's Smalley wave springs offer space saving technology for the aerospace industry for a compact, cost-effective solution for improved aerospace product design
image: https://blog.afceur.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Space-Saving-Technology-for-the-Aerospace-Industry-Main-Image-min.png
---
[ ](https://www.afceur.com/)
- [ About Us ](https://www.afceur.com/about-us/)
- [ Contact Us ](https://www.afceur.com/contact/)
- [ Careers ](https://www.afceur.com/careers/)
- [ Quality ](https://www.afceur.com/quality-standards/)
[ ](https://www.afceur.com/)
[ ](https://www.afceur.com/de/)
[ ](https://www.afceur.com/pl/)
[ ](https://www.afceur.com/cz)
This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached.
- There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.
- [ About Us ](https://www.afceur.com/about-us/)
- [ Contact Us ](https://www.afceur.com/contact/)
- [ Careers ](https://www.afceur.com/careers/)
- [ Quality ](https://www.afceur.com/quality-standards/)
[ ](https://www.afceur.com/)
[ ](https://www.afceur.com/de/)
[ ](https://www.afceur.com/pl/)
[ ](https://www.afceur.com/cz)
This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached.
- There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.
- [ Our Companies ](https://www.afceur.com/our-companies/)
- [ AFC Europe Ltd ](https://www.afceur.com/our-companies/#tfc)
- [ Forward Industrial Products Ltd ](https://www.afceur.com/our-companies/#forward-industrial-products-ltd)
- [ AFC Seals & O-Rings Division ](https://www.afceur.com/our-companies/#tfc-sales)
- [ EAP Seals ](https://tfc.eu.com/our-companies/#tfc-sales)
- [ SupaSeals ](https://tfc.eu.com/our-companies/#tfc-sales)
- [ AFC Industries ](https://www.afceur.com/our-companies/#afc-industries)
- [ Vendor Managed Inventory ](https://www.afceur.com/vmi/)
- [ Vendor Managed Services ](https://www.afceur.com/vmi/#managedinventory)
- [ Inventory Management ](https://www.afceur.com/vmi/#easysteps)
- [ Smart Vending Solutions ](https://www.afceur.com/vmi/#vendingsolutions)
- [ Product Sourcing ](https://www.afceur.com/product-projects-sourcing/)
- [ Kitting ](https://www.afceur.com/product-projects-sourcing/#kitting)
- [ Technical Products ](https://www.afceur.com/our-companies/#)
- [ Smalley Wave Springs ](https://www.afceur.com/technical/wavesprings/)
- [ Smalley Retaining Rings ](https://www.afceur.com/technical/smalley-wave-springs-retaining/)
- [ ARaymond Quick Connectors ](https://www.afceur.com/technical/araymond-quick-connectors/)
- [ O’Rings, Seals & Gaskets ](https://www.afceur.com/products/afc-seals-o-rings/)
- [ Custom Engineered Components ](https://www.afceur.com/products/custom-engineered-components-cec/)
- [ Resources ](https://blog.afceur.com/#)
- [ VMI Brochure ](https://www.afceur.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AFC-VMI-Brochure-Digital.pdf)
- [ Blog ](https://blog.afceur.com/blog-listing-tfc-europe-2025?hsLang=en)
- [ Case Study ](https://blog.afceur.com/blog-listing-tfc-europe-2025?hsLang=en)
- [ Technical Products ](https://www.afceur.com/technical/)
- [ Smalley Wave Springs ](https://www.afceur.com/technical/wavesprings/)
- [ Smalley Retaining Rings ](https://www.afceur.com/technical/smalley-wave-springs-retaining/)
- [ ARaymond Quick Connectors ](https://www.afceur.com/technical/araymond-quick-connectors/)
- [ O-Rings, Seals & Gaskets ](https://www.afceur.com/products/afc-seals-o-rings/)
- [ Custom Engineered Components ](https://www.afceur.com/products/custom-engineered-components-cec/)
- [ Resources ](https://blog.afceur.com/#)
- [ Catalogue ](https://blog.afceur.com/blog-listing-afc-europe/space-saving-solutions-for-aerospace-applications#)
- [ Download our Catalogue ](https://www.afceur.com/download-catalogue/)
- [ Order our Catalogue ](https://www.afceur.com/catalogue-landing-page/)
- [ Technical Brochure ](https://www.afceur.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AFC-Europe-UK-Tech-Leaflet-Digital.pdf)
- [ Blogs ](https://blog.afceur.com/blog-listing-tfc-europe-2025?hsLang=en)
- [ Case Studies ](https://blog.afceur.com/blog-listing-tfc-europe-2025?hsLang=en)
- [ E-Books ](https://blog.afceur.com/#)
- [ Ask The Expert – Wave Spring FAQ ](https://blog.afceur.com/blog-listing-tfc-europe-2025/ask-the-expert-wave-spring-faq?hsLang=en)
- [ Ask The Expert – Retaining Rings FAQ ](https://blog.afceur.com/blog-listing-tfc-europe-2025/ask-the-expert-retaining-rings-faq?hsLang=en)
- [ Smalley Technical Guide on High Rotational ](https://blog.afceur.com/blog-listing-tfc-europe-2025/high-rpm-retaining-solutions?hsLang=en)
- [ Revolox Self-Locking Ring Product Guide ](https://blog.afceur.com/blog-listing-tfc-europe-2025/revolox-self-locking-ring-product-guide?hsLang=en)
- [ Company News ](https://blog.afceur.com/blog-listing-tfc-europe-2025?hsLang=en)
- [ News ](https://blog.afceur.com/blog-listing-tfc-europe-2025?hsLang=en)
- [ Company Brochure ](https://www.afceur.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AFC-Company-Brochure-Digital.pdf)
# AFC’s Smalley Wave Springs: Space-Saving Technology for the Aerospace Industry
Simon Ward
### Simon Ward
Simon leads the UK technical team and specialises in the design and development of Smalley wave springs and spiral retaining rings. With over 25 years of experience, Simon develops bespoke parts for major clients around the world and across a wide range of industry sectors. He is now widely considered the leading authority on Smalley products.
June 29, 2014
## ~Compact, cost-effective solutions for improved aerospace product design~
**AFC’s Smalley wave springs offer space saving technology for the Aerospace Industry which can replace conventional round wire coil springs by using less material and a smaller assembly size, resulting in reduced production costs and more effective product design. The structure of the wave spring is made from flat spring metal, forming a multi-coil wave framework. This specific arrangement makes the spring suitable for applications where low operating heights is required since only around 50% of the axial height of a conventional round wire spring is necessary.**
Also, by replacing a conventional round wire spring with a flat wire wave spring within the same cavity, a more effective use of the available space can lead to improved product performance. By utilising the space-saving features, a significant reduction in the spring rate is possible, leading to a more linear load characteristic when the spring is operating at more than one working height.
Fundamentally wave springs are useful in circumstances where a small area of space is available for a greater amount of mechanical work it needs to perform. Usually wave springs are required to be compact but, because of the extreme diversification of available material sections, they can be manufactured to any specific radial or axial constraints. With springs capable of being produced in diameters from as little as 5mm and in excess of 2,000mm, the range of applications for which they are suitable is immense. When coupled with a material selection that includes standard carbon spring steel, a variety of stainless steels and exotic alloys such as Inconel and Elgiloy, wave springs can be found in applications as far apart as space satellites and sub-sea drilling.
The process of manufacture fundamentally involves coiling flat wire on edge to the exact diameter, number of ‘waves’ and number of turns. The wire is produced by flattening a round-wire form to precise specifications and, consequently, the edge profile is devoid of sharp edges or burrs. As the final spring is made from a single filament of wire, they are able to operate in tight radial cavities without the fear of binding when compressed to working height.
Another significant factor is the lack of necessity for heat treatment after manufacture. Unlike die-stamped products that are required to be made from annealed material, all Smalley spring products are cold-rolled and only require stress relieving after production. This ensures that a greater control of the spring force at a pre-determined work height can be maintained and, consequently, design engineers can be confident that the functionality of the spring within the final assembly will consistently meet with their requirements.
Because there is no tooling involved, prototype and custom configurations can be manufactured quickly and economically and, if necessary, re-designed and reproduced without the need to compromise the final product design.
Utilising the same method of manufacture enables AFC to supply a variety of alternative edge-coiled products including leading brand Spirolox retaining rings. Used to replace conventional die-stamped circlips, these products have no ‘ears’ or lugs to interfere with mating components in the assembly and provide a full 360º retaining surface.
Designed to be compatible with standard Imperial and Metric internal and external groove configurations, as well as Aerospace specifications, the ranges available enable an almost unlimited number of ‘off-the-shelf’ solutions. Furthermore, because coiling produces a retaining ring without any tooling costs and with no scrap, the Spirolox products can be economically produced for prototype, high volume and mid-stream design change requirements in a wide range of materials and material cross-sections.
For further information [click here](https://tfc.eu.com/)
Please don’t hesitate to contact our expert team on [01435 866011](tel:01435866011) for further innovative engineering solutions.
[ Contact Us ](https://tfc.eu.com/contact/)
[ ](https://www.afceur.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/1A-RS-10882-ISO-9001-01-EXP-2027-02-23-AFC.pdf)
[ ](https://www.afceur.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/1C-AS9120-FS-615967-1-001-EXP-24032027-AFC.pdf)
[ ](https://www.afceur.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/1B-AS9100-FS-615967-2-001-EXP-24032027-AFC.pdf)
[ ](https://www.afceur.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/JOSCAR-Certificate-TFC-Limited-2025.pdf)
[ ](https://ist.org.uk/membership/)
[ ](https://www.afceur.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/TFC-Ltd-BIAFD-2024-25-Exec-cert.pdf)
##### Contact us (UK)
- [ AFC Europe Ltd
Hale House
Ghyll Road Industrial Estate
Heathfield East Sussex
TN21 8AW
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 1435 866011
Email: enquiries@afceur.com ](mailto:enquiries@afceur.com)
##### Kontaktieren Sie uns (DE)
- [ AFC Deutschland
Technisches Zentrum
Kohlenstrasse 51 – 55
D-44795 Bochum
Deutschland
Tel: +49 0234 923 610
Email: enquiries@afceur.com ](mailto:enquiries@afceur.com)
##### Kontaktujte nás (CZ)
- [ AFC Europe Ltd
CTPark Hranice
Storage Unit A
Olomoucká 306
Hranice na Moravě 753 01
Česká Republika
Tel: +420 581 602 721
Email: enquiries@afceur.com ](mailto:enquiries@afceur.com)
##### AFC Europe Ltd
##### Follow us
-
-
© AFC Europe Ltd | Registered in England and Wales No. 00675195. | Registered Office: Hale House, Ghyll Industrial Estate, Heathfield, East Sussex, TN21 8AW, UK. | [Privacy Policy ](https://www.afceur.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/TFC-Privacy-Policy-Aug-2024.pdf) [ | Terms of Sale ](https://www.afceur.com/about-us/terms-of-sale/)
```json
{
"@context" : "https://schema.org",
"@type" : "BlogPosting",
"author" : {
"@type" : "Person",
"name" : "Simon Ward",
"url" : "https://blog.afceur.com/blog-listing-afc-europe/author/simon-ward"
},
"dateModified" : "2025-07-31T14:45:47.411Z",
"datePublished" : "2014-06-29T05:04:37.000Z",
"headline" : "TFC's Smalley Wave Springs: Space-Saving Technology for the Aerospace Industry | TFC Europe",
"image" : [ "https://blog.afceur.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Space-Saving-Technology-for-the-Aerospace-Industry-Main-Image-min.png" ],
"mainEntityOfPage" : {
"@id" : "https://blog.afceur.com/blog-listing-afc-europe/space-saving-solutions-for-aerospace-applications",
"@type" : "WebPage"
},
"publisher" : {
"@type" : "Organization",
"logo" : {
"@type" : "ImageObject",
"url" : "https://blog.afceur.com/hubfs/AFC%20Logo%20Positive%20RGB-1.jpg"
},
"name" : "AFC Industries"
}
}
```
```json
{
"@context" : "https://schema.org",
"@type" : "WebSite",
"name" : "AFC Industries",
"potentialAction" : {
"@type" : "SearchAction",
"query-input" : "required name=search_term_string",
"target" : {
"@type" : "EntryPoint",
"urlTemplate" : "https://www.afcind.com/hs-search-results?term={search_term_string}"
}
},
"url" : "https://www.afcind.com"
}
```