How Do Circlips Work?

A circlip is also called a snap ring. It is a kind of fastener. It basically is a sprung ring which possesses open ends. These open ends are usually snapped into place. They are used in a machine groove usually in a plug of a cylinder or sometimes in other parts so that they allow rotation to take place. At the same time they prohibit any lateral movement from occurring. They are frequently used to secure connections that are pinned. The two main types of circlips are the internal circlips and the External Circlips. They come in a wide variety of materials, thickness and in different sizes.

A normal external circlip generally comes with lugs with holes do that they can be easily affixed with the help of circlip pliers. A heavy duty external circlip is mainly used to prevent conical deformation and also to withstand shock loads.