Examples of Tokai Spring’s Applications

Springs that Perform Reliably Under Extreme Hydrogen Environments

Delivering Stable Performance in the Harshest Conditions

As the world rapidly moves toward a hydrogen-based society, equipment handling hydrogen—such as fuel cell vehicles, hydrogen refueling stations, and hydrogen production systems—continues to expand.
At the same time, hydrogen environments impose highly demanding conditions, including high pressure, cryogenic temperatures, and the risk of hydrogen embrittlement, all of which require advanced technical expertise when applying metal springs.

Leveraging decades of accumulated knowledge in materials engineering and spring manufacturing, Tokai Spring designs and produces springs specifically optimized for hydrogen environments.
Our solutions go beyond basic corrosion resistance and strength requirements, delivering stable load characteristics and high reliability even under severe hydrogen exposure.

1. Countermeasures Against Hydrogen Embrittlement

For materials where hydrogen embrittlement is a concern, we carefully select appropriate materials and apply optimized processing methods to minimize the risk of spring failure.
These measures help ensure long-term structural integrity and stable performance in hydrogen environments.

2. Proven Performance in High-Pressure and Cryogenic Conditions

Tokai Spring has a proven track record in hydrogen-related applications and can support designs capable of maintaining spring functionality under cryogenic conditions as low as –253°C.
By utilizing material testing and performance evaluation data, we provide highly reliable springs suitable for both high-pressure and ultra-low-temperature environments.

3. Flexible Support for High-Mix, Low-Volume Production

We support prototyping and manufacturing from a single piece, enabling customized spring designs for a wide range of hydrogen-related applications, including test equipment, hydrogen supply systems, and safety valves.

Example Applications

• High-pressure gas control valves in hydrogen refueling stations
• Load springs for inter-cell sealing in fuel cell stacks
• Emergency shut-off valve springs in hydrogen supply pipelines
• Pressure-balancing components in water electrolysis equipment

Comprehensive Design and Evaluation Support

Designing springs for hydrogen environments requires a multifaceted approach, taking into account hydrogen embrittlement behavior, pressure resistance, cryogenic performance, and corrosion characteristics.
Tokai Spring provides full technical support throughout the development process, including design proposals and strength calculations based on customer specifications and environmental conditions, prototype manufacturing, and repeated performance testing and evaluation.
Upon request, we can also prepare detailed performance evaluation reports or collaborate with third-party testing institutions to support certification and validation requirements.

Applicable Spring Materials

SUS

SUH

Applicable Spring Types

Compression Springs

Leaf Springs

Disc Springs

Torsion Springs

Extension Springs

Working Together with Customers from Product Development to After-Sales Support

• Development and Prototyping

  By committing our engineers to customers’ product development and long-term research projects, we provide comprehensive support ranging from prototyping to data collection and evaluation.

• Manufacturing

  We specialize in high-mix, low-volume production. By maintaining detailed manufacturing records, we can quickly reproduce springs even if they were produced only once more than ten years ago. We ensure stable quality, high reproducibility, and excellent on-time delivery performance.

• Replacement and Repair

  Even for springs manufactured by other suppliers, we can accurately reproduce high-quality springs from a single sample without drawings and deliver them within short lead times.