Gas Springs
Motion and lift support in austenitic stainless steel, engineered for environments where magnetic interaction must be minimized — medical, MRI-related, laboratory, and precision systems.
- 1 When the Material Becomes Part of the Engineering Decision
- 2 Where Non-Magnetic Gas Springs Are Used
- 3 Standard or Non-Magnetic: How to Decide
- 4 Material Selection and What to Confirm
- 5 Specifying Non-Magnetic Gas Springs: Quick Reference
- 6 Why Engineers Source Non-Magnetic Gas Springs from Newtone
- 7 Frequently Asked Questions
- 8 Conclusion
- 9 Get a Specification or Quote
When the Material Becomes Part of the Engineering Decision
Picture an adjustable cover on a laboratory instrument that sits a few centimeters from an imaging sensor, or a support arm on equipment used near an MRI room. The motion requirement is ordinary — open, hold, close, smoothly and with one hand. But a standard gas spring brings a ferromagnetic steel mass into a space where magnetic fields matter, and that mass can distort a measurement, complicate certification, or simply be unsafe near a strong field. In those settings, non-magnetic gas springs exist precisely because force, stroke, and mounting are no longer the only variables — the material behavior is.
Non-magnetic gas springs remain a niche product next to standard units, but they are increasingly specified wherever precision, safety, and compatibility govern the design. This page covers what the term actually means, where these springs are used, the common mistake to avoid, and how to specify one correctly.
Who this page is for: OEM engineers designing medical, laboratory, imaging, or metrology equipment; procurement teams sourcing compatible components for sensitive environments; and distributors looking for a manufacturing partner who can build to spec rather than to catalog.
Where Non-Magnetic Gas Springs Are Used
The need is not tied to one sector. It appears wherever equipment operates in a controlled or magnetically sensitive environment and a moving part still has to be supported reliably.
Medical Equipment
Access panels, support covers, and adjustable sections that must move smoothly while remaining compatible with the surrounding instruments. Material choice becomes a design requirement, not an afterthought.
MRI-Related Equipment
In and around imaging systems, component suitability is a serious safety matter. Reduced magnetic interaction is the whole reason these springs are considered here — though the exact requirement always depends on field strength and placement.
Laboratory & Analytical Devices
Lids, flaps, and movable sections on instruments where reliability, precision, and compatibility with nearby sensors all matter as much as compact size.
Precision & Metrology Systems
Industrial equipment built around accurate measurement and positioning, where any magnetic influence is undesirable and the spring must support overall stability, not just movement.
Standard or Non-Magnetic: How to Decide
From the outside, one gas spring looks much like another. The decision is driven entirely by the environment the part will live in.
⬤ Standard Gas Spring
- General machines, cabinets, hatches, covers
- No magnetic sensitivity nearby
- Hard chrome rod and carbon-steel body acceptable
- Lowest cost, widest availability
⬤ Non-Magnetic Gas Spring
- Near imaging, medical, or measurement systems
- Strong magnetic fields or strict material rules
- Austenitic stainless (316L) construction
- Specified when compatibility is part of the design
Material Selection and What to Confirm
The defining feature of a non-magnetic gas spring is its material set. Newtone builds these around austenitic stainless steel (316L), chosen for low magnetic permeability together with strong corrosion resistance — which also suits the cleaning agents and humidity common in medical and laboratory settings. For applications where corrosion resistance is the priority but magnetic behavior is not, a stainless steel gas spring may be sufficient; the two requirements should be reviewed separately rather than assumed to be the same thing.
End fittings matter as much as the body. An eyelet, ball joint, or fork that introduces a ferromagnetic part can undermine the rest of the assembly, so fittings should be specified to match both the movement geometry and the non-magnetic requirement. Where a standard gas spring would normally be selected from a catalog, a sensitive application usually starts from the environment and works back to the material.
Specifying Non-Magnetic Gas Springs: Quick Reference
| Property | Specification |
|---|---|
| Body & rod material | Austenitic stainless steel (316L), low magnetic permeability |
| Force range | 50–2000 N (11–450 lbf); non-magnetic typical 50–500 N (11–112 lbf) |
| Force tolerance | ±5% (tighter than ±10–15% commodity supply) |
| Stroke | Made to order, typically 40–400 mm (1.6–16 in) |
| Seals | HNBR (UV and ozone resistant) as standard |
| Operating temperature | −40°C to +100°C (−40°F to +212°F) |
| Cycle rating | 100,000+ minimum |
| End fittings | Eyelet, ball joint, or fork — non-magnetic options on request |
| Supply | OEM & aftermarket from the same platform |
Treat these as starting points. The correct force depends on load weight, center of gravity, mounting geometry, and the open angle of the moving part; the extended and compressed lengths must fit the available space. Share your application details with our team for a force recommendation, or browse other gas spring applications.
Why Engineers Source Non-Magnetic Gas Springs from Newtone
We manufacture in our own facility in Turkey, which means we control material sourcing, tolerances, and lead times directly — exactly what a sensitive, low-volume, custom application needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
A non-magnetic gas spring is built from non-ferromagnetic materials, typically austenitic stainless steel such as 316L, which has very low magnetic permeability. This reduces magnetic interaction with sensitive instruments compared with a standard carbon-steel gas spring.
Not always. Some grades such as 304 can develop slight magnetism after cold working, and a stainless body alone does not guarantee a fully non-magnetic assembly. The internal parts also matter, so 316L is preferred and the full construction should be reviewed for low magnetic permeability.
They are often specified around MRI-related systems because reduced magnetic interaction is critical there. Suitability depends on the exact location, field strength, and equipment requirements, so each application should be reviewed with the supplier rather than assumed.
Newtone manufactures gas springs across a 50–1000 N (11–225 lbf) force range, with non-magnetic versions commonly used in the 50–500 N (11–112 lbf) band. Stroke is made to order, typically 40–400 mm (1.6–16 in), with force matched to within ±5%.
Usually yes. Most sensitive applications fall outside standard catalog dimensions, so force, stroke, body diameter, and end fittings are specified per project. Newtone supplies both OEM integration and aftermarket replacement from the same platform.
Conclusion
A non-magnetic gas spring is not simply a stainless version of a standard product. It is a deliberate material choice for applications where magnetic interaction would otherwise become a problem — distorting a measurement, complicating compliance, or creating a safety concern near a strong field. The motion job stays the same; what changes is that the component now has to respect the environment it sits in.
The two things that most often go wrong are predictable: assuming any stainless steel is non-magnetic, and treating material as a final detail instead of a first decision. Both are easy to avoid by reviewing the full construction against the sensitivity of the application before the design is fixed.
Newtone builds non-magnetic gas springs to order in 316L, with engineering support available to help set force, stroke, and fittings for the specific environment. Share your application details and we will recommend a configuration — typically within 5 business hours.
Get a Specification or Quote
Tell us your application, load, available space, and the sensitivity of the environment. Our engineering team handles the rest — material selection, force calculation, and a configuration that fits.
