Custom Spring Prototyping & Design Services
Custom spring prototyping from Zigoal: send a drawing or a sample and get working prototype springs and wire form prototypes back, with DFM review and material advice — so you can test, approve and move straight into OEM production with the same custom spring manufacturer in China.
Custom Spring Prototyping: Why OEM Buyers and Engineers Choose Zigoal
A spring that looks right on paper can still bind, relax or fail early once it is in the assembly. Custom spring prototyping with the manufacturer who will also run production catches those problems while a change is still cheap. Our prototype springs services are built for OEM teams who need a working part in hand quickly — and a clear, costed path from that part to volume. As a prototype springs manufacturer and production supplier in one, we remove the hand-off where most specifications get lost. Choosing a spring prototype manufacturer that also owns the production line is what keeps the part you approved and the part you receive the same.
Made on production equipment, not in a sample shop
Your prototype is coiled, formed, heat-treated and finished on the same machines and by the same people who will run your production order. What you approve is what you will receive in volume — same material lot specification, same process route, same inspection plan.
Spring manufacturer design review before we cut wire
Every prototype request gets a DFM and design review. We check wire diameter against spring index, stress at the working position, end configuration and tolerance stack-up, and we flag anything that will be hard to make or hard to hold consistently — before you pay for a sample.
Custom springs fast, in prototype quantities
Prototype runs from a handful of pieces to a few hundred, so you can test more than one variant. When Zigoal holds the material in stock and no tooling is needed, samples are free of charge and ship in 2–3 days — you only cover the courier.
One quote from prototype to OEM production
You receive prototype pricing and indicative volume pricing together, so purchasing can approve the whole programme rather than just the sample. Custom spring manufacturing services, finishing and export packing are handled under one roof in Shenzhen, China.
What We Prototype: Custom Springs, Wire Forms and Stampings
Zigoal offers custom prototype spring manufacturing across every product family we produce in volume, so there is no part you can prototype with us that we cannot then supply. Whether you need a single spring prototype component for a test rig or a set of variants to compare, custom spring prototyping here covers the same range we run in production. Round wire from 0.18 mm to 10 mm (.007″–.394″); flat strip from 0.076 mm to 2.0 mm thick (.003″–.078″) and up to 63.5 mm (2.50″) wide.
Compression spring prototypes
Cylindrical, conical, barrel and hourglass bodies; closed, closed-and-ground or open ends. Rate and solid-height checks on request.
Extension spring prototypes
Machine, crossover, side and extended hooks or loops, with initial tension set to your specification.
Torsion spring prototypes
Single-body torsion springs with straight, bent or hooked legs, left- or right-hand wound. Torque verified at your working angles.
Double torsion spring prototypes
Two bodies joined by a centre bridge for a balanced load — common in hinges, latches and automotive trim.
Clock and spiral spring prototypes
Flat-strip spiral and power springs for return, retract and constant-torque mechanisms.
Flat spring prototypes
Leaf, cantilever and formed flat springs from strip stock, with bends and holes to your drawing.
Wire form prototypes
Rapid wire form prototyping for hooks, rings, clips, brackets, racks and hangers in round, square or rectangular wire. Prototype wire forming is done on CNC wire formers or on hand fixtures depending on geometry — so rapid custom wire forms arrive in the same grade and finish you will use in production.
Spring clips and custom fastener stampings
Custom spring clip design and prototype stampings in spring steel or stainless strip, so you can validate the clip in your assembly before committing to a progressive die.
The Zigoal Custom Spring Prototyping Process: From Drawing to Approved Production Part
Every custom spring prototyping project at Zigoal runs the same six steps, from the file you send us to the part that goes into your OEM order.
1. Send a drawing, sample or sketch
Email a 2D drawing or 3D model, a photo of an existing spring, or post us the physical part. If all you have is the load and the space it must fit, tell us that — we will do the custom spring design.
2. DFM and design review
Our engineers check manufacturability: wire diameter against index, stress at working length, end type, tolerance stack-up and whether the specification can be held repeatably. You get a marked-up drawing and a quote, usually with suggestions that lower cost or extend fatigue life.
3. Material and finish advice
We recommend custom spring materials and coatings for your environment — corrosion, temperature, fatigue cycles, food or medical contact — and tell you which grades are in stock so you are not waiting on wire.
4. Sample making
Prototypes are coiled or formed, stress-relieved, finished and inspected on the production line, and every batch is measured before it ships.
5. Test and approve
You test the samples in your own assembly. If rate, free length, leg angle or hook orientation needs adjusting, we revise and re-sample until the part does exactly what your design needs.
6. Move into production
The approved prototype becomes the production standard. The same drawing, material specification and inspection plan carry straight into your OEM order — no re-qualification, no second supplier to audit.
Prototype Lead Time
Custom spring prototyping lead time comes down to one thing: whether we already have the material. When Zigoal holds it in stock and the part needs no tooling, prototypes ship in 2–3 days. When the material has to be bought in or custom-made, or a tool has to be cut, allow 5–7 days. We confirm the exact date on the quote — and an expedited service is available when your programme cannot wait, so tell us your deadline when you ask for a quote.
| Situation | Prototype lead time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Material in stock, no tooling needed | 2–3 days | Coiled springs, wire forms, flat and clock springs and spring clips in standard materials and standard ends |
| Material bought in or custom-made, or tooling required | 5–7 days | Special materials or finishes, and parts that need a forming fixture or tool — the exact date is confirmed on the quote |
| Expedited service | On request | Tell us your deadline and Zigoal confirms the date before starting |
Production lead time after prototype approval is typically 7–15 days, driven mainly by order quantity and how complex the part is to make. Expedited production is available on request. See our custom spring manufacturer page for full production, packing and shipping times.
Custom Spring Design and Engineering Support
Not every project starts with a finished drawing. The Zigoal custom spring engineering team works from whatever you have — a load and a space, a competitor part, a failed spring or a sketch — and turns it into a bespoke spring design that can be manufactured repeatably at the price you need.
Spring rate, load and torque calculation
We size wire diameter, coil count and mean diameter to hit your force at the working position with a safe stress margin. For torsion springs, our guide to torsion spring force and torque calculation explains the method we use.
Tolerances that match the application
We advise which dimensions to control tightly — load, free length, leg angle — and which to leave at commercial tolerance, so you pay for precision only where it matters.
End configurations and custom spring options
Closed and ground, open, hooks, loops, bent legs and tangs: we recommend the end type that assembles easily and does not become the failure point.
Material and finish selection
Guidance on custom spring materials, heat treatment and coatings for corrosion, temperature and fatigue requirements — including when a cheaper grade will do the job.
Cost-down and DFM
Suggestions to change wire grade, simplify ends, open non-critical tolerances or combine two parts into one without changing function.
Manufacturing drawings
If you have no drawing, we produce one for your approval before the first prototype is made, so both sides are working to the same document.
We work in CAD and 3D models and can accept your native files.
Custom Spring Materials for Prototypes and Production
Prototypes are made in the exact material you will use in production — never a substitute — so your test results are valid. Common custom spring materials we stock or source quickly:
| Material | Common grades | Typical prototype use |
|---|---|---|
| Music wire | ASTM A228 | High-stress compression and extension springs; general industrial |
| Hard-drawn / oil-tempered carbon steel | ASTM A227 / A229 | Cost-effective springs at moderate stress |
| Chrome silicon alloy steel | ASTM A401 | Shock loads and elevated temperature; automotive and valve springs |
| Stainless steel wire | 302, 304, 304L, 316, 316L, 321, 17-7 PH (ASTM A313 Type 631) | Corrosion resistance for food, medical and marine use; 17-7 PH where you need stainless with near-music-wire strength; stainless steel wire for automotive prototypes exposed to road salt |
| Phosphor bronze, beryllium copper | — | Electrical conductivity, non-magnetic applications |
| Inconel®, Hastelloy®, Elgiloy® | — | High temperature and aggressive chemical environments; aerospace, oil & gas |
| Titanium | — | Weight-critical and biocompatible parts |
| Flat strip | Spring steel strip; stainless 301, 304, 17-7 PH | Flat springs, clock springs, spring clips and stampings |
Working to a Chinese (GB), JIS, DIN or ASTM designation? Send the grade you use and Zigoal will confirm the equivalent we can source. Not sure which grade at all? Tell us the environment and the load and we will recommend one — and tell you what it does to the price.
Spring Finishing and Coating Services
Prototypes should carry the production finish so you can check fit, appearance and corrosion performance at the same time. Zigoal’s spring finishing services and spring coating services are part of the same production flow, and the same finish specification follows the part into production:
- Zinc plating — low-cost corrosion protection for carbon-steel springs and wire forms
- Nickel plating — harder, brighter surface with good corrosion resistance
- Black oxide — thin conversion coating that keeps dimensions; mild protection when oiled
- Phosphate coating — paint base and added lubricity
- Powder coating — thick, durable colour finish for wire forms and large springs
- Passivation — removes free iron and restores the chromium-oxide layer on stainless springs
- Painting and colour coding — identify rate or winding hand on similar-looking parts
- Heat treatment and stress relief — standard on every spring
For a full comparison of options — salt-spray performance, coating thickness and cost — read our guide to spring finishing and coating options.
Quality Control on Every Prototype Batch
Every custom spring prototyping batch is inspected to the same plan as production parts, because the prototype is what you will approve production against. Our quality control for prototype springs covers:
- Incoming material — inspection of every wire and strip lot before it goes to the machine
- Dimensional inspection — wire diameter, OD/ID, free length, coil count, leg angle, hook position
- Load and torque testing — force at specified lengths or torque at specified angles
- Finish checks — coating appearance and adhesion
- Documentation — inspection records and material certificates available on request
Zigoal operates an ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system. Read more about quality control at Zigoal.
Custom Spring Prototyping FAQ
Prototype wire forms made from wire Zigoal holds in stock ship in 2–3 days after we confirm the drawing. If the wire has to be bought in or custom-made, or the part needs a forming fixture, allow 5–7 days. Production lead time for custom wire forms after approval is normally 7–15 days, depending mainly on quantity and how complex the form is. An expedited service is available — tell us your required date when you request a quote and we will confirm it before we start.
There is no fixed minimum for prototypes — ask for the quantity you actually need to test. If a very small quantity makes a particular material or finish uneconomic, we will tell you and suggest an alternative.
If the material is in stock and no tooling is needed, the samples are free of charge — you only pay the courier — and they ship in 2–3 days. Prototypes that need special material or a tool are quoted and take 5–7 days; any sample charge is shown on the quote before we start.
Yes. Send the physical sample — several, if they vary — and we will measure it, identify the likely material and produce a drawing for your approval before prototyping. If the original failed in service, tell us how; that usually points to a design improvement rather than a straight copy.
PDF, DWG/DXF and STEP files, plus photos, hand sketches and spreadsheets of dimensions. If you only have requirements — load, space, environment — we will create the custom spring design for you.
Yes. Rapid custom wire forms — hooks, rings, clips, brackets, racks and hangers — are prototyped on CNC wire formers or on hand fixtures depending on geometry, in the same wire grades and finishes as production.
Same material specification, same process route, same finish and same inspection plan; the only intended difference is quantity. If anything would change at volume — for example moving a stamping from a soft tool to a progressive die — we tell you in advance and re-sample from production tooling before shipping.
Yes. Spring clips, retainer clips and custom fastener stampings are designed from your mating-part geometry and required retention force. We prototype in spring steel or stainless strip and advise on the finish.
Yes. Tell us the application — automotive, medical, electronics, appliance or general industrial — and we will show you a spring prototype example we have made for a similar load and environment, with the customer’s details removed. Where confidentiality allows we can send a physical sample of that spring prototype component so you can judge the finish and tolerance for yourself.
We sign your NDA or provide ours. Drawings are shared only with the engineers and operators working on your part and are never shown to other customers or used for marketing without written permission.
Click Request a Quote or email [email protected] with your drawing or sample, the prototype quantity and estimated annual volume, the material or operating environment, and your required date. You will receive a DFM-reviewed quote, with any design suggestions, before a single sample is made.
Start Your Spring Prototype Today
Send Zigoal your drawing, sample or requirements and get a DFM-reviewed quote. Custom spring prototyping, design support and OEM production all come from the same factory in China — one supplier from the first sample to the first container.
