Force Technology is manufacturing valve springs for global engine designer and manufacturer Cosworth to use in the next generation of hypercars.
The company employs 50 specialist staff and sells its precision valve springs to customers worldwide. Managing director Steve Williams explained, “Every valve spring we produce is fully bespoke to the customer’s application. Development programs can take many months – and in some cases several years – as we work closely with customer design engineers to optimize spring performance using advanced engineering tools such as finite element analysis (FEA).
“Once a design is established, the springs progress through a rigorous multistage sampling and validation program. This ensures both manufacturing quality and in-engine performance, with extensive durability and functional testing carried out before production approval.
“In a modern high-speed engine, the valve spring plays a critical role in controlling the movement of the valvetrain under extreme forces and dynamic vibration. At very high engine speeds, maintaining precise valve control is essential to ensure efficient combustion, maximum performance and long-term reliability. Our challenge is to engineer valve springs capable of controlling and damping these forces in some of the world’s most demanding operating conditions.”
Williams noted that Force Technology sources only premium-grade spring wire for its spring valves, because microscopic material defects can have a significant impact on fatigue life and may result in catastrophic engine failure. Manufacturing a high-performance spring valve potentially involves more than 20 production stages.
Every completed spring batch passes through a comprehensive final inspection and quality validation process. When required, springs can also be tested on Force Technology’s in-house engine spin test rig. According to Williams, if material is available and in stock, typical manufacturing lead times range from four to eight weeks.
Force Technology is based in Lancashire in the UK. Prof. Miranda Barker OBE, a spokesperson for Lancashire Business Board, said, “Force Technology’s prestigious contract with Cosworth and its other high-value customers in the UK and worldwide reflects the AEM sector’s resilience, innovation and global competitiveness, playing a critical role in driving productivity, exports and sustainable growth.”
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