Industries we supply
Every sector has its own failure modes. A spring that lasts a decade in a kitchen cabinet will seize within a season on a boat. These pages set out the force ranges, materials, and specific pitfalls for each.
RV & Camper
Galley hatches, storage bays, and pop-top roofs
RV and teardrop builders need springs that survive road vibration, temperature swings from −30 °C to summer heat, and years of outdoor exposure. Galley hatches are the most common fit — usually a pair of springs on a wide, top-hinged lid where the owner wants it to stay up in wind without a prop rod.
- Typical force
- 150–600 N per spring
- Typical stroke
- 150–300 mm
- Recommended material
- Stainless 304, or steel with a corrosion-resistant coating
Marine
Engine hatches, fish lockers, and deck access
Saltwater is the harshest environment a gas spring meets. Anything mounted above deck should be stainless 316; 304 is acceptable in freshwater and protected below-deck locations. Engine hatches are heavy and often need a lockable spring so the hatch cannot drop on someone working underneath.
- Typical force
- 100–800 N per spring
- Typical stroke
- 100–350 mm
- Recommended material
- Stainless 316 for saltwater, 304 for freshwater
Automotive Aftermarket
Hoods, tailgates, service bodies, and food trucks
The largest single group of buyers: someone whose hood struts have failed and who needs the same size again. Beyond direct replacement, this covers custom truck caps, service body doors, tonneau covers, and food truck serving windows — builds where nothing off the shelf fits and the force has to be calculated.
- Typical force
- 200–900 N per spring
- Typical stroke
- 100–300 mm
- Recommended material
- Steel with black oxide, or stainless 304 for road-salt regions
Furniture
Ottoman beds, lift-up cabinets, and fold-down desks
Ottoman storage beds are the single highest-volume furniture application — a heavy mattress platform lifted by two springs, where the customer expects one-hand operation and a controlled descent. Lift-up cabinet doors and fold-down desks are lighter but far more sensitive to getting the force exactly right.
- Typical force
- 50–700 N per spring
- Typical stroke
- 100–400 mm
- Recommended material
- Steel — indoor use needs no corrosion protection
Industrial OEM
Machine guards, safety covers, and access panels
OEM customers buy in volume against a drawing, and the specification matters more than the price. Machine guards and safety covers frequently fall under regulation — the guard must stay open while a technician works inside it, which usually means a lockable spring rather than a standard one.
- Typical force
- 300–1500 N per spring
- Typical stroke
- 100–400 mm
- Recommended material
- Steel indoors, stainless 304 for washdown or food processing
Medical & Laboratory
Hospital beds, exam tables, and dental chairs
Medical equipment demands smooth, quiet, repeatable motion and the ability to stop anywhere in the stroke — a lockable spring is the norm rather than the exception. Surfaces are wiped with disinfectant many times a day, so material choice is driven by chemical resistance.
- Typical force
- 100–600 N per spring
- Typical stroke
- 100–300 mm
- Recommended material
- Stainless 304 or 316
Architectural
Skylights, ventilation hatches, and roof access
Architectural applications are almost always outdoors, overhead, and difficult to reach once installed — which makes getting the specification right the first time far more important than in any other sector. Wind load frequently exceeds the weight of the panel itself.
- Typical force
- 200–1000 N per spring
- Typical stroke
- 150–400 mm
- Recommended material
- Stainless 316
Not listed here?
These are the sectors we supply most, not the only ones. If you have a panel that needs to lift, hold, or lower under control, we can size a spring for it. We reply within 1 business day.