Lesjöfors springs can be found in practically every corner of society – including springs in ergonomic camera rigs for most Hollywood productions. Power springs, tension springs and gas springs have critical functions.
Lesjöfors’ way of working is characterised by long and close customer relations. When spring engineers can start early in a development process of a new application, the customer often saves both money and time in the end. The spring engineers make sure the idea on the sketch board turns into real innovations through calculations, prototypes and tests. And in some cases customised spring production in order to achieve the ultimate functionality for the application. Lesjöfors always offers the most effective manufacturing process for all spring types in one of our many diversified companies within the group.
Ergonomic products for filmmakers
One great example of a long customer relationship is with the Umeå based company Easyrig, a leading supplier to the movie industry who exports most of its products to movie and TV productions all over the world. The Easyrig products lift the camera for the operators and offloads the heavy cameras’ weight from arms, shoulders and back to the hips. The operator can work full days without the risk of damaging muscles and joints.
“Our customers are camera men and women of all ages from all over the globe. We have resellers in more than 50 countries, which proves our products are very popular. Half of our production goes to the US followed by Germany, Great Britain and Australia,” points out Pontus Jonsson, sales manager at Easyrig for the US and the UK market.
Springs offloads the operators
The spring types that Easyrig use in its products are gas springs, power springs, tension springs and one smaller compression spring. They all have the same purpose – to lift a camera or a gimbal (and electronic stabilisation system).
- Minimax – thanks to a power spring, the resistance weight is constant when the operator moves the camera up and down.
- Vario 5 – this product includes a gas spring of 850N or 1,200N for which the operator can vary the angle in order to handle weights 5kg - 17kg or 10kg - 25kg.
- Cinema 3 – the product holds a fixed gas spring in the range of 200N to 1200N.
- STABIL – this new product uses a tension spring to soften the camera system’s movement when the operator is moving.
Easy, fast and constructive
Easyrig uses gas springs and power springs from Lesjöfors’ stock spring range whereas the tension spring is custom made at Lesjöfors Industrifjädrar in Herrljunga. “It is easy, fast and constructive to work with Lesjöfors. Our cooperation goes way back and we are very pleased with their advice and the products they supply. Lesjöfors with Greg Lehman and Erik Danell in the front are nothing but fantastic to work with,” explained Johan Hellsten, founder of Easyrig.
The Easy rig operators have been used across a selection of productions including: The Hobbit, Chernobyl, Star Wars Rogue One, Life of PI, Transformers, Moonlight, Straight outta Compton, Star Wars Han Solo, Sameblod, and Black Mirror.
Having spent a decade in the fastener industry experiencing every facet – from steel mills, fastener manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, as well as machinery builders and plating + coating companies, Claire has developed an in-depth knowledge of all things fasteners.
Alongside visiting numerous companies, exhibitions and conferences around the world, Claire has also interviewed high profile figures – focusing on key topics impacting the sector and making sure readers stay up to date with the latest developments within the industry.
