Medical Applications

As the preferred supplier to the medical industry, Smalley’s Spirolox® Retaining Rings and Wave Springs are found in medical devices from surgical instruments to implantables, imaging equipment to dental tools and more. 

Smalley's unique Edgewinding process allows for custom parts to be manufactured to application requirements quickly and economically. From prototypes to production volumes, Smalley is able to scale production to meet your manufacturing schedule. Medical grade alloys including surgical 316 Stainless Steel, Elgiloy and implantable Titanium are readily available. 

ISO 13485:2016

We strive to provide the best engineered products, quality, service and deliverability. Our dedication to the medical industry is evident by our ISO 13485:2016.

In addition to supplying the medical industry, we maintain cross-industry Quality Management Systems that include Automotive (IATF 16949:2016) and Aerospace (AS9100:2016). Smalley is certified to ISO 9001:2015 and committed to environmentally conscious manufacturing techniques with our ISO 14001:2015 certification.

New Small Diameter Capabilities

Medical devices are shrinking and the need for smaller medical rings and medical springs has grown. Smalley continues to push the boundaries of coiling technology, producing the smallest wave springs and retaining rings on the market.

Smalley stocks over 11,000 standards with part diameters as small as .188” or 5 mm. Custom solutions are available from .118” or 3 mm.

Medical Retaining Rings 

Spirolox retaining rings are commonly used in medical applications because of the availability of stainless steel and other exotic alloys. Unique advantages provided by their design and manufacturing process include:

• No Ears to Interfere® with mating assembly components
• Spiral rings have no gap or lugs, ideal for tight radial applications
• 316 stainless steel rings from stock
• Interchangeable with stamped ring grooves

Medical Wave Springs

Smalley Wave Springs are commonly used in the medical industry. Wave springs can provide many benefits over standard coil springs including:

• Reduce spring height by up to 50%
• Weight savings from less material and a smaller spring cavity
• Tangle free packaging for large production volumes
• Fit tight radial and axial spaces

Custom Ring and Spring Solutions

Do not sacrifice application performance due to part availability, at Smalley, customs are standard. Our No-Tooling-Cost™ process provides an economical means of manufacturing a custom ring or spring to your exact specifications. Change the diameter, material thickness, alloy or nearly any product characteristic to fit within your assembly.

Smalley engineers have designed or specified thousands of medical parts globally. We work with your medical engineers to ensure your unique application considerations are taken into account. Standard or custom, we’ll provide you with the right part, in the right material, for your application.

Contact us for a quick and efficient design evaluation or prototypes.