William Hughes supports the hydraulics sector with the manufacture and sub-assembly of wire forms and springs designed for dynamic load, fluid compatibility and repeatable cycle life in high-pressure mechanics. Our work supports OEMs across various industries, including those seeking renewable energy hydraulics, looking for high-reliability components that balance fatigue performance with cleanliness standards.
The Demands of Hydraulic System Manufacture
Hydraulic systems operate under sustained pressure and require components resistant to stress, corrosion, surface wear and contamination. William Hughes’ advanced processes, from spring coiling and CNC wire forming through to ultrasonic cleaning of hydraulic parts, ensure component durability and compliance with customer cleanliness specifications.
Applications include:
- Compression and torsion springs for hydraulic valves, accumulators, and pump assemblies
- Wire form retainers and clips used in cylinder assemblies and hose management
- In-house shot peening for compression springs and Delta Tone coating for enhanced corrosion protection
- Passivated wire components to enhance corrosion resistance in hydraulic fluid
- Ultrasonic cleaning of hoses
- Kitting and sub-assemblies for rapid integration into hydraulic assembly lines
Our Focus on Cleanliness & Reliability
Hydraulic failures are often caused by particulate contamination. Our ultrasonic cleaning and passivation processes are aligned with ISO 18413 cleanliness frameworks, with packaging designed to deliver to defined ISO 4406 cleanliness codes. This ensures our parts arrive line-ready, protecting hydraulic performance from day one.
Rapid Prototyping & Agile Manufacture
One of William Hughes’ key differentiators is our ability to support procurement teams and engineers with rapid prototyping services. By combining in-house tool design, CNC bending and robotic forming technologies, we can move from concept to validated prototype in compressed timescales. This agile approach allows OEMs to evaluate form, fit and performance quickly, reducing programme risk and accelerating the supply process.
Our prototyping capability is underpinned by the same process controls used in series production, ensuring that first articles reflect real-world manufacturing conditions. For procurement teams, this means fewer supplier transitions, a faster route to reliable supply and the confidence that prototypes can scale into volume production without compromise.
Advanced Manufacturing Technologies
CNC coiling and robotic wire bending provide consistent load and deflection characteristics for springs, retainers and valve components. We conduct in-line inspection to maintain geometry and reduce leakage risk, with post-assembly cleaning to remove residues that could compromise fluid cleanliness.
Commitment to Development and Manufacture of Renewable Energy Components, Wind Turbine Hydraulics and Marine Hydraulics
As renewable energy systems continue to scale globally, hydraulic reliability is critical to the performance of wind turbines and other green technologies. From wind turbine pitch and yaw systems to the hydraulic rams and accumulators used in wave energy converters, long-term reliability depends on springs, wire forms and assemblies engineered for extreme environments.
William Hughes combines decades of experience in aerospace and automotive hydraulics with advanced in-house capabilities to position ourselves as a dependable partner for renewable energy OEMs and Tier 1s. Our processes already meet the fatigue, corrosion resistance and cleanliness standards essential for offshore and marine energy systems. With in-house ultrasonic cleaning, passivation, CNC manufacturing and kit-based assembly supply, we are fully equipped to meet the rigorous cleanliness, fatigue life and corrosion resistance standards demanded by green energy applications.
Applications for Renewable Energy Component Manufacture :
- Springs and retainers for wind turbine pitch and yaw control hydraulics
- Fatigue-resistant wire forms for braking and locking systems
- Passivated assemblies for offshore hydraulic power units (HPUs)
- Wire forms and springs for hydraulic accumulators and actuators in wave energy converters (WECs)
- Kit-based supply to streamline renewable and marine energy assembly lines
By extending our proven hydraulic expertise into both wind and marine energy systems, William Hughes provides procurement managers with the confidence of supply chain resilience, technical validation, and scalable production, de-risking supplier transitions in this fast-growing sector.
Supporting Efficient Assembly
We deliver kit-based supply matched to valve families or hydraulic BOMs, reducing line-side handling and improving first-time pass rates at pressure testing. This integration helps procurement teams reduce downtime, rework and total cost of ownership.
Speak to our engineering team today to discuss your prototyping project and explore how William Hughes can support hydraulic systems across industrial, automotive, aerospace and the renewable energy sector.