Example 23.1.

A compression coil spring made of an alloy steel is having the following

specifications:

Mean diameter of coil = 50 mm ; Wire diameter = 5 mm ; Number of active coils = 20. If this
spring is subjected to an axial load of 500 N ; calculate the maximum shear stress (neglect the
curvature effect) to which the spring material is subjected.

Solution:

Given : D = 50 mm ; d = 5 mm ; n = 20 ; W = 500 N

We know that the spring index,

D 50
C= = =10
d 5

∴ Shear stress factor,

1 1
K s =1+ =1+ =1.05
2C 2 ×10

and maximum shear stress (neglecting the effect of wire curvature),

8W .D 8 ×500 × 50
τ =K s × 3
=1.05 × 3
=534.7 N /mm2=534.7 MPa
πd π×5

Example 23.2. A helical spring is made from a wire of 6 mm diameter and has outside
diameter of 75 mm. If the permissible shear stress is 350 MPa and modulus of rigidity 84
kN/mm2, find the axial load which the spring can carry and the deflection per active turn.

Solution:

Given: d = 6 mm ; Do = 75 mm ; τ = 350 MPa = 350 N/mm2 ; G = 84 kN/mm2 = 84 × 103

N/mm2

We know that mean diameter of the spring,

D=D o−d =75−6=69 mm

∴ Spring index,

D 69
C= = =11.5
d 6

Let, W = Axial Load, and

 δ / n = Deflection per active turn.

1. Neglecting the effect of curvature

We know that the shear stress factor,

1 1
K s =1+ =1+ =1.0 43
2C 2 ×1 1.5

and maximum shear stress induced in the wire (τ),

8W .D 8 ×W × 69
350=K s × 3
=1.0 43 × =0.848 W
πd π ×6 3

350
∴W = =412.7 N
0.848

We know that deflection of the spring,

8 W . D3 n
δ=
G . d4

∴ Deflection per active turn,

3
δ 8 W . D3 n 8 × 412.7 ( 69 )
= = =9.96 mm
n G . d4 84 × 103 ×6 4

2. Considering the effect of curvature

We know that Wahl’s stress factor,

4 C−1 0.615
K= + =1.123
4 C−4 C

We also know that the maximum shear stress induced in the wire (τ),

8W .C 8× W ×11.5
350=K × 2
=1. 12 3× =0.913 W
πd π ×6 2

350
∴W = =383 . 4 N
0.913

and deflection of the spring,

8 W . D3 n
δ=
G . d4
∴ Deflection per active turn,

3
δ 8 W . D3 n 8 ×383 . 4 ( 69 )
= = =9. 26 mm
n G . d4 84 × 103 × 64

Example 23.3. Design a spring for a balance to measure 0 to 1000 N over a scale of length
80 mm. The spring is to be enclosed in a casing of 25 mm diameter. The approximate number
of turns is 30. The modulus of rigidity is 85 kN/mm 2. Also calculate the maximum shear
stress induced.

Solution.

Given : W = 1000 N ; δ = 80 mm ; n = 30 ; G = 85 kN/mm2 = 85 × 103 N/mm2

Design of spring

Let D = Mean diameter of the spring coil,

d = Diameter of the spring wire, and

C = Spring index = D/d.

Since the spring is to be enclosed in a casing of 25 mm diameter, therefore the outer diameter
of the spring coil (Do = D + d ) should be less than 25 mm.

We know that deflection of the spring (δ),

8W . C 3 . n 8 ×1000 ×C 3 × 30 240 C 3
80= = =
G. d 85 ×103 × d 85 d

C3 80 ×85
= =28.3
d 240

Let us assume that d = 4 mm. Therefore

C3 = 28.3 d = 28.3 × 4 = 113.2 or C = 4.84

and D = C.d = 4.84 × 4 = 19.36 mm

We know that outer diameter of the spring coil,

Do = D + d = 19.36 + 4 = 23.36 mm

Since the value of Do = 23.36 mm is less than the casing diameter of 25 mm, therefore the
assumed dimension, d = 4 mm is correct.
Maximum shear stress induced

We know that Wahl’s stress factor,

4 C−1 0.615
K= + =1. 322
4 C−4 C

∴ Maximum shear stress induced,

8 W .C 8 ×1000 × 4.84 N
τ =K × 2
=1.322 × 2
=1018.2 =1018.2 MPa
πd π×4 mm 2

Example 23.4. A mechanism used in printing machinery consists of a tension spring

assembled with a preload of 30 N. The wire diameter of spring is 2 mm with a spring index of
6. The spring has 18 active coils. The spring wire is hard-drawn, and oil tempered having the
following material properties: Design shear stress = 680 MPa, Modulus of rigidity = 80
kN/mm2

Determine: 1. the initial torsional shear stress in the wire; 2. spring rate; and 3. the force to
cause the body of the spring to its yield strength.

Solution.

Given : Wi = 30 N; d = 2 mm; C = D/d = 6; n = 18; τ = 680 MPa = 680 N/mm 2 ; G = 80

kN/mm2 = 80 × 103 N/mm2

1. Initial torsional shear stress in the wire

We know that Wahl’s stress factor,

4 C−1 0.615
K= + =1. 2525
4 C−4 C

∴ Initial torsional shear stress in the wire,

8W i . C 8 ×30 ×6 N
τ i =K × 2
=1. 2525 × 2
=143 .5 =143 .5 MPa
πd π×2 mm2

2. Spring Rate

We know that spring rate (or stiffness of the spring),

G.d 80 × 103 × 2
¿ = =5.144 N /mm
8C 3 . n 8 ×6 3 × 18
3. Force to cause the body of the spring to its yield strength

Let W = Force to cause the body of the spring to its yield strength.

We know that design or maximum shear stress (τ),

8W . C 8 ×W × 6
680=K × 2
=1.2525 × =4.78 W
πd π ×22

680
W= =142.25 N
4.78