compression springs

No matter the product, no matter the application, the springs you use play a big role in the quality of performance you get. Whether you need springs to control motion, reduce forceful impact, store energy or any other function, the design of your springs is the deciding factor of success.

What Type of Spring Do You Need?

Mechanical springs come in many types and shapes. The most common types are:

On top of spring type, there are also many basic shapes that include:

  • Conical springs
  • Barreal springs
  • Hourglass springs
  • Springs with a constant pitch
  • Springs with variable pitches
  • Drawbar springs
  • Helical compression, extension, and torsion springs

Compression Spring Ends

When you work with compression springs, you can have multiple types of ends:

  • Plain ends
  • Plain and ground ends
  • Squared ends
  • Squared and ground ends

Extension Spring Ends

For extension springs, there are many types of “hooked” and “looped” ends:

  • Twist or loop hook
  • Cross-center loop or hook
  • Side loop or hook
  • Extended loop or hook

Design Specifics for Compression Springs

The specifications for a compression spring can include:

  • Total coils
  • Active coils
  • Free length
  • Solid length
  • Deflection
  • Maximum Solid
  • Outer and inner diameter
  • Mean diameter
  • Wire diameter

Design Specifics for Extension Springs

The specifications for an extension spring can also include:

  • Body length
  • Initial tension
  • Length inside ends
  • Hook opening
  • Loop position

Spring Rate, Index and Pitch

You may also want to achieve a specific spring rate, index and pitch. Spring rate is the ratio of change in force to the change in length. Spring index is the ratio of the mean diameter to the wire from which the spring is constructed. Spring pitch is the number of coils per inch in length of the spring. All of these desired ratios can affect the specifications of your spring design, up to and including the type of wire you are able to use.

Stress and Loading Factors

The loads, cycle rapidity and expected stress must also be taken into account. The stress your spring can withstand is dependent upon the wire diameter, free length, deflection and many other design factors. These must be incorporated into the design to prevent spring buckling (often caused by the diameter being too small when compared to the spring length).

Other Factors

There are many engineering factors that go into designing the perfect spring for an application. For help on this issue, contact the experts at The Yost Superior Co. today. If you have an idea of what you need in your spring design, request a quote to expedite the entire process.