---
title: "TFC Talks Smalley: Your Ultimate Resource for Ring and Spring Design Solutions | TFC Europe"
description: "TFC Talks Smalley: Your Ultimate Resource for Ring and Spring Design Solutions - ~TFC brings you expert insights, industry news, and innovative solutions for all your retaining ring and wave spring needs~ Over the past few months,"
image: https://blog.afceur.com/hubfs/TFC-TALKS-SMALLEY-Official-1-min-Jul-17-2025-10-50-32-6647-AM.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/the-perks-people-behind-tfcs-smalley-products#)
- [ 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 Talks Smalley: Your Ultimate Resource for Ring and Spring Design Solutions
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.
November 25, 2015
## ~AFC brings you expert insights, industry news, and innovative solutions for all your retaining ring and wave spring needs~
**Over the past few months, AFC’s Engineering and Marketing teams have collaborated to bring you exactly what you have been looking for one location to find solutions for all your ring and spring design questions. Every few weeks, we’ll be posting solutions to commonly asked design issues in addition to relevant industry news. Bookmark our page and check back soon or sign up for our monthly enewsletters.**
#### The People
Rings and springs may not sound glamorous or interesting but it’s a critical component in millions of products that you encounter every day and has been our passion for over 50 years now. As the leading supplier of high precision retaining rings and wave springs we’ve encountered countless design applications and worked to find the best solution for you. At AFC, we put invested specialists ” engineers, not sales people ” on every project for a higher level of technical expertise and an unsurpassed depth of experience and capabilities and we want to share that insight with you.
#### The Products
First and foremost, engineers and designers are looking for quality product that contributes positively to their design. At AFC we have full confidence our products reign supreme and so do our customers, that’s why our parts have been included in everything from running trainers to space exploration equipment on Mars.
Here’s what we’re passionate about:
- *[Retaining Rings](https://tfc.eu.com/technical/smalley-wave-springs-retaining/) * We are the leading supplier of the industry-leading Smalley Spirolox Retaining Rings, an innovative design that features a no gap, 360° retaining surface without protruding ears to interfere with mating components. Our retaining rings are used in almost every industry and we are a trusted supplier to the aerospace, automotive, oil & gas, and medical fields just to name a few.
- *[Wave Springs](https://tfc.eu.com/smalley_wave_springs_amp_retaining_rings/wave_springs) * Smalley is also the originator of Crest to Crest® Wave Springs which are pre-stacked in series to decrease the spring rate proportionally to the number of turns which saves up to 50% of space compared to conventional coil springs.
#### The Perks
AFC offer unbridled information to help our customers in their designing and purchasing process. We have an extensive search facility that enables parts to be selected by part number or, if you are unsure of this, you can search by diameter. As authorities within the industry we have extensive application examples, white papers, calculators and so much more to help you make the best choice for your project. If you need to get a better feel for our springs and rings then feel free to request a sample or a design kit so that you can really see and feel what separates our products from the rest.
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" : "2025-07-31T14:42:08.765Z",
"datePublished" : "2015-11-25T08:22:14.000Z",
"headline" : "TFC Talks Smalley: Your Ultimate Resource for Ring and Spring Design Solutions | TFC Europe",
"image" : [ "https://blog.afceur.com/hubfs/TFC-TALKS-SMALLEY-Official-1-min-Jul-17-2025-10-50-32-6647-AM.png" ],
"mainEntityOfPage" : {
"@id" : "https://blog.afceur.com/blog-listing-afc-europe/the-perks-people-behind-tfcs-smalley-products",
"@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"
}
```